My dog's leg lump is growing and looks angry. Is it cancer?

Question

We got our dog, Bella, a few months ago. When we adopted her we were aware of this little skin thing on the back of her leg, but she chewed on it a little while back and ever since then it seems to be growing and getting angrier looking. She hasn’t chewed on it since, but I was wondering if someone could give me some information on what this could be, if it could be cancerous and what steps should I take to care for it. Thank you. Pet's info: Dog | American Staffordshire Terrier | Female | spayed | 3 years and 1 month old | 75 lbs

Dr. Elizabeth · Accepted Answer

That pink mass could be something completely benign or it could be a cancerous tumor called a Mast Cell Tumor. Just like with humans, you often can’t tell by looking. The problem with Mast Cell Tumors is that they can look like anything. I recommend to have Bella visit her veterinarian and have the mass aspirated. This will collect a small sample of cells and this will tell you what it is and if further action is needed. Even benign tumors can become inflamed, especially if Bella is chewing in it. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Hopefully it’s nothing serious! I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

My dog's leg lump is growing and looks angry. Is it cancer?

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