Dear Cathy,

My seven-year old brown Shih Tzu has a black “hot spot” on his right-hind quarter. It was a small dot but has grown to over three-inches and is raised. The vet said not to worry about it, but we are concerned. Is it a mole, is it cancer, is it nothing? While it doesn’t appear to bother “Theo”, we would like a definitive answer.

— Nick, Medford, New York, New York

Dear Nick,

Has your veterinarian seen the hot spot since it turned big and ugly? It may have started out as nothing but could be morphing into something. The change in shape and size is worth a second trip to your veterinarian’s office to find out what’s going on. Even if it’s not serious, your veterinarian may recommend a different course of treatment.

Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, children’s author, syndicated pet columnist, and pet expert with more than 30 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal