Black spot on Dog Vulva

by Mike
(Cornwall, Ontario, Canada)

Hello,

I hoping someone can help me or my dog that is. She is a 13 year old black lab. And I have recently found this black spot on my dogs vulva.

I'm scared that it might be cancer. She has a history of infections on her vulva, but none that have presented this way.

I was at the vet a few days before discovering it for her annual check up. He did not look there nor did he listen to the heart or lungs, check for arthritis, eyes for cataracts, who knows what else he missed.

Anyway sorry for the rant. Can anyone give me an idea of what this is.

Veterinarian suggestion regarding dog vulva spot

Hi Mike,

I’m afraid that I can’t really tell what the spot on your dog’s vulva is without examining her. If it is new, and particularly if it is growing, cancer is certainly a possibility, although not the only one.

Older dogs are also prone to benign skin changes. Canine Cancers of the skin tend to grow continuously, have irregular borders and change the texture of the skin’s surface, while benign lesions seem to pop up out of nowhere but then don’t do much from there.

This is in no way 100% though, just general rule of thumb. At age 13 your girl deserves a more thorough examination than the one that you described. If I were you, I wouldn’t hesitate to take her to another vet for a check-up and to look at the dog vulva spot you found in particular.

Regards,

Jennifer Coates, DVM

PS: Please keep us up to date on your dog's condition.

Mike