What's this dark lump on my chihuahua puppy's neck after vaccination?

I wouldn't worry about the lump just yet, but I would have it checked out by the vet on Monday. This lump could be a cyst, an abscess, a lipoma, or a benign tumor. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the vet diagnoses the cause of the lump, they can discuss treatment with you.

Hi there! I'm sorry to hear about Bruce's lump. Vaccinations can definitely leave behind a small bump at times. If this happens after I vaccinate a dog, I will have the client bring their pet in so I can examine the spot, make sure that it coincides with where I gave the vaccine for sure. If it is something new rather than a lump from the vaccine, it can be addressed accordingly. As long as it is just from the vaccine, then we monitor the spot over the course of a few weeks. If it is a localized inflammatory response to the vaccine, it usually will go away over time. If it persists, some clients will opt to have me remove the tiny lump and test it to make sure it just comes back as an inflammatory response and not something serious. I would definitely call your veterinarian and have Bruce get a quick examination to make sure all is well, and you will likely just monitor the lump going forward. I hope you find this answer helpful. Best of luck!

There are numerous causes of lumps on a puppies skin. If Bella has been microchipped (this is usually done between the shoulder blades), it could be the chip you are feeling. Other causes are cysts, scar tissue, inflammation after a vaccine, and tumors. I would recommend taking Bella in to your local vet to have this lump evaluated. If it is her microchip, it is not a problem. If it is something else, your veterinarian can do a fine needle aspirate to try to get a sample of cells from this lump to determine what it is. This is not a painful procedure and similar to her getting a vaccine.

This could be a skin reaction to a sting or bite, or a cyst or a little abscess or in fact a small tumor or wart. I suggest you observe the spot weekly, and if it changes in size or color or if it starts to hurt or the skin around it turns red, then you should have it examined by your veterinarian. If it stays the same or gets smaller, then it is likely nothing you have to worry about and you can show it to your vet the during the next routine visit.

You're right it is hard to tell from the photos. I think it looks more like mange. The unfortunate thing is that many skin issues look similar so it is often difficult to tell exactly what it is just by looking at it. I can say that I have not had a vaccine reaction look that way so I think that is less likely. Also, vets don't usually use the back of the neck for vaccinating anymore - are you sure the vaccine was given there? I don't think it's an emergency. I would recommend putting some Neosporin on it for now and then just bring it up at the next vet exam. He should be due for booster vaccines in a few weeks. If it starts looking worse or it is bothering him then I would take him in to see the vet sooner. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

This bump could be a wart, a cyst, a benign tumor, or a malignant tumor. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the bump to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. I would take Pedro into the vet tomorrow to have the bump examined and diagnosed. Once it is diagnosed, the vet can recommend a treatment.

That is a very common occurrence after vaccination. The vaccine can cause a localized reaction and it should resolve on its own within a month. If it persists, seems larger, or bothers him that have your vet take a look at it.