By Dr Lana Watler
Cayman Animal Hospital 946-VETS

I have recently noticed a few lumps on my dogs skin. They are small and don’t seem to bother her but are quite red – do I need to have them removed?

Dogs routinely get wart-like bumps in their skin and fatty lumps under their skin as they age. Most often these lumps and bumps, or tumors, on old dogs are as benign as wrinkles on old people. However, we don’t ignore any lumps or bumps on dogs or cats.

Cats don’t normally get benign tumors with age; a tumor in a cat is likely to be malignant. But you can’t tell by looking and touching whether a tumor is malignant or benign. Any lump or bump, especially in an older dog or cat, should be seen by a veterinarian and tested for malignancy.

We recommend that dog and cat owners make a habit of looking for irregularities on their pet while petting and grooming, paying close attention to the most common sites for tumors. In dogs and cats, these are the skin, mouth, mammary glands, and lymph nodes. Pet owners should also be aware of changes in their pet’s attitude and appetite.

Dogs and cats over seven years of age should visit their veterinarian once or twice a year for a thorough physical exam. A complete blood count, chemistry panel, and urinalysis can help detect internal problems that would otherwise go unnoticed.

By using a syringe and needle your veterinarian can aspirate (withdraw by suction) some of the cells from a tumor on your pet. The cells, examined under a microscope, will look like normal healthy cells if the tumor is benign or will be abnormal if the tumor is malignant. If the cells do not cleanly fit either the benign or the malignant category, then your veterinarian may recommend removing the tumor for a biopsy.

Any new lump or bump should be examined by your veterinarian right away. Of most concern, are lumps that grow fast, change size or shape over weeks or months, ooze or break open, are firm and tightly fixed in the body tissue, or are abnormally colored, like melanomas. These tumors are more likely to be malignant. However, there are no specific criteria to tell benign tumors from malignant tumors by just looking at them.

A dog can have twenty identical wart-like bumps, of which only one is malignant. That one can only be found by aspirating them all. Also, benign tumors have the potential to change over time and become malignant. Benign tumors should be monitored by owners and examined regularly by your veterinarian.

If a cancerous tumor is discovered early, options for treatment will be greater and your pet will have a better chance of recovery. Later in the course of the disease, options become limited and treatment is more difficult.

For more information on maintaining the health of your pet, contact your veterinarian.