Treatment of Canine Skin Tumors

The skin is the most common site for a dog to develop a tumor.  Skin tumors can be diagnosed as malignant (cancerous) or benign (non-cancerous).  Treatment of canine tumors is generally handled through chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgical removal.  In some cases, treatment will require a combination of methods.   

Often, the first step in treating tumors is to take a fine needle aspirate of the mass to obtain a diagnosis of the cells.  The material collected on a fine needle aspirate can be sent to a laboratory for further testing.  Ultrasounds can also be used as diagnostic tools.  Under most circumstances, surgical removal of a tumor is the first step in plotting a course of medical action.

Most benign tumors are harmless and can usually be surgically removed from the dog’s body.  Treatment of malignant canine tumors is more difficult than that of benign tumors, and may require chemotherapy and radiation in addition to surgical removal.