My dog has a purple swollen bump on her chest. What is it?

Are you sure this is not a nipple? Nipples can be up all the way on the chest. If this is not a nipple then these may be pimples (little abscesses), cysts or tumors. You should have them examined by your veterinarian as tumors should be removed ASAP, especially if they are of a black color (likely melanoma). Abscesses can usually be treated with antibiotics and/or be lanced, and cysts can be evacuated. 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.

Unfortunately, even in person I would be hard pressed to give you a diagnosis based only on appearance. When a client comes in with a pet that has an unknown mass, we typically consider the following as possibilities, taking many factors into account: a mass/tumor, an abscess, a cystic structure, an insect bite, an allergic reaction, or a bruise from trauma. If the structure has burst open, it is most likely not allergic or from an insect. Depending upon your dog's age, the time the lump has existed, the consistency of the fluid you have noted, and the presence / absence of any other clinical signs, one of the other options is most likely. Something the vet might be able to do is obtain some cellular material from the affected area, place it under a microscope, and see if there is any cellular material that is useful in obtaining a diagnosis. Other times, appearance alone can at least tell a vet whether or not there is an active infection. As far as the possibility of cancer, tumors are certainly able to open up as you have described. They are typically more common in elderly dogs, though even this is largely dependent on the type of tumor. I would schedule a visit with your vet sometime soon. I would also in the meantime prevent Pancakes from bothering with the area. You can either buy an e-collar from a store / vet, or try and make something homemade until a commercial one can be obtained (with it being Easter, finding a store open that has one may prove difficult). The purpose of this is to prevent any current infection from worsening, or absent infection from beginning. Hope this makes sense.

It appears to be a cyst like lesion kind of like a pimple. Try squeezing it to get it to pop. Then rub it with a cotton ball soaked in hydrogen peroxide. If it starts to get bigger (doubles in size) then take Parker to see a vet to examine it.

If you've noticed it drain before, then it is a cyst. These usually occur when a gland is blocked and material builds up in the skin. They can go away and then come back. The only real cure for it is to have it surgically removed, but this is not usually indicated. The warm water compress may help it to rupture and drain again, but no guarantees. We usually advise benign neglect (ignoring it) and just watching it for any changes in growth or appearance. These often go away on their own after some time. I hope that helps.

This is most likely just an abrasion that your dog got from going up the tree. If the area is hot and/or swollen it may be infected and you would need to take your dog to the vet to get some antibiotics to help it clear up. If you do not think it is swollen you can try cleaning it daily with some dilute hydrogen peroxide and applying some antibiotic ointment on it. If you do this for several days and the area is still abnormal you may want to consider a trip to the vet. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

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.

I am sorry to hear about Tonka! It is hard to evaluate the bump based on this photo, as it is a little blurry and there is no way for us to know the size of what we are looking at. If the red area is large/very raised, like the size of a nickel or raised more than 1/4 cm then I would be more suspicious that we have a small tumor of the skin (we can have both benign and malignant skin tumors). If the area is smaller and not bothering him, you can try washing with a mild soap and applying a topical antibiotic like neosporin 2-3 times a day. If the lesions isn't resolving by the end of the week or if it is more mass-like as I described earlier, then a vet exam would be recommended.