What is this peeling bump on my dog's ankle? Should I see a vet?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. There is no way of knowing what it is just based on its appearance. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!

At Destiny's age, I would be concerned this could be a malignant tumor and it's concerning how big it is. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. I would take her into a vet today. Best of luck.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is definitely concerning that the lump has increased in size so quickly, as older dogs are typically more likely to develop cancers. The lump can also be an infection or cyst. I recommend having this seen by a vet as soon as possible - they can take a small sample from the growth to determine exactly what it is and recommend the appropriate treatment. I hope all is well!

With how quickly the bump appeared on Ellie, I recommend having your veterinarian take an aspirate of it. An aspirate consists of your veterinarian placing a needle in the growth to try to collect cells. They can then evaluate it under a microscope or send it to a pathologist to evaluate. This may or may not get us a complete answer. The bump could be a benign (non-cancerous) growth but it also could be something to be concerned about. The best way to determine if this is something at all to be concerned about is to remove the growth under anesthesia, send the growth to a pathologist and have a pathologist examine the tissue.

Thank you for providing a picture of Lexi's lump. From the appearance, it does look characteristic of a benign growth but I can't say for certain without seeing her in person. At her age, there is always a chance a lump could be malignant. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. I'd give her vet a call to make her an appointment. I hope this helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on the photos and seeing that Alexis is 1 year old, I suspect this is benign. However, there is no way for me to say that for sure. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine this and perform some additional testing to help rule out what this could be. The veterinarian can insert a small needle into the mass and look at the cells under the microscope to help determine further what this could be. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please take the time to mark this question as helpful or not as it helps us to improve on the quality of our answers to other pet owners. Thank you kindly!

Unfortunately there is no way to tell what that is just by looking at it. It could be a benign or malignant growth. I am concerned that it could be a mast cell tumor and I recommend having Lexi examined by her veterinarian. They will take a sample with a needle and examine it under the microscope to determine what it is and what treatment is needed.