My pug has a bump on his paw that won't heal. What should I do?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Princess and for providing pictures, they are very helpful. Yes, this lump may be concerning as she is a senior dog and there is a chance 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 her vet a call in the morning to get her an appointment. I hope this helps!

Poor Bruno! Bumps under the skin can be caused by a variety of conditions, including abscesses, inflammation from soft tissue injuries, fractures, or bone tumors (unlikely given his young age), among others. It would be best to take Bruno to his vet for an exam and possible diagnostic testing. The vet will be able to feel the lump, assess his gait, and may need to take x-rays or perform cytology under the microscope with fluid/tissue from the lump. That said, if Bruno is walking completely normally, not licking the affected area, and is otherwise eating, drinking, and acting like himself, this type of lesion does not warrant a trip to an emergency vet and can wait a day or two, if needed. I hope this helps and that Bruno is on the mend soon!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry Mia is having this issue. If this was a simple injury surely it would have healed by now. The fact that it has been going for a year and is growing, I would recommend you have it surgically removed and sent off to a lab for histopathology. Due to the location of this mass, if it gets much larger it will be harder to remove as there is not a lot of extra skin to close a large incision in that area. This is just my opinion. What the mass actually is though, I cannot say just by looking at a photo. It may be benign but it could also be malignant. The histopathology will tell which it is. It could also be that she has a foreign body (maybe a splinter or something) under the skin that is festering so this may not be a mass at all. It is really difficult for me to say just by looking at the photo. It is a possibility however, I would have expected it to cause more of an infection by now if that was the case. Still a possibility though. You are always welcome to get a second opinion by another vet that can examine her in person. Remember, you know Mia best and need to be her advocate. If you are uncomfortable or have a bad feeling about something then voice those concerns. In my opinion it is always better to be safe than sorry. If you are worried then removing the mass is the best option. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. There is no way of knowing what it is just based on its appearance. Common tumors in this region include melanomas, squamous cell carcinomas, mast cell tumors and soft tissue sarcomas, among others. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good night!

I am sorry to hear about Bubba! A photo of the paw may help us to better answer your question! One possible cause would be a histiocytoma https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952066 . I would recommend having your vet examine the area to determine if it is something requiring treatment or something that can just be monitored.

This could be an infected cyst, mass or abscess. I recommend Mugzi get checked out by a veterinarian as this may need to be drained and antibiotics may be needed. In the meantime try to keep Mugzi from licking or chewing at the area and do not give him any medication as it can be toxic to dogs.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is definitely concerning that the lump has increased in size so quickly, as older dogs are typically more likely to develop cancers. The lump can also be an infection or cyst. I recommend having this seen by a vet as soon as possible - they can take a small sample from the growth to determine exactly what it is and recommend the appropriate treatment. I hope all is well!