My dog's leg lump is ulcerated and he keeps licking it. What to do?

That looks ulcerated. This could be a benign lump, but it could be malignant. 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 Buddy's vet a call to make him an appointment, and put an Ecollar on him to keep him from licking it. You can get one from a pet store. Best of luck.

I recommend putting a cone on Slick so he doesn't lick the nodule, or you can put him in a Tee shirt if that will cover the nodule and that should stop him from getting to it. Please clean the growth with hydrogen peroxide and apply a thin film of antibacterial ointment on it. It should dry up and start to heal if he leaves it alone. Also take a photo every few days so you can tell if it's getting bigger. The nodule may be an irritated wart or a benign growth which would be nothing to be overly concerned about. It it's a malignant tumor it will grow and even if Slick is not licking it it may continue to ooze or bleed. For a diagnosis I would take Slick in for an exam and they can do a needle aspirate and look at the cells under the microscope. Some nodules if they are small or narrow at the base can be removed with a local anesthetic and then the nodule itself can be sent for a biopsy. Again the best way to know if this is serious is to get a veterinary exam. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Slick.

Place an e-collar (cone) to prevent licking. Keep the area clean and dry. A dab of a triple antibiotic ointment once or twice daily may help. Monitor for swelling, discharge or discomfort associated with the area. Ideally, he should be examined by your veterinarian. Since the skin is broken, he is at risk for infection and may need antibiotics. If he is painful, your vet can prescribe or dispense a pain medication also.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bogart. The only thing at home you can try is having him wear an E-collar. This will prevent any licking causing further damage from self trauma. It may allow the skin to heal. If this is unsuccessful though, he will need to see a veterinarian. The area could be a mass on his leg (benign or cancerous) or he could have what is known as a lick granuloma. I hope this information helps!

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! The black hairless area is a normal elbow callus. The pink area could be a growth or irritation or a skin infection. I would prevent the licking by using an E-collar. Then I would apply a triple antibiotic cream. Force him to lay on soft bedding to prevent further trauma and you can try an antihistamine. If there is no improvement the area should be looked at by a Vet as he may need oral antibiotics and a steroid or apoquel. Those are prescription drugs that can only be prescribed by a Vet that exams your dog. Good luck! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/zyrtec/

Place an e-collar (cone) on him to prevent further licking or chewing. This may be enough to allow for healing. Keep the area clean and dry. If it doesn't heal or if it grows or spreads, have Barnaby physically examined by your veterinarian. He may need antibiotics or further diagnostics, such as a fine needle aspirate or biopsy, if it is a lump or mass.

It looks like a lick granuloma which can be secondary to itching, pain, boredom, stress, OCD. They are commonly treated with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medications, and bandages or E-collar to prevent licking. If that doesn't work then anti-anxiety medications, like Prozac, can be prescribed to see if that helps. Below is a link with a website with additional information. http://www.skinvetclinic.com/acrallickdermatitis.html