# Growth on skin, tick or tumor?



## concerned:-/ (Jan 20, 2011)

Hello, I found a "thing" on my dogs hind leg, she ia a labrador/Golden mix She is my baby and I am worried. The thing I found is big, around an inch if not a little bigger, it is textured like a raisin and firm yet soft. I trimmed the hair around the "thing" and put some dawn soap on it to smother it in case it is a tick. attached are some pictures. I apologize for the "ick" factor of the images. Please help me if you have an idea of what this is, from what I have been reading it could be a hair follicle tumor (trichoepithelioma). Thank you so much!


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

That looks almost like a skin tag to me. You can get it aspirated just to make sure. Ticks aren't wrinkled like that.


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## Noey (Feb 26, 2009)

That looks like a fatty growth...but needs to be checked as it could be anything. Does not look like a tick.


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## concerned:-/ (Jan 20, 2011)

Thank you for responding, I have been searching and searching online for something that looks like this and cannot find anything. It does not seem to hurt her or anything, she let me examine the "thing" and was only mildly nervous when I trimmed the hair around it. I do not have any experience with ticks so I was unsure. Unfortunately I do not have money for the vet for another 2 weeks, hopefully she will be ok until then. :-(


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## Noey (Feb 26, 2009)

I would just watch it. If she is pulling on it or tugging it might try and get her in sooner - some vets will work out payment later if needed.

I had a dog who had fatty growths and they resemble chewed gum...vary in color. They are harmless - but again you need to have her looked at when possible.


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

If you're worried, why not put in a call to your vet and ask if he/she can see you now and you can pay in two weeks?


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

If you can't go now, I'd watch it and make sure it isn't growing. So take a ruler and measure the growth so you can keep track of it.


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## concerned:-/ (Jan 20, 2011)

She does not mess with it all all, no scratching, licking, or anything. It is just there all gross and worrisome :-( Thank you fro the advice I will put in a call to the vet and track the growth of it, I am just surprised I did not notice it sooner... but her hair was originally covering it and I only noticed it because of how she was positioned while she napped the other night made it peak out a little, I thought it was a tick, until I took a picture of it and could see it up close. I do not know much about ticks but I was pretty sure they didn't look like raisins.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

My old boy had one on the side of his face and one on his back, never got bigger than a dime. My guess is a Adenoma.

Dermatology for Animals

Always best to have a vet check it out.


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## Our3dogs (Apr 3, 2008)

It could very well be a skin tag that's gone bad. Maybe show the pictures with measurements to your vet to get an idea. They usually are not urgent things. If your vet does suggest removing it, ask it it can be done with just a local. This is a less expensive than putting them under. If your dog is not the nervous/anxious type, it usually just requires being held by the vet techs while the doctor removes it. Just had a cyst remove from our Lacey doing it this way. Good luck.


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## Philbert (Dec 29, 2010)

My old girl had them all over the last couple of years of her life. They are gross, but they didn't seem to bother her.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

My old dog Carmella had something like this one her elbow (it was pink though, not black) that, while benign, bothered her to no end so we had to get it removed. I would DEFINITELY see your vet or at least call in to make sure it's not something like a melanoma, but as others have said, it's probably a skin tag or something. At least it's not bothering your pup!


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