Non-Surgical Alternative to Remove Skin Tags, Eyelid Mass, and Other Bumps

As our pets age, they commonly develop lumps or bumps which may range from a cosmetically inconvenient skin tag to a troublesome wart. Warts can pose a bleeding risk when the pet gets groomed or if the pet is repeatedly licking or chewing at it. In the past, the only treatment for these lumps and bumps involved surgery with anesthesia. Now there is an alternative that is safer and more cost-effective for these types of procedures.

Cryosurgery has been used in the human medical field for a long time and has been safely adapted to treat our pets. Recently, cryosurgery was added to Gilbertsville Veterinary Hospital as a service that we can offer to our patients. Cryosurgery involves using extreme cold to remove superficial, benign skin lumps or eyelid masses. Your Doctor will freeze the area around the unwanted tissue and disrupt the blood supply, which numbs the surrounding nerves and reduces pain, and kills bacteria minimizing the risk of infection. Some lumps and bumps may take multiple treatments and others will dry up and fall off over 1 – 2 weeks. Cryosurgery is performed by your veterinarian in the office as a same-day procedure without anesthesia. Side effects are typically minimal and can include redness & swelling.

Cryosurgery is most successful in treating:

  • Warts or adenomatous cysts on the skin
  • Skin tags
  • Meibomian adenomas (eyelid masses)
  • Distichiasis (abnormal eyelash growth)

If you feel that your pet could benefit from cryosurgery please call our office to set up a consultation with your veterinarian.

Amy Alivernini, VMD

tan and white dog laying in grass