My senior Yorkie has purple, painful area near rectum. Is it cancer?

Hi Dhyanna! At such a young age, it's not likely Muffin has a malignant tumor; even if it was one, you would have seen symptoms of malignancy by now. It could be a benign tumor that is slowly growing. The only way to know for sure is to have Muffin seen by a vet for this. The vet can diagnose what is causing this lump and how best to treat it. I would take her into the vet in the next couple of days.

A common cause for such lumps is anal gland impaction or abscess but tumours are a potentially rare cause. Your vet can check and empty the glands or advise further investigation as appropriate. If related to impacted gland, a fiber supplement can help prevent repeated issues

It is not possible to assess your dog's anus via the internet and I strongly recommend you take Lady to a veterinarian for an exam. She may have an abscessed anal sac/gland or actually may have a rectal polyp or an injury. It is also possible that the blood is not coming from the anus, but from the vulva and then there is a possibility of your dog suffering from a UTI. Best take her to a vet in the morning.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These could be benign or malignant growths. There is no way of knowing for sure without an examination though this represents a reason to seek veterinary care. This is usually determined with an examination and a fine needle aspirate (FNA) or a biopsy. Treatment depends on the findings up to that point. I recommend you have Cochino evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

I'd have to say that I'm concerned about that focal mass area that is pigmented black, but the rest of this lesion does not look like any type of skin cancer I have seen. If the vet is concerned that this is cancer, typically we debulk (remove as much as possible) or completely remove what we can before attempting chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is also best guided when we know exactly the type of tumor we are dealing with, as there are several types of cancers that can affect the skin of dogs. My advice would be to get a biopsy performed of this lesion and get an exact diagnosis before proceeding with treatment.

I'm so sorry that Brownie has cancer! Depending on where her lump is, it can cause pain as she places pressure on it. If there is any bleeding or discharge from her lump, that can be painful as well. You can discuss your concerns with your vet, who can prescribe pain medication for Brownie to make her more comfortable. I hope this helps!

I always recommend any new skin masses to be checked out by the veterinarian. Sometimes the doctor will know what it is by examining it. More often though, they need to collect a small sample of cells and look under the microscope. Especially concerning are pink/red masses as they can be a cancer called a Mast Cell Tumor (although other benign growths can look similar). It’s always better to be safe. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.