The 9 Most Common Skin Tumors of Dogs

by Dr. Chris

April 24, 2011 Finding a skin tumor on your dog is quite common, and in most cases these can be removed by your veterinarian easily because most are benign. In this post we’ll go over 9 of the most common skin tumors of dogs.

A tumor is defined as an abnormal growth of cells that results in a mass of tissue. Some of these masses can be benign (no signs of cancer) where as other masses can be malignant (cancerous).

1. Warts (Papillomas)

Dog warts are caused by viruses and are normally benign. They are very small skin bumps and often feel very hard. Since these are not cancerous they are usually not removed unless they are in an area that causes your dog irritation.

2. Lipomas (Fat Tumors)

Lipomas are simply masses of fat that you can feel under your dog’s skin. These usually feel very soft and can be almost any size. These are benign so they are also not usually removed. A fine needle aspirate of the mass by a veterinarian is able to determine if the mass is a lipoma or not.

3. Soft Tissue Sarcomas

These masses can be any size and sometimes it can be hard to determine where the mass ends and normal skin begins. These can only be diagnosed histologically. These are normally removed, but some might reoccur in the same location.

4. Mast Cell Tumors

Dog mast cell tumors are known as “the great pretenders” because they can mimic other tumors. These tumors can be malignant, so if your dog is diagnosed with a mast cell tumor, normally the local lymph nodes are also examined to make sure this tumor type has not spread.

5. Histiocytoma

Histiocytomas are normally found on young dogs. They are domed shaped and hairless. Dog histiocytomas grow fast, but normally regress on their own and disappear causing no harm.

6. Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Dog squamous cell carcinomas normally occur on the legs and tend to be raised, nodular, and ulcerated. They are normally caused by exposure to sun. Surgical removal of dog squamous cell carcinomas are usually curative.

7. Melanoma

Melanoma in dogs usually shows up as pigmented areas of skin that can appear as raised nodules. These are usually benign. But if the melanoma is found in your dog’s mouth it is usually malignant.

8. Cystic Tumors

Dog skin cysts are small fluid fill masses that are benign. Sebaceous cysts normally occur more often in certain dog breeds.

9. Sebaceous Gland Tumors

Sebaceous gland tumors in dogs can vary from benign to malignant. That is why early diagnosis and removal is important. Sebaceous gland tumors are different then sebaceous cysts.

To read more blog posts go here: Pet Insurance Blog

To sign up for my newsletter go here: Veterinary Newsletter