My Akita has a bleeding lump on her elbow. What should I do?

Lexi needs to be examined by her veterinarian today. Shaking often indicates pain or distress. Additionally, it is impossible to know what significance that lump is without a physical exam and likely testing. Apply pressure to the bleeding area for 10 to 15 minutes to help stop the bleeding. I hope this helps.

I am sorry to hear about your Akita. There are many different skin growths that can occur in dogs. Some are more benign, such as sebaceous adenomas, where others are malignant and can spread/behave aggressively such as mast cell tumors. Unfortunately without examining the growth we cannot tell you what type of mass you have. The safest course of action would be to set up an appointment with your vet. They can examine the area and may recommend what is called a fine needle aspirate, where a small needle is inserted into the growth to collect cells to aid in identification of the mass which can help determine the appropriate course of action (i.e. just monitor for changes versus surgical removal).

I would have this lump on Laila checked out by a vet first. While it could be a cyst, there is always a chance it could be something more serious like a malignant tumor (although the chances are low in a young dog). It's also important to have any lump checked out by a vet to make sure it isn't something concerning. Should it be a cyst, an antibiotic ointment will not do anything for it, and I would only recommend warm compresses and cleaning it if the cyst was opened and draining. Do not try to pop it! Typically you can leave these cysts alone as long as it isn't bothering your dog and isn't getting bigger. First step is to have it definitively diagnosed by a vet, so I would give her vet a call for an appointment. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

make sure Zeus cannot lick or scratch the area. He may need to wear an elizabethan collar at all times or a shirt if he wants to scratch it. Otherwise I recommend to leave it alone. You want the lesion to stay dry and to be open to the air. The medication will make him feel better quickly. I hope he heals up fast. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Unfortunately there is no way to tell what that is just by looking at it. It could be a benign or malignant growth. I am concerned that it could be a mast cell tumor and I recommend having Lexi examined by her veterinarian. They will take a sample with a needle and examine it under the microscope to determine what it is and what treatment is needed.

Start doing warm water and Epsom salt compresses several times a day. Try to keep her laying in soft areas instead of tile, concrete etc (easier said than done). She will likely need antibiotics, And these can take a while to heal. There is a product called “Dog Leggs” that you might want to look up that protect the elbows. A few of my patients have done well with these. Best of luck and be patient. They take a while to heal and can be frustrating. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

This appears to be a pustule, which indicates a skin infection. The skin appears rather red, which indicates that something must be irritating the skin. Often, a skin infection starts due to some sort of irritation. The common causes of skin irritation are allergies and external parasites (fleas, mites, lice). However, this does not explain him acting lethargic or sick. This would be my primary concern and could be due to many different things. I think it's best if you can take Akita to get examined by the vet sometime soon. The lethargy can indicate moderate to severe conditions, so it's best if you can take him within the next 24 hours to keep him from getting worse.