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My dog has a new mole or lump. Is it serious? What should I do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Boxer | Female | spayed | 7 years and 11 months old | 75 lbs

Have a photo of a mole on my dog. Curious as to what it is

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3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on February 6th, 2018

I suggest you get Xena checked out by your vet. Any older dog that has a new lump that has come up should be examined. The lump resembles a histiocytoma however, those are most common in young dogs (like under 3 years of age). So, while it is not impossible that it could be a histiocytoma, it is not likely. Some other possibilities of what this could be: 1. Tumor - benign (ie: histocytoma, papilloma, fibroma, etc) 2. Tumor - malignant (ie: cancer like mast cell tumor, squamous cell carcinoma, etc) 3. Cyst - (ie: sebaceous, dermal, etc) 4. Abscess/infection (unlikely) There is no way to distinguish which of those it is without some testing. https://www.petco.com/content/content-hub/home/articlePages/health-wellness/Bumps-and-Lumps-in-Dogs-and-Cats.html Hope this helps. Best wishes.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Kristin DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Thanks for your question. Based on your photo, I suspect that yes this is probably a "mole", or nevus. You might notice more on Xena as she ages. You should monitor the spot, and seek veterinary attention if it is growing, bleeding or oozing, or if it appears to be bothering Xena. Any new lumps or bumps, or changes to existing ones, deserves a trip to the veterinarian. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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    Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 2nd, 2018

    This appears to me to be a histiocytoma (benign tumor of young dogs). However, it is impossible for me to diagnose over the internet with just a photo. There are many reasons for dogs to get lumps/bumps. It is best to get Bentley to your vet for an exam just to be sure. Here is a link to an article about histiocytoma in dogs. ( https://www.petcoach.co/article/histiocytoma-in-dogs/ ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

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