# data[].attributes.headline
Is it possible not to reach a diagnosis from a skin biopsy?

# data[].attributes.subject
Is it possible not to reach a diagnosis from a skin biopsy?

# data[].attributes.body
- Yes, several factors may render the skin biopsy non-diagnostic
- Errors made by the submitting veterinarian at the time of collection and preservation of the skin biospy. For example, a veterinarian may obtain a skin biopsy that is not representative of the diseased area or samples may not be well-preserved such that they have disintegrated by the time they reach the laboratory. Sometimes the submitted sample is simply not big enough to allow adequate analysis.
- Errors introduced during transport of samples to the laboratory which result in samples of poor quality being submitted to the laboratory
- Errors may also be introduced at the laboratory during processing and evaluation of the skin biopsy
- If possible, another skin biopsy will need to be obtained and submitted until a diagnosis is reached

# data[].attributes.headline
How long do results take to be available and what can owners do in the interim?

# data[].attributes.subject
How long do results take to be available and what can owners do in the interim?

# data[].attributes.body
- Depending on the laboratory handling the samples, results are usually available within a week of sample submission
- Dog owners must follow their veterinarian's discharge instructions and administer any medication dispensed as instructed until results are available
- Once the results are ready, the veterinarian will contact the dog owners to discuss a course of action that is in line with the results. Veterinary pathologists often make recommendations to submitting veterinarians based on the results

# data[].attributes.headline
What is involved in taking a skin biopsy from a dog?

# data[].attributes.subject
What is involved in taking a skin biopsy from a dog?

# data[].attributes.body
- In many cases, the area of skin to be biopsied is numbed using local anaesthetic (the same drugs used by dentists to numb teeth before they are pulled out)
- Some patients will require full (general) anaesthesia
- An entire growth or a small representative area of diseased skin is cut out and submitted to a veterinary pathologist
- Depending on the site and the size of the skin biopsy taken, your veterinarian may place a few stitches to close the skin
- A veterinary pathologist is a specialist veterinarian who specialises in the diagnosis of diseases through examination of animal tissues and bodily fluids

# data[].attributes.body
- Your first opinion veterinarian is qualified to obtain skin biopsies from your dog.

# data[].attributes.headline
What criteria qualify a dog for a skin biopsy?

# data[].attributes.subject
What criteria qualify a dog for a skin biopsy?

# data[].attributes.body
- Suspicious skin growth

- An area of diseased skin that has failed to respond to treatment

# data[].attributes.body
- A skin biopsy is a section of abnormal skin or a skin growth that is cut out in order to give insight into the types of cells present.
- A skin biopsy is a common diagnostic procedure used in the diagnosis and or exclusion of certain skin diseases.
- Skin biopsies also help determine how aggressive a cancerous growth is and how likely it is to spread to other organs.
- They also help to determine the efficacy of treatment in animals undergoing treatment for skin disease and or to determine whether a growth has been completely removed after surgery