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My dog has a red skin tag-like bump. Is it serious or benign?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 45 lbs

Dog has what looks like a red skin tag. Can I send pic?

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

Published on June 26th, 2018

That mass could be several things. Red raised hairless masses can be benign growths such as warts, histiocytomas, reactions or infected hair follicles. They can unfortunately also be malignant grows such as Mast Cell Tumor or Plasmacytoma. I would recommend to have it checked out by the vet who may be better able to tell how concerned you should be by palpating the mass and the surrounding lymphnodes. The good news is that the majority of masses are benign but it's always better to be safe. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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    Answered By Ana M, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 25th, 2018

    Thank you for submitting your question regarding Zeus. There are two common skin masses in dogs that are red, raised and hairless. The first is a benign growth known as a histiocytoma. It is more common in the extremities of young dogs. It will spontaneously regress in 2-3 months. The second is a malignant mass called a mast cell tumor. This is an aggressive form of skin cancer. The only way to differentiate between the two is a procedure known as a fine needle aspirate. The veterinarian collects a sample of cells and evaluates it under the microscope. I hope this information helps!

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