My cat has a nose bump and is losing fur. When should she see a vet?

First of all Purrito is one handsome little guy! The bump on his nose is fairly prominent and also appears to be a bit red/inflamed through the fur. Cats do not often get as many lumps and bumps as dogs do, so when one pops up, we take a bit more notice. Some of the common causes of bumps can include benign or malignant masses, abscesses, granulomas, or in this case, even nasal cavity infections or tumors. The only way to determine the cause of this bump is through further testing, either including a needle aspirate (a needle draws out some cells for microscopic evaluation), x-rays, or even a CT scan or MRI of the head. Even though Purrito does not seem to be bothered by this bump, I still recommend taking him to the vet for further evaluation since bumps do not often go away on their own. It's better to address these issues before they grow larger and become potentially more problematic. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

I would recommend taking Snow White to a veterinarian. This can be anything from a bacterial infection to a fungal infection (like ringworm). They can take a woods lamp (it is like a black light) to see if it glows green. If it does it is ringworm, if it does not it still could be. Only 50% of all ringworm shows up positive with this test. Your veterinarian will prescribe medication to help resolve the lesions. I hope Snow White feels better soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I would be really suspicious of ringworm. Although there could be other causes as well such as stick tight fleas, frost bite, infections, etc. I would encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian soon. In the meantime please practice good hygiene after handling him as ringworm is contagious to people as well. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Your picture is a bit blurry but I would worry that this might be a tumor. A nasal polyp or fungal infection might cause an ulcer and nose bleeds as well. I would recommend seeing your veterinarian to have Fatcat examined.

It looks like he may have a dermatitis on his nose which could be secondary to a bacterial infection, trauma, allergic reaction, or possibly a fungal infection. He should be examined by a vet to determine the cause. Your vet can do a culture, if needed to help diagnose.

From the pictures, it looks as though what you are seeing may be from trauma. Cat scratches to the face commonly occur on cats that are outdoor cats. Many times the hair will not grow back and the cat will be left with a small scar. If canto is indoor only and the nodule is raised, I would say get a vet to examine him to see for sure what it may be. It could be from a bug bite or a skin tumor of some type. If you cannot get to your vet right away, I would say just monitor for now and if it worsens get him seen sooner. It does not look infected or swollen from the picture. I would monitor for signs of infection which may include swelling, redness, painful to the touch, discharge, etc. I hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me with any further questions or concerns you may have. I am also available via consultation if needed.

It is difficult to diagnose without seeing the bump but it could be an infection, cyst, mass, or an injury. The best thing would be to have your vet take a look at it to determine the exact cause and best way to treat. He may need an antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, or other medications to treat. Your vet can do a needle aspirate, if necessary, to help diagnose the cause of the bump.