My dog's eye spot is growing. Is it melanoma? What should I do?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua | Female | spayed | 2 years and 11 months old | 14 lbs
Hello, I was wondering if pigmentation on my dogs eye would grow over time, or if they would stay the same size? My dog has a brown spot on her eye and the vet thought it was a pigmentation but it's already doubled in size in two months and now I'm worried it's a melanoma! Thoughts?? How do they treat a melanoma? I read they are more likely benign.
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on December 6th, 2019
Thank you for contacting PetCoach with your question about Ellie. The pigmentation can grow over time. I will put a link below to an article as to what this could be. If this is pigmentary keratitis, the underlying cause needs to be diagnosed so it can be treated correctly. Even if this was a melanoma, yes they are usually benign in dogs. In fact, 80% of them are benign. If it was melanoma, it could be destroyed with a laser since it's small. Have her see a veterinary ophthalmologist before getting too worried about it. Best of luck. https://www.northwestanimaleye.com/pigmentary-keratitis.pml
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Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on April 24th, 2020
If your dog has had this from birth and if it has not grown, then it is likely not cancer. The only way to find out whether this is a malignant ocular melanoma is to consult with a veterinary eye specialist. This could be a benign ocular melanocytoma, or just melanistic spot in the anterior eye. But if it has been growing , it very well could be malignant. Cure of the malignant kind would be enucleation (taking the eye out) and hope it has not spread to surrounding tissue. However such tumors rarely metastasize
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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