Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

What are the odds skin tags and bumps on my senior dog are cancer?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 11 years old | 55 lbs

My dog has developed a (what I’m assuming) skin tag, and a small bump that I think looks like a wart. she is a elderly (12 years old) Doberman mix that is my entire world. I obviously will get them both checked but I just wanted to ask what the odds are that they are cancerous? She has no other issues, they do not bother her at all, they both move with the skin and do not bleed or anything of the sorts. The skin tag is on the front left leg the “wart” is on back right. Thanks

This question includes photos that may contain sensitive content. Click to view.

View more to consider that the photos may include sensitive content.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Dayna, DVM, CVA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on April 5th, 2018

I agree that the first picture appears to be a skin tag and the second picture looks like it could be a cyst or perhaps a Sebaceous adenoma. I am not too concerned about these masses, but obviously an examination is far better than an evaluation of a picture. If your veterinarian is concerned they appear small enough that perhaps removal with just a local anesthesia may work. Best of luck and I hope she does well. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Vote icon

5Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Image profile

    Answered By Dr. Dayna, DVM, CVA

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

    Published on November 5th, 2017

    Without a biopsy I can’t say for sure what this is, but the picture appears to be skin tags. I am not overly concerned about it being cancerous, but I would recommend having her examined by your veterinarian. They may discuss a skin biopsy to make sure there is nothing more concerning going on. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

    Vote icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

See More Answers

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I’m worried about these bumps on my dog. She is a senior and a terrier bread.
Hi. These luckily look like benign sebaceous , wart like masses that many dogs get as they get older. They can grown, get in the way and even bleed, but they arent a cancerous mass if it is what I believe they look like. If you have any concern though and want to be sure, I would recommend getting him seen
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog being around 134 years of age has grown a large bump on her back its on the skin rather than under it and it seems to me that it could be a cyst or cancer (warning might be gross to look at)
Thank you for contacting Pet Coach with your question about Pearl. Unfortunately there isn't a picture attached to your post, so I can't see the lump, but I can make a few guesses as to what it could be. It could be a cyst, but it could also be a lipoma, benign tumor, or malignant tumor. In a senior dog, there is always a chance any lump could be malignant. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. I'd give her vet a call this weekend or first thing Monday to make her an appointment. Best of luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I was wondering if this looks like cancer. My dog is 11 almost 12 half pit bull half american bulldog spayed female.
Hi there and thank you for using Boop by Petco to address your concern. It is difficult to say for sure what these tumors are just by looking at photos. However, that being said, the light pink mass I would suspect to be benign / non-cancerous and it looks like what we call a sebaceous adenoma. The dark purple mass looks a little more suspicious for a malignant / cancerous mass. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine both to be on the safe side. The vet can insert a small needle into both masses and look at their cells under the microscope, a test called a Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA). I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please remember to rate this answer as helpful or not. Thank you!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I have just recently noticed this strange skin on my dogs belly. What could it possibly be caused by?
Without a biopsy I can’t say for sure what this is, but the picture appears to be skin tags. I am not overly concerned about it being cancerous, but I would recommend having her examined by your veterinarian. They may discuss a skin biopsy to make sure there is nothing more concerning going on. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My 13 year old dachshund has what I thought were skin tags appearing on his head, face and chest over the last few years or so starting with a small spot on his eyelid. I recently noticed how bad one really looks. Should I be concerned?
Hi, from the looks of these pictures if could be that Pluto is getting warts or cysts on his body. He should be taken to a vet to have them checked to make sure they are not cancerous and need to be removed. Cancerous masses will often grow in short amounts of time and can be red and raised. For peace of mind, have them checked out by a vet and removed if necessary. Good luck with him!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I have a 14 year old chihuahua mini pin- He's got this on his tummy- it's growing- feels like a sack of skin- skin tag or something I should worry about?
Hi and thank you for posting your question! From the picture, it looks like a skin tag which can grow over time and become larger. Usually these are not anything to worry too much about, although if it starts to become larger, red, swollen, or infected, you may want to have your veterinarian take a closer look. You can always have the mass aspirated and a sample sample taken from it to see if it is anything concerning. That is the only way to really definitively diagnosis any mass. Thank you for using Boop by Petco and I hope this has helped!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hello, my dog destro is 10 years old. He's very hyper, eats and drinks well, and exercises daily. He is starting to get skin tags and bumps over his body but he shows no signs of pain, lets us touch them, and does not guard the area. Attached is one
As long as he is behaving normally otherwise, you can monitor the lumps at home. Older dogs are more prone to these growths. Unfortunately, it is difficult to determine which ones you should worry about without a physical exam and diagnostics. Monitor them for rapid change or growth, discharge, pain associated with a mass or a mass that restricts motion. If necessary, your veterinarian can perform a fine needle aspirate in the clinic to collect samples for pathology. This could identify which lumps are of concern. Discuss treatment options after results are returned.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My 8 year old female Maltese has a skin-colored bump on the back of her neck. It started very small a few years ago but it has slowly grown. She doesn't go out in the sun very much. My dog's older sister has small bumps like this in various places on
Thank you for the image. This is likely a benign skin mass known as a sebaceous adenoma. They are common in older dogs and arise from sebaceous glands in the skin. You would need to have your dog physically examined by your veterinarian for confirmation. Removal is recommended if the lump grows larger or becomes ulcerated, but others may grow in the same spot or different areas. Keep it clean and dry and be careful not to irritate it during grooming/brushing or bathing.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My older dog has a lump on his back. He has a bunch of bumps and lumps as he gets older, but this one concerns me. He has an appt with the vet next month for his checkup and rabies shot. Should I f/u on this or is it not a big deal?
Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Based on the pictures you provided, I suspect that the lump you speak of is a benign skin tumor. It looks very similar to what we would call a sebaceous adenoma. These typically develop with old age and are typically nothing to be worried about. Sometimes these can continue to grow and can rupture or become infected. Normally these can be monitored at home and if there are any suspicious changes then I usually say to bring the pet in to have the mass examined. If you would rather play it safe to make sure this is nothing to be concerned about, you can have your veterinarian perform testing on the Mass to help better determine what it could possibly be. The veterinarian can perform a diagnostic test known as a fine needle aspiration test in which a small needle is inserted into the mass and then these cells are then reviewed under a microscope. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please feel free to cont
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi, i was wondering what these 2 or so black-like-bumps or moles are on my dog's chin& under close to his mouth , he is around 10 years old or so, rescue Manchester terrier dog 21+- pounds. He is not the easiest dog to take to the vet hard to control
It is hard to say for sure by just these pictures but they look like skin tags. If they are hard, growing, bleeding or bothering him, I would have him seen by your vet. Otherwise, you could just watch them for any change. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored