What Is This Weird Growth on My Dog's Leg?
A growth on a dog's leg could be a skin tag.
Image via Shutterstock/sophiecat
Diagnosing a Growth on a Dog's Leg
"What is this on my dog's leg, and what do I do about it?" - Buddy
There is no way to definitively diagnose what a skin growth is without having a fine needle aspirate or biopsy and observing the cells in a microscope. However, even after just looking at the photograph, I am almost sure it is a skin tag.
This growth is likely a skin tag.
Image via owner
Skin Tags vs. Tumors
Skin tags are not usually cancerous and are usually easy to identify. Your regular veterinarian may want to do an aspiration or biopsy to be sure, but they are common and easy to identify in most cases.
They might recommend the procedure because in some cases, a skin tag can look mild, but it is actually a tumor. The most common of these would be a mast cell tumor, which happens in about 13.79% of all dogs with a skin growth. (1) Some of the things you can look out for if it is a tumor and not just a skin tag include:
- The lump changes in size, color, or even shape. (It does not just look like a wart growing out of the leg.)
- The lump develops a rough surface or starts bleeding.
- The lump does not look like the rest of his skin. (In your dogs case the little lump looks like the skin on his underarm, but if this changes it is more likely a tumor and not a tag.)
You did not mention his breed, and I could not tell for sure from the photo, but if he is a Brittany and you use him to hunt, I would want to take the tag off before he ripped it during a romp through the underbrush. This is not an emergency and really only a concern if he is a hiking, hunting, or working dog.
If he is an inside dog, you can keep an eye on it. A good way to keep track of this is just to take a picture of it every 2 or 3 months next to a coin or ruler, something to judge the size. If it looks about the same, do not worry about it. If it's growing rapidly, however, or if you notice the surface is bleeding or ulcerated, go ahead and plan on getting it taken off.
You cannot really prevent your dog getting skin tags as he grows older and do not need to take him in every time he has a growth like this. If he has any health issues, your vet might be able to remove them with local anesthesia, but if he going under anesthesia for another reason (like a dental), you can ask the vet to remove it at that time. It is very affordable if your dog is under anesthesia for another reason. If you look at numerous sites around the internet, you will find people suggesting that the tag be removed with dental floss or a rubber band. Please do not do this, as it is more likely to become infected.
Some of them will just fall off on their own, and some will cause problems based on their location. If the tag does need to be removed, it should be done correctly. If surgery is not an option, some of them can be frozen with liquid nitrogen. If they are just tied off and left to dry up, the site may become infected and end up putting your dog through a lot of unnecessary pain.
Sources
Śmiech A, Bulak K, Łopuszyński W, Puła A. Incidence and the risk of occurrence of benign and malignant canine skin tumours in Poland - a five-year retrospective study. J Vet Res. 2023 Sep 20;67(3):437-446. doi: 10.2478/jvetres-2023-0048. PMID: 37786849; PMCID: PMC10541663. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10541663/
This article is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from your veterinarian. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.
© 2024 Mark dos Anjos, DVM
