Little mole

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

Hallie has had a little mole on her tummy for a few weeks. It came on in about 3 days. It hasn't changed much but it's a little bigger. It was about the size of a sesame seed, now it's barely larger than that, only a little rounder. It looks exactly like a tiny mole, no irregular edges, slightly raised, just in the skin no lump under skin, brown mole color, smooth. My vet said it looks fine to her but you know how I worry. My mind goes to mast cell...she can't guarantee that isn't what it is but she said she would never have expected it. I don't want to put her through having it removed since the risk of it being something is small but I also can't sleep nights worrying about it and watching it like a hawk. (my vet said..."Just watch it." Hahahahaha....sob.) Just wondering if any of your doxies have a little mole like that. I have never had one on my dogs, (that I know of...I guess it could have been under their hair) and never even thought dogs would get moles. It is on her tummy right under one of her "nozzles". Here is a pic, it looks light colored in the middle of it but it's pretty much uniformly brown. The dark part of her little boobie is always there, it is on all of them and left over from when I first got her, her entire belly (that is now pink) was solid black with thick, cracked wrinkled elephant like skin. It all flaked off over time except these black spots. But the mole itself is somethign new.

Someone make me feel better!!  I am about ready to take her to another vet but I also don't want to put her through something icky if this is a common dog thing.

[Roberta]

No have not seen anything like that. But if you are worried do you have a skin specalist for dogs there, or human one who you could go to. She could have just pricked ti on something and its a reaction.
Did you ask the vet what it was, I know our vets don't like taking anything off unless it is annoying them or infected.
Roberta

[April]

I've seen moles on dogs before that were just that - moles.  Honestly if it doesn't seem to be bothering her and doesn't suddenly change shape/color/size then I wouldn't worry.  "chill!"  LOL  Seriously though, don't get all worried as it's probably absolutely NOTHING to be concerned about.  People get moles and age spots as they age so can dogs.  Just check it occasionally unless it starts bothering her to make sure it's not changing quickly/drastically. 

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

Thanks Roberta and April! The darn thing has changed a little, it's a tiny bit bigger, very tiny but enough I can tell. I just looked up moles on dogs again on the net there isn't much but what I read was enough to scare myself worse. I'm a total wreck now  :meme: so we've got an appointment at 3:15 with another vet out of town, who is known for being expensive but thorough. I'm just hoping he'll be able to say for sure, this is nothing just a mole...with my personality I just can't live with watching and waiting. :) I've lost too many family members to something little that should have been benign. Thanks for being a sounding board!  :thumb:

[BridgetLouise]

Bridget has a mole just like that on her tummy, and I was told too that it was nothing to worry about.  Joy has a large mole on her neck, and a skin tag on one of her eyelids, and the vet told me that just like humans, dogs get moles.  Just to check it periodically for drastic changes. 

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

Thank you! That makes me feel a little better too. I took Hallie to this vet once before for a tiny bump on her skin, and he didn't even record it in her chart. He had to put on a headlamp thing to even see it, so I will probably have a red star on my card after todays visit lol.

[Barb]

Brandy has a couple of small moles that really haven't changed in shape since I noticed them.  You never can be too safe though - if you already have the appt set up with another vet - go for it !  Let us know what they say....  Your red star will just say WWM (worry wart mom)...but hey - that IS ok !!!!  let us know when you get back.....

[Rich]

Just like in humans, the overwhelming majority of little blemishes like this are nothing to worry about.  However, if I saw one on my child I would ask the Dr. and if I saw one on one of the furkids I'd ask the vet.  Peace of mind is a valuable commodity and if it takes 2 opinions to put your mind at ease, then go for it.  Being overly cautious can hardly hurt.

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

You are right Rich and Barb, we can't be too careful. I'm glad to hear though that other doxies out there have these little blemishes too. We just got back from the vet, he said he's pretty confident it is nothing. Then he told me to "WATCH IT".  :verdict: But I was happy to hear he thought it was nothing. He said he'd recommend taking it off for my peace of mind if she were under for something like teeth cleaning...(although that probably will never need to be done as I brush her teeth and he said they looked perfect right now) so unless it doubles in size and/or bleeds, just leave it be. I kept asking him all different ways how sure he was it's nothing and he kept answering me with all different analogies that he was as sure as he could be without being 100% sure becuase he says you can never be 100% sure of anything. Then he took my $42 and showed me out the door LOL. Her weight is right where I want her, 11.9 lbs which is very slightly underweight for her, and everything else checked out fine, heart, eyes, lungs, legs, etc.

At least we got a wonderful 30 min walk in the SUN today up there before our appointment and then I took her to our favorite healthy dog store and she got treats and a collar tag and all kinds of fun stuff.

Well..gotta go watch that thing! 

[Roberta]

Well..gotta go watch that thing!
is that similar to navel gazing by proxy????
Roberta

[KathyP]

Glad to know it's 'nothing to worry about'! So don't...worry about it...ok? She's a fine, healthy girl! I know you are concerned but trust it will always just be nothing!
You are a good dog mom...and your little girl loves you! So do Finn and I!! 

[Sandishooligans]

It kinda sounds like a skin tag like humans get.  Heck, I've got a whole neckful of those things!  Seriously, Dee Dee, be watchful, but I wouldn't panic about it. 

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

LOL Roberta it's more like navel gazing by doxie....

Kathy it's so NICE having you back on the board. :) We love you guys too. These furry children of ours do keep us on our toes don't they.

Hee...Sandy. Panic is my middle name. Dee Dee P. Murry. When my Dad was on the State Patrol, his troopers all called him "Worry Murry", so I guess I come by it honestly.  :thumb:

[Roberta]

Dee Dee ever thought of writing comedy, I never thought of the Doxie bit.

Good thinking 99

from the not so smart down under
ps the bottom line is Ms H is OK big hugs

[PattyInAK]

I'm glad you're taking her in for another opinion.  For your own peace of mind, its worth it.  The only experience I've had with this sort of thing was the couple of warts both Christopher and Harry got when they were older.  Turned out to be nothing and they were removed while they were "under" for teeth cleaning.   

[Dianne]

Cocoa has always had a few moles and as she has aged, more have appeared.  Look just like Hallie's.  As long as they don't interfere with anything or she picks at it and it doesn't change.  Just monitor and quick worrying!!! 

[BridgetLouise]

$42 isn't much to pay for a little peace of mind.  Glad you got her checked out again. Even if the vet had to tell you 20 ways from Sunday that it's ok..... at least now you know "it's ok!" 

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

Thanks!!  I do feel better. I'm trying not to stare at it constantly. And I still worry, it's imbedded in my DNA, right in between the "visualize scary things that will never happen" and the "stress out over imaginary ailments" molecules. 

[David C.]

Yup.  It's a mole...just a mole.   Max has a couple, and I know Rudy had more than a few.   Just keep an eye on it, but it's most likely nothing.

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

Thanks David, it makes me feel better to know other doxies here have these things. I had never seen one on one of my own dogs before, so didnt know they even got these things. How is Max doing?

[David C.]

Hi Dee,

Max is doing fine...about as well as you could expect any dachsie to be one month shy of his 17th birthday.   He has a lot of the "old man" things going on, but overall, he seems to be okay.