My dog has a painful, squishy lump after an injury. Is it an abscess?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. I would recommend that he/she sees a veterinarian to rule any serious injuries from being hit by the motorcycle. It could be a swelling from a collection of fluid under the skin known as a seroma. This can happen when tissues are bruised and inflamed such as secondary to trauma. In this case, the swelling should not be painful to the dog and resolve given time. A more serious consideration would be if there is a tear in the abdominal wall. In this case, the internal organs can migrate under the skin. This can be life threatening. Finally, your dog could have a mass that has occurred coincidentally around the time of the crash, but is unrelated. A fatty tumor called a lipoma is a common growth under the skin. Your veterinarian will be able to differentiate between these scenarios and recommend any necessary treatment. I hope this information helps!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It sounds like this wound that became a lump that is oozing fluid has become an abscess, or a pocket of infected fluid. Abscesses form when infection is trapped under the skin or within tissues such as fat or muscle. The bacteria will try to find a way out, so they can break through the skin and create a "draining tract" of pus. This should be addressed by your veterinarian, who will likely drain the abscess and open it up to allow continuous drainage. Antibiotics for at least 2 weeks will be needed, along with pain medications. Depending on the size of the wound/abscess, a bandage may be needed. I hope this is helpful! Thank you for seeking care for your Luna!

Has he been licking at it? Can you identify a wound on it? It may be an abscess (localized infection) under the skin, as thise can show up very quickly. You can shave the hair over the top and clean it with dilute Betadine (available at any pharmacy - use water to dilute it so it looks like tea). Put an ecollar (cone) on him to prevent him from biting or chewing on it, and make an appointment with your vet as soon as you can—but it’s not something you need to see an emergency vet for as long as it’s not seeming painful and he’s eating and acting normally. Other possible causes would be some type of tumor (though less likely with his age), or a fluid accumulation called a seroma. Your vet may Do a fine needle aspirate (poke the bump with a needle and then look at cells under the microscope) to see what it is and then know how best to treat it. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I am sorry to hear about your concern with Penny. If the area is warm to the touch then one possible cause would be an abscess or infection under the skin. This can result from a small puncture or wound. We can also see cysts or masses (tumors) arise quickly in dogs. Some of these are benign (they don't spread/cause problems or need to be removed if not causing pain) and some are malignant (more aggressive in nature, can spread and need removal). There isn't a way to tell just by looking at the mass what the problem is. I would recommend a visit to the vet. They may recommend an aspiration with a needle to try to remove some cells from the swelling and help determine the cause and therefore the correct treatment.

This could be a site of a bite wound and, if so, could be an early abscess. It could also just be a cyst (harmless fluid-filled mass). If it continues to grow, has a discharge or seems painful at all Sam needs to get examined by her veterinarian. If it goes away or stays the same I would recommend mentioning it to her veterinarian at her next routine appointment.

I would be concerned that Layla has an abscess if it is filled with pus and blood. this will be very painful to her, and she needs to see a vet as soon as possible for it. She will need it drained if it has swollen up again, and she will also need antibiotics to treat the infection. Please do not give her any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. The vet can give her pain medications as needed. As for the swollen vaginal area, she could be suffering from vaginitis which is inflammation of the vagina. This is more common in spayed females, and something that will need to be examined and treated by a vet as well.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Layla. Poor girl! This lump could be a cyst, an abscess (a pocket of infection), a swelling from an injury, a benign tumor, or a malignant tumor. Unfortunately without seeing her in person, I cannot say for certain what is causing her lump. 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 her vet a call in the morning to get her an appointment. I hope this helps!