My 14-year-old dog's leg lump popped and is oozing pus. What is it?

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. What i am seeing in the pictures is likely a sebaceous cyst that ruptured. These are common with older dogs and are benign. When these rupture there is a chance they will become infected so the best treatment is to have it removed to prevent this from happening. I would recommend consulting with your veterinarian about having this removed. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

I would have this lump on Laila checked out by a vet first. While it could be a cyst, there is always a chance it could be something more serious like a malignant tumor (although the chances are low in a young dog). It's also important to have any lump checked out by a vet to make sure it isn't something concerning. Should it be a cyst, an antibiotic ointment will not do anything for it, and I would only recommend warm compresses and cleaning it if the cyst was opened and draining. Do not try to pop it! Typically you can leave these cysts alone as long as it isn't bothering your dog and isn't getting bigger. First step is to have it definitively diagnosed by a vet, so I would give her vet a call for an appointment. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Poor Zeus! The presence of pus suggests that this skin lesion is infected, and he should see a vet for it. An infected wound requires antibiotics to treat it, which the vet can prescribe. I would have him seen by a vet in the morning for this. Tonight, clean the wound with warm water and antiseptic soap, and keep him from licking at it. I hope this helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From the pictures, it appears as though this is a cyst. I would clean this using a combined solution of water and betadine (mix until light brown) and keep the area clean. The cyst will likely close back up now that it has ruptured. If it continues to drain material or becomes infected, then I would have a veterinarian take a look at this and plan to have it removed. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

The problem with cysts is that they can get bigger, then pop, and refill again. This should be drained sterilely, and the cyst may need to be removed surgically to prevent it from reoccurring. Do not try to pop it yourself, as that will introduce infection into the area. I would have Jim seen by a vet today if the vet is open for normal business hours, or on Monday to have the cyst drained. The vet can decide if it needs to be removed surgically.

This looks infected. It's also possible the tumor outgrew it's blood supply and is necrotic in the center. I recommend to have Avril examined again. Have the mass aspirated and sent to a lab for testing to make sure it's not cancer. I hope this helps.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It sounds like this wound that became a lump that is oozing fluid has become an abscess, or a pocket of infected fluid. Abscesses form when infection is trapped under the skin or within tissues such as fat or muscle. The bacteria will try to find a way out, so they can break through the skin and create a "draining tract" of pus. This should be addressed by your veterinarian, who will likely drain the abscess and open it up to allow continuous drainage. Antibiotics for at least 2 weeks will be needed, along with pain medications. Depending on the size of the wound/abscess, a bandage may be needed. I hope this is helpful! Thank you for seeking care for your Luna!