You feel a lump in your pet's skin and wonder what it could be? There are various types of skin tumors, but there are also many non-tumorous causes for lumps in the skin.
Skin tumors affect different layers or cells in the skin:
Mixed forms also occur, such as equine sarcoid, which affects the epithelium and mesenchyme.
Basal cells are reserve cells that replace dead epithelial cells. These can develop into basal cell tumors, benign basal cell carcinomas, or the rare malignant basal cell carcinomas. Basal cell tumors are more common in cats than in dogs and do not occur in horses at all. They mainly occur on the head and neck.
Basal cell carcinomas are small, firm, hairless, usually single, easily movable nodules in the skin. They grow slowly over several years. In dogs, they often develop into open ulcers. The treatment of choice is surgical removal. If this is not possible, they can also be treated effectively with radiation therapy (see relevant article).
Basosquamous carcinoma is a low-grade malignant tumor that occurs frequently in Scottish Terriers, English Springer Spaniels, and Cocker Spaniels. It usually occurs on the head, neck, or hind limbs. Hair loss and ulceration often occur. The tumor grows within the skin, but metastases (secondary tumors caused by the spread of cancer cells) are extremely rare. The prognosis is good after surgical removal.
Malignant basal cell carcinoma in cats tends to spread to deeper tissues. Lymph node and organ metastases occasionally occur. Treatment consists of surgical removal, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, if possible. Basal cell carcinoma occurs only rarely in dogs.
Tumors of the fatty tissue develop from lipocytes (=fatty tissue cells). They occur mainly in the subcutaneous tissue. Less frequently, they are found in the fatty tissue of the chest or abdominal cavity and in muscle fat. A distinction is made between benign lipomas and malignant liposarcomas.
Lipomas are the most common skin tumors in dogs. They also occur frequently in horses, but are rare in cats. Lipomas can occur individually or in groups. They are usually found on the torso and up to the base of the limbs. Lipomas do not grow infiltratively (into the surrounding tissue) nor do they form metastases. They therefore only need to be removed if they are very large, restrict movement, or, in horses for example, are located in an unfavorable position in relation to the saddle.
A special form is the infiltrative lipoma. This sometimes grows strongly into the surrounding tissue. In dogs, it occurs more frequently in males of larger breeds, especially Labrador Retrievers. They are most commonly found on the thighs or in the armpit area. Infiltrative lipomas should be surgically removed due to their destructive growth into other tissues. However, recurrence is not uncommon.
In horses, lipomas in the intestinal area are often pedunculated and therefore somewhat mobile. These pendulous lipomas carry the risk of wrapping around the intestine. This can lead to life-threatening intestinal obstruction with severe colic. If these lipomas are detected early, they should therefore be surgically removed.
Intermuscular (between muscles) lipomas occur in dogs, most commonly in the thigh or armpit area. These also require surgical removal as they grow in size, as they can severely restrict movement.
Liposarcomas are malignant tumors of the fatty tissue and are very rare. They are usually single tumors that occur mainly in the subcutaneous tissue of the abdomen, chest, armpits, or shoulders. Liposarcomas grow infiltratively. They rarely form metastases. Treatment therefore consists of surgical removal of as large an area as possible. Recurrences also occur here.
Connective tissue tumors develop from fibrocytes (= dormant, interconnected connective tissue cells). They can occur almost anywhere in the body where connective tissue is present, including in organs, the oral mucosa, and even bones. A distinction is made between benign fibromas and malignant fibrosarcomas.
Fibromas are very rare benign tumors of the connective tissue cells. They are found primarily in the skin on the head, neck, and limbs, and in horses also around the eyeball. Fibromas occur mainly in older animals. Treatment consists of surgical removal.
Fibrosarcoma is a tumor that occurs frequently in dogs, grows in a highly infiltrative manner and is therefore malignant. However, it does not metastasize as frequently. Fibrosarcomas can develop anywhere in the soft tissue of the body. They are mainly found on the head, especially on the ears, neck, and toes. They also occur in the oral cavity. Treatment consists of surgical removal as early as possible and as extensively as possible. However, the recurrence rate is high.
