My senior dog has a red lump on her lip. Should I worry about surgery?

Question

My dog as a red lump above her lip under her nose. She is 13 and don't want to to put her through any surgery but also don't want her to be in any pain. If I sent a picture could you advice. Thank you. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | 14 years and 9 months old

Lauren Jones VMD · Accepted Answer

Stella's skin lesion could be a benign or malignant mass, papilloma (wart-like lesion), or skin tag. Depending upon the type of lesion, surgery may not be needed even if you decided to pursue it. Most skin lesions are not painful unless they grow rapidly or open and become ulcerative. It is worth taking Stella to her vet to aspirate the lesion (using a needle to draw out a few cells that can be examined microscopically - this can generally be performed awake in cooperative dogs) and then determine this lesion is even worth worrying about. If the lesion grows rapidly, bleeds, or Stella begins to rub or scratch at it, these can be signs of discomfort. I hope that all goes well and that this helps to address your concerns!

My senior dog has a red lump on her lip. Should I worry about surgery?

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