My dog has a blood-filled lump on his thigh. What could it be?

Hi there. Bumps like the one on Bear could be a few different things. Sometimes there can be a thorn or something else stuck beneath the skin causing the bump. It could also be a skin growth, examples of these are things like epitheliomas, mast cell tumors and lipomas. Because it's red and is causing him some irritation, I would recommend having your veterinarian check the bump. They may suggest doing a fine needle aspirate of the bump, which collects cells from within the bump to help diagnose what it is. It's not an emergency, but I would have it checked when you can. I hope that helps! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

This could be a hematoma (when blood vessels burst and cause a blood-filled blister.) from being poked three times for blood. Typically these are not something to worry about and resolve on their own. Do not try to squeeze, and keep an eye on it. If it gets bigger or doesn't appear to be resolving over the next week, I'd take Oxley into the vet. I hope this helps!

It sounds like Scar has a hematoma (blood blister). It is not a good idea to drain it as that often times leads to you introducing an infection into the hematoma and then it will become an abscess. If it is bothering him then you should get him to a vet for treatment. If it is not bothering him then just leave it alone. Hematomas usually resolve on their own over time. Just keep in mind that it could take weeks to months to go completely away. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

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!

It could be a small cyst, pustule/papule, or possibly a Histiocytoma which is a benign mass that is common in young dogs. Since it is getting more red, she should be examined by a vet to determine the cause. The vet may want to aspirate it and examine the contents under a microscope. She may need an antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, it may need to be removed, or just monitored (histiocytomas typically resolve with no treatment). You could use an over the counter spray, like Vetricyn, and see if that helps relieve any redness or discomfort.

There are several types of lumps we can see in young dogs. Certainly a histiocytoma is possible but other growths or even infection in a skin gland or hair follicle could also look similar and bleed. I recommend cleaning the lump with a gentle antiseptic cleaner and if it is still bleeding or getting larger in the next 24 hours, have your veterinarian evaluate it. Howl may need a minor type of test called a fine needle aspirate to help determine what type of cells are involved.

These sorts of lesions are next to impossible to adequately diagnose without a physical exam the pet, and more importantly, the lesion itself. While I couldn't say with certainty, there is PROBABLY not enough of a blood supply to this mass to cause a large dog to bleed out. There are no certainties, but this would be highly unlikely. I would however be concerned if it is suddenly filling rapidly, hardening, and is located on a location that could affect Karma's mobility in the long run. Her her into the vet for an exam so they can determine the appropriate steps. Once they palpate it, depending on your desires, they may want to obtain some cellular or tissue samples to assess origin, they may want to remove the lesion entirely, or they may tell you to just leave it be. The last of those three is doubtful though given what you've described and how quickly it has enlarged and heated up. You might want to check her temperature at home as well with a regular rectal thermometer. Anything higher than 102.5 is considered feverish. If you have any other questions, fee free to repost or create a consultation with me. Hope this helps.