My dog has a painful bump. Tick or skin tag? What should I do?

Hi, I'm Dr. Johnson! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It's great that you posted pictures because they can be very helpful. The only thing I can't tell from the picture is where the skin bump is located on Arny's body. If it is on his belly it could be an irregular nipple. Otherwise to me it doesn't appear to be a tick. Skin tags are more dangly. It looks like a dermal (on top of the skin) bump. There are many types of skin bumps that can affect dogs- a lot are harmless: skin tags, hair follicle cysts, sebaceous adenomas, etc. And some are more concerning. Sadly a lot of the time we can't tell from just looking at them. If it suddenly appeared or grows rapidly, having it aspirated by your Veterinarian can give you a better idea of what it might be. An aspirate is a quick procedure where your vet uses a needle and syringe to suck cells from the bump. Then slides are usually sent to the lab for a pathologist to look at. If it comes back concerning then it could be removed. I hope I could help! Have a great day!

It looks like a little blister or mass of some sort but of course, difficult to say for sure with just a picture. Since he was crying out in pain and this bump is a new finding, I would have your vet take a look at him. Your vet will be able to determine what is causing him pain, whether or not this area is infected or a mass and get him started on the proper meds and treatment plan to help him feel better. I hope this helps !

Thank you for providing a picture of this area on Bosco! It could be that it's a skin tag, a type of benign tumor, and that's why it cannot be removed. It could also be a tick that is embedded, and I would not try to remove it again. It would be a good idea to have him seen by a vet for it, so it can be diagnosed and treated as needed.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Thanks for the picture! It looks like an engorged tick. Gently lift it up and if you see 8 legs then it is a tick. Pull it gently off the skin where the head attaches to the skin or you can have your Vet for Vet tech remove it for you. I would change the brand of tick prevention you are using or start using one. I hope this helps!

It sounds like perhaps you meant to post a photo with your question but no photo has posted. Please try again with a photo. With many ticks if you look closely you can see the tiny legs on the side or underside of the tick.

I agree that this looks like an engorged tick on Bella's neck. Try to grab at the base of the attachment either firmly with a pair of tweezers or with your fingers, then smoothly and confidently pull it straight out. Your goal is to pull it straight out so that none of the mouth parts are left behind in the skin. If you're unable to remove it, seek veterinary attention for help in removing it. I can't tell what type of tick it is from the angles in this picture, but remember that ticks can transmit a variety of different infectious diseases. Due to this, I would have a blood test run on Bella in about 6 months to check for some of the more common diseases, like Lyme, Ehrlichia, or Anaplasma. If you don't already have her on a good flea and tick preventive medication, be sure to start one right away. I hope that everything goes well!

Based on the pictures, it does not look like a tick. It looks like a skin mass. Have your vet take a look at him to determine exactly what it is. Your vet may want to aspirate or biopsy to diagnose.