My dog is licking a swollen sore with a growing lump. Vet needed?

I highly recommend bringing Boo to a veterinarian. This needs to be cleaned up and most likely needs antibiotics. I am concerned because in the picture it looks like a growth and if that is the case it is recommended to remove it. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The pinker skin growths in your first picture tend to be benign and are sebaceous adenomas. For some reason some dogs grow a lot of them. The pinker bump in her groin could be the same type of growth or different. If you never noticed it before and she is now licking it it could be infected or a mast cell tumor. The darker spots are darken skin from licking. It could also be a skin infection but it is hard to tell from just pictures. My recommendation is to have your Vet examine that larger lump and the skin in her groin. She may just need antibiotics and itch relief but worse case she may need the growth removed if it is suspicious. I wish Honey the best!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. This could be just an infection though I am suspicious that there is a growth underneath causing this. There is no way of knowing what it is just based on its appearance. 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. This is severe and no home remedies are expected to improve this. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good night!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a small focus of infection. It could be due to allergies or even just secondary to minor trauma. You can try to shave around it and clean it. If it continues to look superficial (as it looks on the picture), you can consider applying a thin film of triple antibiotic on it in case it is just a mild infection. If it does not resolve within 1 week of starting such treatment, have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I can see that Louie has some redness and hair loss in the region. This can be related to a skin infection, growth (slightly more likely if Louie is a little older), or a bug bite. A veterinary exam can determine the definitive cause, and would be required for prescription antibiotics. In the meantime, you can carefully use an electric clipper to clear hair from the area if you feel comfortable. You can also get Louie an e-collar or “cone” to prevent him from continuing to lick the area and cause further trauma. A mild pet shampoo can also be used to keep the area clean. I hope this helps and that all is well!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sadly a lot of skin masses can look the same. It could be a Mast Cell tumor (which is a cancerous growth that should be removed and biopsied), a cyst, a histiocytoma (though he is a bit old for that, they end to occur in younger dogs). Any skin bumps that is new, rapidly grows, changes or is possibly infected should be checked by a Vet. They can decide whether it should be aspirated and sent to the lab or removed surgically to send the entire specimen for biopsy. I hope this helps and I wish Boston the very best!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Kibou. Poor boy! That looks like a growth of some kind, and it's clearly bothering him if he keeps licking at it. 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 his vet a call to make him an appointment. I hope this helps!