Lumps, bumps and tumors, oh my! Aging pets very commonly develop masses in the skin, most are benign but some can be more dangerous and sometimes it’s difficult to tell the difference just by looking. Some dangerous skin tumors have drastically varying appearances which makes evaluation by a veterinarian important. Sampling of masses with a small needle, often referred to as fine needle aspiration or needle biopsy, can give insight into many types of skin masses. Often, however, a larger biopsy is needed to determine accurately the type of mass present. Consultation with your veterinarian when new skin masses appears is recommended.
