Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Is mammary tumor cancerous?

Species: Dog
Breed: Chihuahua and Dachsh
Age: 5-8 years
I'm wondering whether to remove a small tumor from my 7 yr old chihuahua/dachshund's breast. Vet said there's a 50% chance it is cancer and there is a 5% chance dog would not survive surgery. I am unsure what to do. If dog doesn't survive surgery I'll never forgive myself. Can they do a biopsy w/out anesthesia to see if it's even cancerous? Thanks so much.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Unfortunately with mammary tumors, doing a fine needle aspirate usually doesn't tell us much about whether the tumor is benign or malignant.

I'm surprised your vet said there was a 5% chance that she would not survive surgery. Does she have other health issues such as a loud heart murmur?

In my practice if I saw a dog with a small mammary tumor I would always recommend removing the tumor and sending it away to find out what it was. And as your vet mentioned, with mammary tumors there is a 50/50 chance that it is cancerous.

I hope everything goes ok!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Can we give benadryl for allergic reaction? My 9 month old boxer puppy has been stung by a bee or bees, we think in his mouth. ... (10516 views)

Coughing and not eating chihuahua My 3 year old chihuahua has been going downhill for about 2 weeks. Last week he... (7898 views)

Cat ate A&D cream. Four days ago Salem licked some A&D cream. I called poison control and they there... (20183 views)

Antibiotics for anal glands? Hi I have written before about our unique living situation. We are expats with... (7589 views)

Pregnant dog has tick disease. my dog is pregnant and she is suffering from tick disease so can i give her... (11405 views)

Dog ate Sentinel Shug got into the Sentinel package...pills are missing...what is the... (16278 views)

Cat is despondent. My cat is despondent. I don't think she's sick. I'll try anything to get some life... (6670 views)

Pug died suddenly. My 8 year old female pug just died. My husband came home from work and she had... (24794 views)

Limping Boxer. My dog is a boxer about 2 yrs old. My son stepped on his paw about a week ago and... (13357 views)

Gentamycin and deafness? Hope you can help with my question. I have a 11 year old cat named Emma, that has... (5490 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.