My dog has a brown slug-like thing on her thigh. Could it be a leech?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Leeches can be used medically to help remove blood clots and reestablish circulation to areas of the body. If used properly by a veterinarian, they should not be able to enter into a dog's ear. I suppose it is possible for a leech in the environment to enter a dog's ear canal, however you should be able to see into the canal well enough to find one there. I hope this is helpful!

Hi there and thank you for your post! It sounds like when you attempted to remove it, you caused it to bleed a bit. Based on your description this sounds like a benign skin tumor but to be safe, I would have Kahuna's vet take a look at this to make sure it is nothing to be concerned about. Your vet can insert a small needle into the mass and look at the cells under a microscope to get a better idea of what it could be. If it is small enough and is benign, it can be removed with a local anesthetic or by freezing it with a cryogenic procedure. If it is suspicious looking though, your vet may want to remove it and send it out for further testing.

This looks like it could be a hemangioma, which is a benign 'blood blister' type skin lesion, or it might be an insect bite or site of previous trauma. It would be a good idea to have your vet take a look in person if it has not resolved in the next week or so or if it seems to be bothering Bear.

It could be a small insect bite or minor skin infection, the rest of her skin looks pretty normal. Keep an eye on it, keep it clean with a warm damp washcloth and rub in a small amount of triple antibiotic ointment without steroid, as steroids slow healing. If it doesn't improve significantly in a few days, gets worse, spreads, or if she starts feeling sick or itching, get her an appointment with her vet.

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking(if any).

It doesn't look like a tick to me, but it's hard to tell. It may be a mole or wart that has gotten irritated or caught on something to make it bleed. If this has come up suddenly, I recommend getting it checked by your vet. If it is a growth that has suddenly appeared, it should be checked to identify what kind it is and whether it should be removed or if it can be left alone.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. There is no way of knowing for sure without an examination though this represents a reason to seek veterinary care. This is usually determined with an examination and a fine needle aspirate (FNA) or a biopsy. Treatment depends on the findings up to that point. I recommend you have Gunnar evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!