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My dog has a soft black lump on her belly. Is it cancer or a skin tag?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Female | spayed | 115 lbs

My dog has what looks like a large black skin sag that has grown rapidly but she is fawn colored. It does not bother her and she has no other symptoms. It is soft and pliable. It is on her abdomen. Could this be cancer?

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Makenzie Kurth, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on May 9th, 2018

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It always COULD be cancer - the only way to diagnose for sure is to remove it and send it to the lab. But I doubt it based on its current appearance. FAR more likely is that it’s a completely harmless “skin tag”. I’m not surprised at the color; even though her fur is fawn, you can see that Gracie’s actual skin is blackish in that area. Keep an eye on it. If it becomes suddenly big, hard, or seems to bother Gracie, get it checked out. Best of luck to you and Gracie!

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1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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