My dog has a purple bump with red specks near her nipple. What is it?

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. 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 day!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If the masses are near her mammary glands they could be cysts or increase in normal mammary tissue in response to hormones associated with her heat cycle. If the growths persist past her heat cycle I recommend that you have your Vet examine them I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think it would be worthwhile having her evaluated to make sure that it does indeed look like a nipple and to ensure it is not something else like a mass or nodule. Based on an examination, your veterinarian would be able to tell you if this should be biopsied or not. Good luck!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would recommend having this surgically removed and then send out the actual tissue sample for a definitive diagnosis. The test to have the slide interpreted and also to have the tissue sample interpreted are the exact same cost typically or very close in price, which is typically over $300. Why spend that much to have a slide interpreted when you can just have it removed and get a more definitive answer with an actual tissue sample being interpreted? The needle aspirate test is great but unfortunately it does not provide one with a definitive diagnosis. Since this is near a mammary gland I would want to know for sure what this is. 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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a mammary tumor. This could be a benign or malignant growth. 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 her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!

Hello. I think that Hershey just had a hair follicle get infected, very similar as to what can happen with a bad acne spot. You can just clean this daily with a skin antiseptic like Hibiclens ( available at all pharmacies ) & dab a little triple antibiotic on the area. It should heal up just fine. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This may be an abscess, a cyst or a tumor. You should have it examined by your veterinarian, as it is not possible to distinguish these by just looking at a photo. An abscess can usually be treated with antibiotics and/or be lanced, and a cyst can be evacuated. To identify a tumor, your vet may want to do a fine needle aspirate (he takes some material from the bump with a needle and then looks at it under the microscope) to determine whether the mass is concerning.