My dog's crusty, irritated skin growth won't heal. When to see vet?

Unfortunately some of these cysts and adenomas do tend to rupture and become infected repeatedly. If that is the case we often do recommend removal to avoid this continuous cycle. It may also be advised to remove it to ensure that it is a benign adenoma and not something more concerning or aggressive.

That appears to be a benign wart but it could also be a sebaceous cyst. They will only go away with surgical removal. No topical treatment will work. It is not a concern; only a cosmetic blemish. If you really want it gone you will have to have your vet remove it surgically.

This looks like it could be an adenoma, or benign growth originating from the glands in the skin. Sometimes adenomas can produce oils that collect at the surface and can be dark brown or black. There are many other skin masses that could look similar, and some might be more serious so I would recommend having your veterinarian take a look in person.

Even though a picture would help to understand better the underlying cause, this presentation could be due to a localized persistent 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. 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!

There are a few possibilities as to what this could be on Ruby. In a younger dog benign masses called histocytomas are possible. These generally regress with time. However, masses like mast cell tumors can also present this way. Mast cell tumors can be problematic and need to be surgically removed. Mast cell tumors also release histamine so please do not continue to try to squeeze this growth. Some other causes of this (although probably less likely) are cysts or infections. I recommend taking Ruby to see your veterinarian so that a sample of cells from the mass can be obtained. This will help in diagnosing the growth and in deciding if it needs to be removed surgically. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope this turns out to be a benign issue for Ruby.

Hi there! It looks like Marley may have some chronic skin issues, and the growth on his back can definitely be a cyst of some kind. Due to his age, it always good to have senior dogs examined, as their growths could be cancerous. Something like a cyst can be easily removed, and then sent out for biopsy. In the meantime, the growth, since it's bloody and oozing, is almost like an open wound, so he would likely benefit from some medications to apply topically and depending on what the veterinarian says during the exam, maybe some oral medications until the growth stops oozing or can be removed. The darkly pigmented skin on the underside could be from something like chronic skin allergies and scratching, so this is something that I'd have Marley examined for too. I don't think there's a huge rush in getting Marley to the vet, but I'd make sure he has an exam within a few days for the reasons I mentioned above. I hope you find this answer helpful! Best of luck!

I am sorry to hear about your concern for your dog. From this photo it looks like this could be a small skin growth/tumor, such as a sebaceous adenoma https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952215 . If the mass is continuing to get infected, I would recommend having it surgically removed. I would discuss with your vet if this is a growth and if surgery is an option.