Skin Tags In Dogs: What You Need To Know About Them And How To Prevent Them From Coming On Your Dog'S Skin

A skin tag is a fleshy skin growth that can appear anywhere on a dog's body. Most skin tags are made of collagen and blood vessels covered with skin. They are usually non-painful and benign. They can only be a concern if it's in a location that bothers the dog. Skin tags often appear as soft, slightly raised, skin-colored bumps, flaps, or warts-like bruises. Some skin tags can be pedunculated. This means they dangle from a stalk. A hanging growth is most likely a skin tag versus a flatter growth. Some dogs will chew on the area where the skin tags is present. This leads to annoyance. The cause of skin tags in dogs is not known. Ticks, nipples, warts, and tumors can look a lot like skin tags at first. Tugging on a tag will be painful to your dog. It will irritate the skin tag and the area around it. Your veterinarian may remove skin tags if they are causing problems or have a chance of becoming problematic. Malignant (cancerous or benign) skin growths can appear in many different forms. Some of which can look similar to skin tags. Never assume that a skin growth is simply a benign skin tag. Monitor the area for changes in shape, size and color. Small, non-Painful growths may be removed with local anesthetic. After surgery, the area may have cuts that need to be removed. Be sure to keep the area clean and dry while it heals. Most tags are benign. A small percentage of them may even shrink over time. If the growth is removed, it can be sent to a lab to determine if it is benign or malignant. To prevent skin tags, use sunblock on your dog's skin. . . .