Injection- or vaccine-associated fibrosarcomas are common in cats. They are rare in dogs and horses. They grow in a highly infiltrative manner and metastasize to the lymph nodes, lungs, and other organs. The trigger is believed to be the inflammatory reaction caused by the injection of vaccines or medications, especially long-acting depot medications. The treatment of choice is surgical removal as extensively as possible. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are also options.
In young cats, FeSV (feline sarcoma virus)-associated fibrosarcomas occur, but very rarely. The affected cats are all FeLV (=feline leukemia virus, see corresponding article)-positive, as FeSV requires FeLV as a helper virus for its replication. FeLV-associated fibrosarcomas usually occur in multiples and often develop into open ulcers. They grow very quickly and frequently metastasize, especially to the lungs and peritoneum. Treatment is not recommended due to the poor prognosis.
Mast cells belong to the leukocytes (=white blood cells). They are "fattened" with granules (=storage granules). These contain various inflammatory mediators (=substances that initiate or maintain an inflammatory reaction), such as histamine, heparin, and enzymes. These are released through various processes. Mast cells thus play a role in immune and inflammatory reactions as well as in allergies.
Mast cell tumors are among the most common skin tumors in dogs. They occur more frequently in the following breeds: Boxer, Boston Terrier, English Bulldog, Pug, Dachshund, Shar-Pei, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Weimaraner, Bernese Mountain Dog, Labrador, and Golden Retriever. Mast cell tumors are generally malignant, but are classified into two tumor grades: low-grade (less malignant) and high-grade (more malignant). However, low-grade mast cell tumors can develop into high-grade mast cell tumors over time. High-grade mast cell tumors in particular form metastases in a large proportion of cases.
The appearance of mast cell tumors is so varied that, in principle, any enlargement in the skin could be a mast cell tumor. They occur predominantly on the hind limbs, trunk, head, perineum (area between the anus and genitals), and external genitals. Mast cell tumors are characterized by unpredictable growth behavior: they can remain small for a long time, grow steadily, or suddenly grow very quickly.
Palpation (= feeling) of a mast cell tumor can cause granule release, resulting in skin redness and wheal formation. Systemic (= affecting the whole body) symptoms can also occur, including increased bleeding tendency, severe itching, sometimes severe allergic reactions, and ulcers in the stomach and small intestine.
The treatment of choice for mast cell tumors is surgical removal with a sufficient safety margin, including the associated lymph node if possible. If this is not possible, radiation therapy is performed. If there are already many metastases, chemotherapy may be considered. The prognosis is good for low-grade mast cell tumors that are not very advanced, but is generally poor for advanced high-grade mast cell tumors. Despite treatment, life expectancy is then only a few months.
Mast cell tumors are also among the most common skin tumors in cats. Siamese cats and other breeds such as Burmese, Russian Blue, and Ragdoll are more frequently affected. Mast cell tumors occur particularly on the ears and around the eyes. They can occur either solitarily (single) or multiply (several). There is also a multiple, visceral (in the organs) form.
Cutaneous (affecting the skin) mast cell tumors are generally less aggressive and infiltrative in cats than in dogs. They are either rough, well-defined, often hairless nodules or flat, reddened peripheral growths that often form open ulcers. However, skin nodules can develop into the visceral form.
In cats, too, a distinction is made between low-grade and high-grade forms, and itching, redness, and ulceration in the stomach and small intestine occur. As in dogs, the treatment of choice is surgical removal. Visceral mast cell tumors have limited treatment options and a poorer prognosis.
Mast cell tumors are rare in horses. Young to middle-aged male horses are more commonly affected. The exact cause is still unknown in horses. It is debated whether it is a tumorous, inflammatory, or immunological (affecting the immune system) process.
The firm nodules, which usually occur individually, grow slowly and are most commonly found on the head and limbs. On the limbs, they are often located near joints. The treatment of choice is surgical removal, which offers a good prognosis.
A lump in the skin can also have various non-tumor causes. These can include:
A thorough veterinary examination is necessary to clarify the nature of a lump in the skin. You can make an appointment directly via petsXL.
Radiation therapy is used to treat tumors. Precise administration of a radiation dose kills the cells in the area being treated. The aim is to spare the surrounding tissue as much as possible. Radiation has also proven effective in relieving pain associated with osteoarthritis.
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