My pet has a lump. Is it a cyst? Can I pop it myself or see a vet?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. What you are describing sounds as though this may be a cyst of some sort. However, I would be unable to confirm this with just a description. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine the growth so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. The vet can insert a small needle into the mass and look at the fluid / cells under a microscope to help determine what it could be, a test called a fine needle aspirate with cytology. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello. This looks like a small, benign button tumor. Usually, they do not grow significantly & sometimes they regress spontaneously. Do not pop this yourself because of the risk of infection. Any lump & bump should be thoroughly examined by your veterinarian because while this looks benign, it may not be. If your vet tells you he is concerned & it should be removed, this is an ideal time to do so while it is very small. Otherwise, leave it be until your vet has a chance to look at it. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This looks likely to be a cyst, which is a benign skin growth that can rupture and exude a thick proteinaceous discharge. I recommend having Roscoe seen by a Vet, as cysts can become infected when they rupture, and Roscoe may need a course of antibiotics. Your vet can then let you know if they have any concerns about the lesion when they’re able to examine it. In the meantime, keep it clean using soapy water (Dawn dish soap works well) and soak/wipe it clean a few times daily. Hope this helps!

Hello. It is difficult to say exactly what this is because cysts, small tumors & other benign skin growths can all look pretty similar. We do not recommend doing any squeezing on things like this because you could inadvertently introduce bacteria back into it & then you have a real problem. You should contact your veterinarian to schedule an appointment. Only after a hands-on examination can a plan be determined. One might be to just continue to watch this (without squeezing out the contents), or to remove it, send the tissues off for pathology, & make sure this is not something worrisome. I hope it is just benign, but it is better to know than worry. Thans for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I suspect this is a skin mass It could also be chronically infected and inflamed skin, but it is less likely. A visit at your local vets is recommended to make the definite diagnosis (taking aspirates of the lesion may be necessary) and to start treatment for Coco. If it is a skin mass, surgical excision may be the only treatment option. Unfortunately, there is not much that you can do at home to help Coco.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Chichi. Those look like growths, and the one pictured appears to have pus in the third picture. Pus means it's infected. I think it's a good idea to have these checked out by a vet. The vet can treated the bump that appears infected and can discuss treatment for the other bumps. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m sorry to hear Rupert has a growth you have found. I do recommend all abnormal growths be evaluated by a veterinarian to determine if they are benign (non-cancerous) or something more concerning. Typically this can be diagnosed with a needle sample by your veterinarian, and any further treatment needs discussed if necessary. Good luck!