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Vet found black tissue after dog's mass removal. Is it melanoma? Will it spread?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | neutered | 10 years and 10 months old | 60.8 lbs

i just had a mass removed (orig dx fibroma) from my dogs front leg joint and vet found black tissue and some cannot be removed. She said melanoma but could it be benign or local? She said amputation would fix the problem but can it spread?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on September 21st, 2017

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach! Was the suspected black tissue confirmed melanoma? If this has been confirmed melanoma, then local control is key to prevent it from spreading. Melanoma's are typically locally aggressive but do have the potential to metastasize to other areas of the body if not treated. If the tumor is unable to be removed completely and you do not want to amputate the leg, I would consult with a veterinary oncologist to discuss other control options such as radiation therapy. Melanomas tend to be very responsive to radiation therapy. The average survival time in untreated dogs is typically 2-3 months. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via phone or text based consultation.

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    Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    IT could spread, the only way to know if this is benign or malignant is to send a sample of this tumor to the lab for analysis they usually can tell you exactly what type of tumor it is and will also advise how to approach treatment wise.

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