Lump on dog's foot.

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi there...I'd love to see a picture! You can send photos to photos@askavetquestion.com.

Thanks!


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Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for the photo!



I can give you a few possible ideas as to what this can be. But, of course, I can't give you a diagnosis over the internet.

Being a young dog, there is a good possibility that this is something called a histiocytoma. We don't know why dogs get these but they appear and then after a couple of months they go away. They are nothing to worry about and are not contagious.

Something that looks similar to a histiocytoma is a mast cell tumor. These are much more serious. If it is a mast cell tumor then it needs to be removed as soon as possible. The way your vet will tell the difference is to put a small needle into the mass (dogs tolerate this well) and draw some cells out to look at under the microscope.

It could also be a reaction to some type of foreign body like a sliver or a piece of glass. This is less likely though.

I have seen bee or insect stings look like this as well, but it shouldn't still be there after a week.

And finally, it could be a viral wart called a papilloma virus. It doesn't really look quite like this in the picture, but these are common in young dogs. They go away on their own in a few months.

My best guess is that this is a histiocytoma, but because of the risk of mast cell tumor I'd advise that you have him looked at soon.

Hope all is well!

Dr. Marie.

Dr. Marie replied:

I would love to! Please reply when your appointment is done.

Hope all goes well!

Dr. Marie replied:

Better to be safe than sorry, especially when it's on the foot. The larger it gets the harder it would be to remove.

Hope all is well.