My pitbull has a head lump after an accident. Tumor or abscess?

This may be an abscess, a cyst or a tumor. You should have it examined by your veterinarian, as it is not possible to distinguish these by just looking at a photo. An abscess can usually be treated with antibiotics and/or be lanced, and a cyst can be evacuated. To identify a tumor, your vet may want to do a fine needle aspirate (he takes some material from the bump with a needle and then looks at it under the microscope) to determine whether the mass is concerning.

Thank you for providing a picture! This could be a cyst or a benign growth. 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 its 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 cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. Give Rocket's vet a call to make him an appointment. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Being benign vs. malignant is more based on how it looks under the microscope. It can still be benign even if it is not very movable. This could be a benign or malignant growth. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good night!

Unfortunately any skin mass can be cancerous but the good news is that most are benign. The only way to know for sure is the have a small sample of the mass collected and examined under the microscope. I recommend for Pepper to see his veterinarian. Sometimes the doctor can tell by palpation but other times they need to see the cells. Anytime you have a dark colored mass, melanoma is on the concern list. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

You are correct that this lump could be a fatty tumor, but given that he was attacked by a dog last week, it could be an abscess. Another possibility is a cyst. Given his age, it's quite unlikely Bugs has a malignant tumor. It's a good idea to have him seen by a vet :-)

Hello, that little red growth does look a little suspicious. If Heidi was a little younger I would have been suspicious of a common benign mass knows as a hemangioma which typically resolves on its own. However, with Heidi being a little older, you should air on the safe side and have that checked out by your veterinarian to ensure it is nothing you need to be aggressive about. It can still be a hemangioma but the best way to ensure it is benign is to test the cells that make up the little lump itself. Hope this helps

Without a picture it's very hard to say. You can post another question with a picture attached if you'd like. From your description, it could be a new mass, a bug bite, irritation from rubbing her nose under something like a door or fence, or it could be a bump related to a tooth abscess. The good news is that it doesn't sound like an emergency and she's not in pain, so your plan to go to her vet tomorrow is good. You don't need to do anything at home for the bump in the mean time. Good luck!