My dog's black skin tag tripled in size, irritated. What should I do?

Question

My dog originally had this little black looking skin tag a few months ago, my husband thought it was a tick and pulled on it with no success. We wrote it off as a skin tag. I noticed recently the dog licking his leg and I looked and it’s the same spot but tripled in size. You can tell my dog is bothered by it and it looks very irritated either from licking or biting I’m not sure. Can not find anything similar online so was hoping I could find an answer here? Pet's info: Dog | Pit Bull Terrier | Male | neutered | 3 years and 1 month old | 50 lbs

Jessica Keay, DVM · Accepted Answer

Thank you for your question! Unfortunately we cannot diagnose a mass based on looks alone. We don't know if this mass got irritated and is inflammed/infected and grew because of this, or if it is growing in size due to the nature of the tumor. I would recommend making an appointment for Gotham's vet to look at the growth. In the meantime, if he is licking the area put an e-collar (the cone shaped collar) on him to prevent this which could introduce bacteria and irritation. You can put a topical antibiotic ointment onto the area until you are seen. The fact that it is growing quickly in size would make me personally recommend removing the growth, especially since he is bothering at it. Another option would be to do a cytology of the growth, where some cells are collected and looked at under the microscope to help identify the nature of the growth. Best of luck to you and Gotham.

My dog's black skin tag tripled in size, irritated. What should I do?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

What fish dog food helps dry skin if my dog eats Science Diet?

Why is my new pet biting? Is she stressed or scared in her new home?

My degu has a white bump in its fur. Should I take my pet to the vet?

My pet's ear mite treatment isn't working. What else could it be?

My rat is losing weight and has breathing issues. What should I do?

My robo hamster is limp, bleeding, and collapsed. Is it wet tail?

Share