cutaneous and subcutaneous tumours in dogs

Most lumps are first checked with a fine-needle aspirate (FNA) or biopsy, then confirmed by a pathology report that tells you the tumour type and whether it was removed with clean (“complete”) margins.

Across many tumour types, complete margins sharply reduce the chance of the lump growing back in the same spot—this has been shown repeatedly for soft-tissue sarcomas and other skin tumours. “Margins” = how much normal tissue is cut around and under the lump. Wider cuts help catch microscopic “fingers” of tumour that the eye can’t see.