In typical skin tags, removal is purely for aesthetic purposes – otherwise, it’s unnecessary to remove them. Most vets will forego removing a skin tag that isn’t interfering with your dog’s day-to-day life. If the skin tag hasn’t changed by the time your vet has a look at it, they will likely tell you to keep monitoring it for changes and otherwise leave it alone. If they dig or bite at it, it could be causing them discomfort – and that can point to a separate issue. If it changes in size, color, bleeds, or shows signs of infection, that’s when you should inform your vet.īe aware of how your dog deals with a skin tag. If it’s simply a skin tag that is not discolored, then you should monitor it closely until your dog’s next appointment with the vet. That doesn’t mean you need to rush off to the emergency vet if you notice a skin tag on your dog, though. ![]() Skin tags near the eyes, mouth, and nose can also pose some problems by interfering with your dog’s eating, breathing, and vision. It can become opened up or detached by your dog scratching or playing. However, some potentially serious conditions can be misdiagnosed by the untrained eye as a skin tag. Skin tags are common issues and can affect any dog, but you should still have a vet look at them. We’ll cover how to handle this skin issue next. They can be more noticeable on short-haired dogs.Ī thick-coated, fluffy Alaskan Malamute might have a skin tag on their body that goes unnoticed, while a skin tag on a Pug would be seen right away.Ī skin tag can seem to appear overnight out of nowhere, but that doesn’t mean it’s dangerous. They are more common in older and elderly dogs but can appear on a dog of any age. They can and do crop up on any dog breed or size. There can be one skin tag or several in the general area. There are some serious conditions that also look like black skin tags, which is another reason to have the vet double-check the spot.Ī skin tag can appear just about anywhere on your dog’s body, although the belly, legs, and armpits are slightly more common areas where you might find a skin tag. What if your dog has dark or black skin – this means a normal skin tag would be black, right?ĭogs with dark or black skin will indeed have similarly colored skin tags. This doesn’t eliminate the possibility that it’s a skin tag, although these circumstances require a vet’s care.Ī skin tag that doesn’t seem to be infected, open, or discolored is likely just that – a skin tag. You might notice it because it’s dark, a different color from your dog’s skin has a scabby appearance, or is bleeding. It shouldn’t cause your dog pain or discomfort if you touch it, but if it does, it needs to be evaluated by a vet. You don’t have to touch it if you’re weirded out by it, but if you do, it’ll feel soft and squishy. If it’s similar to your dog’s skin color, fleshy, and appears to be attached to the skin by a small “stalk,” then you’re probably dealing with a skin tag or acrochordon. If you’ve determined that the thing on your dog is indeed part of your dog’s skin and not a parasite, then you’re probably wondering what it is. It doesn’t have to be a strong one, just something to help you get a closer look. You’ll probably be able to see the tiny legs on a tick, giving you the green light to remove this visitor on your dog’s skin.Ī magnifying glass is sometimes needed to see the legs on a tick if you’re not totally convinced it is indeed a tick. The most apparent difference between those and ticks is that skin tags don’t tend to have legs. ![]() It’s time to overcome the creepy crawlies and get a close look at the suspected skin tag. ![]() So how do you know it’s a tick versus a skin tag on your dog? Ticks can carry some diseases that can make your pup seriously ill, and getting them out before they start to feed is the best line of defense to prevent infections from transmitting.Įven if they’ve had a chance to fill up on your dog’s blood, you’ll want to detach and identify it as soon as you can, to see whether or not it’s a disease-carrying species. Why is it crucial to differentiate between a skin tag and a tick? They’re quite small and can easily be mistaken for a skin tag.īloated ticks turn lighter in color as they feed, eventually turning gray or light tan.įull-sized ticks are around the size of a kernel of corn or larger and are also sometimes mistaken for a skin tag. Ticks that have just attached themselves usually look black, dark red, or dark brown in color. Not only do they love to attach themselves to dogs, but they also can look like a skin tag at first glance. First things first – you might be dealing with a nasty little parasite as opposed to a skin tag.
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