My 13-year-old Pomeranian has a bleeding, itching lump. What's wrong?

I'm sorry Pogo has this going on. Many things can cause what you describe, but I am suspicious that it might be an infected and now ruptured tumor. This could be benign or malignant, but should be evaluated quickly. Your veterinarian may have to treat the infection before they can diagnose what the lump may be. In the mean time warm compresses may help it drain and make Pogo feel better. Keep him indoors and away from flies or the wound will be full of maggots in a day. Good luck to both of you! I hope he improves quickly.

This lump/bump/growth should be ideally examined by your local vet to have a diagnosis established. Your vet may want to perform an FNA (fine needle aspiration) or a biopsy to sample the bump and determine its underlying nature. Differentials would include skin cysts, infections, benign or more malignant type of tumors. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

It could be an infection, cyst, or possibly a hystiocytoma. The best thing would be to have a vet take a look at the lesion. Your vet can do a needle aspirate to help diagnose and then determine the best way to treat. He may need an antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, or it may need to be removed. Hope he feels better soon!

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!

Yes, I would be worried because it's not normal for dogs to have bleeding lumps. It could be a cyst, but in a senior dog, there is always a concern that it's a malignant tumor. I would apply gentle pressure to the lump to try to stop the bleeding, and then have Raya seen by the vet in the morning. The vet can diagnose what is causing the lump, and can discuss treatment options with you. Keep her from licking at it overnight, and you may have to put an Ecollar on her to stop her from doing it. You can get one at a pet store, or can make one yourself: http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

This looks like a typica skin wart/skin tumor or cyst. Since it has been present for so long and has not grown at all, it is probably benign (non cancerous). It looks as if the area has been irritated somehow, probably by your dog scratching at it, and is now bleeding and may be infected. Or, if it is a cyst, the white material may just be cystic exudate. I would recommend cleaning the area with some dilute hydrogen peroxide then applying some antibiotic ointment to help prevent infection and to help it heal more quickly. Occasionally these need to be removed but only if they are a constant source of irritation or infection for the dog. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Dexter. I agree, that is concerning that this hard lump is now bleeding, and this lump could be something serious. It could be a hemangiosarcoma (malignant) or hermangioma (benign), which are tumors that develop from blood vessels and look like a blood blister. Given his age, there is a chance it could be another type of malignant tumor, like a mast cell tumor, but it could also be benign. Unfortunately without seeing him in person, I cannot say for certain. 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. I hope this helps!