My poodle has a black bleeding lump on its head. Is it serious?

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Although you cannot say for certain what a mass is without taking a sample and sending it away for histopathology, the mass in the picture looks most likely to be wart. This also fits with the history of bleeding once and a while, not growing in size, and not causing any pain or discomfort. Sometimes these can become annoying if they bleed frequently and can be removed, but mainly they don't cause any problems. Best of luck with your little one!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think you should have this checked. The fact that it was previously known to be benign, does not mean that now it cannot be malignant. If it has gotten bigger, it would be great to sample it again. I recommend you have Lily evaluated by your veterinarian for a test called fine needle aspirate which is an easy, quick and pain-free procedure which in the majority of cases will help reach a diagnosis to identify what the best course of action is based on the findings. In some cases, a biopsy is needed for a diagnosis. If it truly is benign then removal is not necessarily recommended. However, if it is malignant and it has not spread to other locations, then surgical removal is recommended. Good luck! Keeping my fingers crossed that it is something benign.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Thanks for the pictures! Many skin masses can look the same. Red dermal masses, like this one, can be benign or malignant. Some possibilities are an inflamed sebaceous adenoma, hemangioma, histiocytoma or it could be a Mast Cell Tumor. Since it showed up quickly I would have Oscar seen by your Vet. They can decide if aspirating it (sticking it with a needle and sending the slides to the lab) or removing the mass and sending it for biopsy is best. I hope this helps and I wish you and Oscar the best!

I recommend that you have this mass evaluated by a veterinarian. It sounds like it may be some type of cancer; whether benign or malignant would need additional diagnostics such as fine needle aspirate in a clinic or removal and histopathology. Possibilities include papilloma, hemangioma, mast cell tumor, among many other possibilities. If it is bleeding, you can apply firm pressure for 15 minutes.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Moco! Due to his age, the appearance and the location it looks like a histiocytoma. Which is a benign mass in young dogs. They tend to resolve on their own in a few months but sometimes if they ulcerate, grow rapidly, become infected or bleed we recommend removing them. Another possibility is a mast cell tumor. I would suggest having it looked at my your vet. Good luck! https://www.petcoach.co/article/histiocytoma-in-dogs/

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I recommend taking Sable to the vet to look at the growth closer and find out what it is. The vet can stick a needle in it and look at the cells under a microscope to determine if it’s cancerous or not. Because the tissue/skin is fragile it likely won’t stop bleeding and may need to be surgically removed. I would leave it alone until the vet looks at it so you don’t disrupt the blood clot that forms. Good luck and kisses to Sable!

In a dog Rugz's age, yes there is a chance this could be cancerous. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. Give his vet a call to make him an appointment.