Growth

Hi, my dog has a growth on his thigh. It started about 5 years ago and was tiny. The vet said it wasn't anything to worry about. It has since very slowly got bigger, the bigger it gets the faster it grows. He licks it occasionally and it weeps, but other than that, it doesn't seem to be bothering him. I'm looking for advice, because he is reactive and old. A vet visit would be very stressful for him (and the vet,) also I dont think he would survive surgery due to his age. Am I better leaving it or should I go to the vet? Can they freeze it or would it require surgery? If freezing is an option, can they do that without full anaesthetic? Thanks in advance, I would really appreciate advice. 🙏 

Hello and thankyou for these lovely clear pictures.   This is a classic question on this site and the answer depends on wider context.   I can only see, for example, what I can see on this picture; from these photographs, this could be a papilloma or it could be a tumour or it could be a large nipple. When a dog is so old that the owner is worried that they might not be able to have an anaesthetic, and they haven't been to the vets for a while, it sounds to be as though a vets appointment would be very warranted.   Vets tend to assess an animal not based on one body part and their age, but on lots of things that I can't see here; their weight, circulation, comfort levels and so on.  These things can provide a key to an animals health. If that growth is a) your dogs' primary concern and b) posing a problem that needs addressing, your vet should explain this.   However it is normal to assess a patient holistically (look at the big picture) and work out which issues are most important. If you haven't done this for a while, we would recommend this.  Animals' health changes very quickly as they age and regular checks are recommended, especially when you can see changes happening.  Please will you let us know how you get on?