Chow gets reoccuring small growth on leg ---yearly. Does he need surgery each time? He licks it frequently.

Have you asked your vet about that growth?

You would need to find out what the growth is.
If it is something like a fatty cist then they do not need to be removed.

If it is a tumor then yes, it needs to be removed.

Make an appointment with your vet and make sure they do a biopsy to find out exactly what is inside the lump.