My dog has an inflated lump. Is it a tick or mass? When to see a vet?

This may be a cyst or a tumor, or a pimple (little abscess). You should have it examined by your veterinarian as tumors should be removed ASAP, especially if they are of a black color. An abscess can usually be treated with antibiotics and/or be lanced, and a cyst can be evacuated. 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. You can also watch it for a few days and see whether it goes away again. I don't think it is anything terribly worrisome.

At this point, there may not be much you can do other than monitor it closely and keep it clean and dry. Protect the lump from scratching or other trauma. Your normal vet may also be able to provide some guidance via telehealth. Make sure to have it checked out as soon as your veterinarian opens again. If the mass starts getting worse, call and see if any emergency clinics are still open. Also, it's likely there are still some normal veterinary clinics that are open and I recommend to call around and look. You need to make arrangements for an appointment ahead of time and follow the assigned protocols. I hope this helps.

Hi there and thank you for your post! It sounds like when you attempted to remove it, you caused it to bleed a bit. Based on your description this sounds like a benign skin tumor but to be safe, I would have Kahuna's vet take a look at this to make sure it is nothing to be concerned about. Your vet can insert a small needle into the mass and look at the cells under a microscope to get a better idea of what it could be. If it is small enough and is benign, it can be removed with a local anesthetic or by freezing it with a cryogenic procedure. If it is suspicious looking though, your vet may want to remove it and send it out for further testing.

From this image, it looks as though the lump may be a tick. It is hard to tell from an image alone, but I would recommend asking your vet for a technician appointment to see if they can remove it for you. If it's not a tick, then it is likely something that can wait until february unless it grows excessively or starts bleeding.

This does not look like a tick - it is more likely to be a skin cyst, a skin growth or papilloma or tumor, or possibly a wound caused by a grass seed / foxtail. Your vet will be able to identify what exactly it is and recommend treatment if indicated.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ace. It is common to have a small swollen area where the tick was. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian though to determine if any treatment is needed. Ticks are capable of spreading diseases to dogs. He should also be started on a flea and tick preventive. I hope this information helps!

While hard to say without seeing her in person, this does not have the appearance of a tick and looks more like a small skin growth. Ticks are usually dark in color, black/brown/maroon and once full of blood can have a pale grey appearance.