My puppy has a dry, scabbed lump on her cheek. What is it?

This is probably due to a severe allergy, although it could also be fleas or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat Luna with a high quality flea treatment (e.g. advantage), then get her to the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try discovering the cause of the allergy. Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). simultaneously you should start her on a prescription hypoallergenic diet for at least 2 months. Hopefully you will see some results after all this, if not you and your vet should consider putting her on a long term allergy treatment (Atopica or Apoquel).

The most likely problem is a skin infection, also called puppy pyoderma. I would encourage you to schedule a new puppy examination with a veterinarian as soon as possible. They will discuss the skin and will likely start vaccinations as well. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hello there! Considering her age and breed, the lump on Skye's head is most likely a benign mass called a histiocytoma. Only a vet can diagnose this for sure, but this is the most likely cause. The mass on the leg may also be a histiocytoma, as the head, face, legs, and feet are the most common locations for them to grow, and if a dog has one, they are more likely to have multiple over their lifetime. A histiocytoma can be unsightly, but they usually go away on their own after a few months. Some owners elect to have them removed if they keep getting scratched or infected, and this is usually curative at that location. There are other conditions that could cause lumps like these (though they are less likely, like a viral infection or cancer), and a visit to your vet will help to determine what that might be. The vet will give Skye a full physical exam, and they will likely take a small sample of cells from within the lumps with a small needle - a procedure called a fine needle aspirate, or FNA. This may not give a definitive diagnosis, but it can be helpful in ruling out more worrisome issues. It can also help the vet decide if the lumps need to come off for further testing, but I'd be surprised if this was the case. I recommend that you take Skye to visit the vet to confirm the lumps' cause, but it's not an emergency. Good luck, and I hope Skye's lumpiness clears up soon!

From the picture it actually looks more like a deep skin infection to me. This could be bacterial or fungal, or even a hypersensitivity reaction (less likely). I would recommend that she be examined by your veterinarian soon. They may look at a sample under the microscope to help determine what therapies might be most helpful. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Chloe is adorable! The lump on her face could be due to a number of issues, including a benign or malignant mass, cyst, granuloma, among others. Given her young age, a benign mass like a histiocytoma seems most likely, but the only way to definitively determine the cause of this lesion is through a fine needle aspirate. This procedure is performed by drawing a few cells from the lesion with a needle so that the sample can be examined microscopically. From there, the vet will be able to provide more information as to whether it is better to monitor the lesion (histiocytomas typically go away without intervention within 3 months) or surgically remove it. I do recommend taking Chloe to her vet to get to the bottom of this issue. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

Some young dogs will sometimes develop a skin infection or pyoderma. But a foreign object or a mass are possibilities as well. However, if it is not resolving then an appointment with your veterinarian would be recommended. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hi Maisie! If there is some pus coming out of it, this lump could be an abscess on Mika. It could also be due to a bacterial skin infection. I would have Mika seen by a vet tomorrow or first thing on Monday to have the lump examined and diagnosed. Once a diagnosis is found, the vet can discuss treatment with you.