My dog has a liquid-filled bump on his leg from biting. Is it a cyst?

It sounds like Lil Bit has some cysts on the underside of her back legs. Do not squeeze them or try to drain them yourself, as that will introduce infection into the area. I would take her into the vet first thing Monday to have them examined. The vet can sterilely drain them if they are cysts. Because cysts can reoccur, they may need to be removed surgically, but the vet can make that determination.

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.

Hi, It looks to me as though Shadow may have a hygroma. This is a false bursa that develops over bony prominences, commonly the elbow, due to repeated trauma from pressure points while lying down on or hitting the elbows on hard surfaces. This repeated trauma creates an inflammatory response, which results in a dense-walled, fluid-filled cavity. Overtime, severe inflammation may develop, and ulceration, infection, even abscesses can form on the hygroma. To prevent this from getting worse, provide plenty of soft padding and soft bedding for Shadow to have to prevent more trauma to the area. In minor cases even elbow pads can be bought for dogs. For severe cases, surgeries can be performed to try to cosmetically fix the area after flushing, draining and repairing the areas. Hope this helps! -Dr. Gordon

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Without seeing Buddy it is hard to say what the swelling was. From your description it sounds like a cyst. A cyst is a fluid-filled pocket under the skin. They can have fluid or a thick substance. Sometimes the contents can come out but the only way to fully treat a cyst is to have it surgically removed. If it isn’t bothering Buddy though, it doesn’t need to be removed. I would take Buddy to a vet to have this confirmed and they can discuss your options further. Good luck and kisses to Buddy!

If this lump fills up with clear fluid, it is most likely a cyst. These are usually nothing to be concerned by, but they will keep filling up over and over. The only way to get rid of them permanently is to have them surgically removed. Most of the time this isn't necessary as cysts are mostly cosmetic.

Insect bites don't typically cause fluid filled areas like this. I am concerned this area may be edema (fluid filled sac) or even emphysema (air filled sac). This area needs to be investigated by your vet to determine the underlying cause. I hope that Max's mysterious swelling resolves soon! Best wishes and take care.

This looks like it could be a growth and it's clearly bothering him if he's biting 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.