Skin tags are most common in middle-aged and older dogs, which is probably a reflection of the chronic irritation that causes them to form. Follicular hematomas may also develop as the final stage of a viral papilloma or wart. Infections such as pyoderma may also cause local overgrowth of fibroblasts and lead to the formation of a skin tag. According to Michigan Avenue Animal Hospital in Ypsilanti, Michigan, many are caused by local reactions to repeated irritation, such as a too tight collar or normal friction in the armpits or groin. Doctors aren’t sure what causes themĪs is the case with most tumors, both malignant and benign, the exact cause of skin tags is unknown. These, too, while unsightly, are almost always benign. While uncommon in dogs, when they occur they may grow to up to 2 inches in diameter. German shepherds are one of the few breeds known to develop a kind of skin tag called nodular dermatofibrosis, which is associated with malignant tumors of the kidney or uterus.Ī follicular hamartoma is another form of skin tag which appears as a flat mass covered with thick hair. Unlike most skin tags, they can’t be cured with surgery unless the underlying cause (the malignant tumor) is successfully treated. While benign in themselves, they are often associated with malignant tumors of the kidney or the uterus in unspayed females. These latter growths are known as nodular dermatofibrosis, and are quite rare, occurring most often in German shepherds. They can appear as a single growth - usually attached to the body with a slender “stalk” - or in clusters of nodular growths, usually on the neck, trunk or back legs and thighs. Skin tags can form anywhere on a dog’s body, but are most common on the face, in the armpits and on the legs. If a skin tag involves the hair follicles and glands, it is called a fibroadnexal hamartoma. Skin tags are also known as collagenous hamartomas, fibroepithelial polyps, or acrochordons. The term “skin tag” is a generic term for a type of benign (non-malignant) tumor that arises from fibroblasts - tiny cells made of a protein known as collagen that are part of a network of connective tissue that supports the organs, muscles and nerves.
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