What is the typical behavior of benign tumors in small animals?

Benign tumors in small animals are characterized by their non-aggressive nature and their tendency to grow slowly over time. Unlike malignant tumors, benign tumors do not metastasize, meaning they do not spread to other parts of the body. This limited behavior allows them to remain localized, making treatment often more straightforward and usually leading to a favorable prognosis after surgical removal.

The growth rate of benign tumors is generally slow, which can sometimes allow for a longer period before they are detected. Even though they may grow in size, their limited capacity for invasion into surrounding tissues differentiates them from malignant tumors, which often invade aggressively and can lead to the destruction of surrounding structures. While some benign tumors can cause symptoms depending on their location, they are not always asymptomatic, which means that option describing them as "always asymptomatic" does not accurately capture the spectrum of potential presentations.