Benign Melanosytoma in Dogs

Just like humans, dogs can develop tumors on their skin. These growths are much like the ones found in humans and can be classified as either benign melanocytomas or as more dangerous forms of skin cancer.

  1. Benign Melanocytoma

    • In dogs, tumors can be either benign, or non-cancerous, or they can be malignant, or cancerous. Growths found on a dog&'s skin or within its eye can be classified as either melanocytomas, or benign growths, or as melanomas, indicating they are cancerous. Benign melanocytomas are not risks for rapid growth or spreading to other parts of a dog&'s body, according to "Practical Veterinary Dermatopathology for the Small Animal Clinician."

    Symptoms

    • Benign melanocytomas are most likely to develop on a dog&'s body in an area of skin that is covered in hair. Melanocytomas usually have well-defined edges and tend to be symmetrical in shape. They do not spread or give the impression of going very deeply into the skin. When compared to malignant melanomas, melanocytomas are usually smoother in texture and darker in color.

    Diagnosis

    • While veterinarians can predict whether a growth on dog&'s skin is benign or malignant, the only way to know for certain is to take a biopsy of the tissue. By viewing a portion of the tissue under a microscope, a veterinarian can tell if the growth is a benign melanocytoma or something more serious, according to "Practical Veterinary Dermatopathology for the Small Animal Clinician."

    Treatment

    • While benign melanocytomas are not going to spread or be a danger to a dog&'s health, most veterinarians recommend removing them. The majority of melanocytomas can be removed completely through surgery. The veterinarian excises the tumor and a small border of surrounding tissue to be certain all if it is removed.

    Considerations

    • Any growth on a dog&'s skin should be shown to a veterinarian, just to be safe. Some breeds, like miniature schnauzers, tend to develop growths that end up being benign melanocytomas while miniature poodles are more likely to end up with cancerous melanomas. A veterinarian can identify the growth as a threat and recommend the best course of treatment, according to "Withrow and MacEwen&'s Small Animal Clinical Oncology."