My dog has a painful lump under his armpit. What should I do?

It sounds as though this lump bothers Avery quite a bit since he keeps licking it. The lump could be caused by a benign or malignant mass, cyst, etc. and may have become infected due to Avery's licking. At this point, there isn't anything that you can do at home. A vet should examine Avery and will likely need to perform a fine needle aspirate (using a needle to draw out a few cells from the mass - it's quick and relatively painless!) so that the sample can be examined microscopically. From there, Avery may need oral antibiotics to treat any infection. Until you can take him to the vet, put an e-collar (cone) on him to prevent further licking and irritation of the lump. Try to avoid putting any additional hydrogen peroxide on the lump, as repeated use can delay healing. I hope that he's on the mend soon!

I am concerned about those lumps. Being itchy in that area could be from insect bites or he could have had a puncture wound that became infected. Those generally would be more red and uncomfortable. There are lymph nodes and lots of vessels and nerves in that location. Definitely I would take him to your veterinarian to have these examined and they may take some cells through a needle aspirate to diagnosis whether it is infection or a cancer. Then when they know what it is they can decide on the best treatment. This could be serious so I wouldn't wait too long as treating most problems early is most effective. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Junior.

Thank you for contacting Pet Coach with your concern about Finn! Yes, this is definitely something I would have him seen by a vet. It's concerning that this lump has doubled in size in a week, and it's obviously bothering him because he keeps licking at it. It could be this lump is a cyst, a benign tumor, or a malignant tumor. This area also could have formed from irritation of him licking at it, leading to this raised and irritated area. Give your vet a call today to make an appointment, and I would put an Ecollar on him to keep him from licking at it further. You can make one at home (I will put a link below on how to do it), or you can buy one at a pet store. Best of luck, I hope this helps! http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

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!

It looks like her skin is just very inflamed in that area from all the scratching. I suggest you take her to your vet for an exam. She will likely need some strong prescription medications to get this to clear up. In the meantime you can use this hydrocortisone spray on it to give her some relief: ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zymox-spray-with-5-hydrocortisone ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

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.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Lee! Based on your photo is appears to be either a pyoderma (skin infection) or a hot spot (superficial skin infection). Because it is getting worse quickly, make an appointment tomorrow to get your Vet to look at ti. They will likely prescribe antibiotics, something for the itch, and maybe a topical. Good luck!