My dog has a bump on his head. Could it be an open wound or scab?

If this just appears to be a crusted area and is not raised, it is possible this was an insect bite that got irritated or a small scratch/wound. If the lesion is raised (I can't really tell from the appearance) then we sometimes get warty skin growths that can get traumatized and bleed/crust over. I would wash the area with a mild soap or Hibiclens (available at most drug stores) and apply a topical antibiotic like Polysporin or Neosporin a few times day. If she is scratching/rubbing at the area she may need an e-collar for a few days to stop self-trauma. If the lesions isn't improving after several days of this or it starts to get larger/other spots appear then these would be reasons to seek veterinary care.

According to the picture this looks like a wart that Lady scratched and now has a scab on it. Since she is bothering with it and seems uncomfortable I would take her to see your veterinarian. They can make sure it is nothing else like a scratch that got infected or a different type of growth that go infected and scabbed over. They also will be able to give her a topical ointment to place on the area to help with any type of infection. If this is something that continues to bother her or scab over I would recommend removing it so it does not continually get infected and bother her. If she is scratching at it I would put an e-collar on her so she does not make it worse. As dogs age it is very common for them to get more warts like these, some may bother them while others will not.

Dogs can develop different types of skin growths/masses. This mass could be an adenoma or benign wart like skin growth, a true papilloma wart, or another type of growth. Your veterinarian might be able to tell what the mass is just by looking at it and/or feeling it, or might recommend taking a sample of cells using a needle and examining it under the microscope. If the mass is bleeding I'd recommend seeing your veterinarian sooner rather than later.

I think your veterinarian, who was able to see and palpate the lesion, is right in determining that this may be scar tissue. As long as it is not painful, the skin does not turn red and it is not hot, there is nothing to worry about. Over time this will get less and less noticeable.

Thanks for sending the picture! It appears to be a wart like growth with a small scab on top. These are common in small breed dogs. If it grows or changes rapidly, then I would still have her veterinarian check it out. Otherwise I do not suspect it will be a problem for her. You can try to clean the scab off for her. Good luck!

Hello, and thank you for your question. The lesion in the photos may be due to a bacterial infection (abscess), fungal infection (ringworm), parasites, an underlying allergy, or a tumour if it feels like a lump underneath. Because of the multiple possible causes, I would recommend getting Moose seen by a vet within the next few days. They may recommend testing such as a skin scraping, cytology, fungal culture, or a fine needle aspirate to narrow down the diagnosis. At minimum, they can prescribe antibiotics for secondary infection, or allergy medication if he is itchy. In the meantime, I would put an e-collar (cone) on his head to prevent any further trauma. I hope this helps, and that Moose gets better soon!

That looks more like a scab than a tick. Examine the area closely. If it's a tick, you will be able to see 8 tiny legs (4 on each side). If it's a scab, hair will be attached to the lesion. Look online at pictures of attached ticks. If you are still not sure, run Lucy by the vet's office. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.