My unspayed senior dog has a lump near her vulva. Is a biopsy needed?

Poor Lady Bug. Since she is not fixed, my biggest concern is cancer. She could have mammary tumors - approximately 50% are benign and the other 50% are malignant. Whether you are talking about her vulva or anus, she could have a mass on the inside that has grown its way toward the orifice so that you can now see them. These can also be benign or malignant but I would strongly recommend to have a vet look at her. Your vet will be able to help you come up with a plan that will best suit you and Lady Bug’s needs and help make her feel better. Your vet will also be able to determine whether surgery is the best option for her or if there are other options depending on what the vet thinks it is. I hope this helps!

BB is so handsome! If the vet is recommending a biopsy on it, I would have that done. In a senior dog, there is always a chance that any lump could be malignant, and tumors cannot be drained. They need to be removed surgically, but the only way to know for sure what is causing the lump is to have it diagnosed. Any suspicious lump should be examined and treated to be sure it isn't something serious. I would make an appointment for BB to have this lump diagnosed in order for it to be treated. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

It could be that Lady has a cyst causing this lump. In a senior dog, it could also be a malignant tumor or a benign tumor. Without seeing her in person, I can't say for certain. If your vet sent her to a surgeon, then I would suspect that your vet believes it needs to be removed. I'm sorry you felt this surgeon was only worried about money, so I'd suggest speaking to your vet about a referral to another surgeon to get this lump diagnosed and possibly removed. It sounds like it's quite large if it's grapefruit size, and if it continues to grow, it could affect her ability to walk. In addition, if it is malignant, it needs to be removed as soon as possible. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

It may be a benign mass or a malignant tumor. The only way to know which s to have Max physically examined by your veterinarian. A fine needle aspirate can be done in the clinic to collect samples for pathology. If Maxi is due for a dental cleaning any time soon, the mass could be taken off while he is under anesthesia. Monitor for rapid change or growth. If Max licks or chews at the lump, place an e-collar (cone) on him until he sees the vet.

Hi and thanks for posting! If it is a small mass, taking a biopsy may be hard to do. They do need a fairly good and complete piece of tissue to properly evaluate it. Sometimes if small masses are concerning from appearance to your veterinarian, they may recommend just removing it completely and sending off the tissue to a pathologist for evaluation. I hope this helps!

Hello, If the mass was aspirated by your veterinarian and found not to contain cancerous cells, I agree surgery is optional but ideally removal of any mass is recommended. However, you described additional symptoms such as abnormal behavior that suggest congnitive dysfunction or possibly a brain tumor. I would advise you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian or a veterinary neurologist prior to removing her mass in the event she has a condition of the brain which could change her overall prognosis.

Poor girl. Because this mass is open and seems to be bothering her I would highly consider having this mass removed surgically. Sometimes if the mass is small (less than 2 cm's) we can do a sedative on the pet and quickly remove these. However if it is a larger mass then general anesthesia may be required. She also needs to be placed on oral antibiotics to keep this area from getting infected and daily cleaning of the mass as well. Sterile saline flushes can help keep this area relatively clean and then an e-collar placed on her can help prevent licking. If surgery isn't an option for you, then medical management with antibiotics, e-collar and regular cleanings may allow proper healing of the area, but in most cases surgical removal is the best option. Best of luck!