My dog has a pus-filled bump. What is it and should I see a vet?

Look at that cute nose! IT is really hard to tell by the picture if Mia has small pustules (skin infection) or if they are actual masses/bumps. The small pustules could be from a primary allergy. A contact allergy could cause irritation to the nose and lead to the pustules. IF they are growth I would recommend a vet complete a fine needle aspirate. This is when a vet places a small needle into the mass and looks at the cells under a microscope. This will allow the vet to determine what the growths are being caused by. I would recommend taking Mia to a vet due to her young age and having a hard time telling what is going on based on the pictures. Hope she feels better

Hi Maisie! If there is some pus coming out of it, this lump could be an abscess on Mika. It could also be due to a bacterial skin infection. I would have Mika seen by a vet tomorrow or first thing on Monday to have the lump examined and diagnosed. Once a diagnosis is found, the vet can discuss treatment with you.

It's difficult to tell exactly what's going on here without seeing the lesion and being able to do some testing, but I am suspicious of a skin infections. These infections can be due to fungi, bacteria, parasites, or all of the above. There is often a primary problem that causes the itch, so if Maggie has been itching for a while, then it's best to get the source of the itch discovered by a vet. I'll give you a few tips for dealing with a skin infection, but if the lesion gets worse, or is not getting any better within a week of treatment, then I'd recommend you have a vet evaluate Maggie. I recommend doing the following every day until the skin appears normal again: 1) Clip the hair around the area and expose all of the lesions. 2) Wash the area with warm water and a medicated shampoo (can get this at the pet store) once a day. Use a cloth and gently wipe away the scabs. Do not scrub, because it will irritate the skin more. It's OK if all of the scabs do not come off in each washing. 3) Make sure the area is completely dry after washing. I hope that helps and all is well with Maggie.

I suspect that these are little bumps are due to a bacterial infection (pyoderma). Puppies commonly get this on their bellies and they usually go away with good cleaning. I recommend cleaning the belly with a medicated wipe or shampoo (can get this at the pet store) once a day until the bump(s) are gone. If it seems to get worse, then you'll want to take Mia into the vet for an exam. Below is a link to an article with more information about pyoderma. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/pyoderma-in-dogs Please note that I cannot be sure this is the problem without actually examining Mia, so your best option is to have a vet evaluate her, so they can definitively diagnose it and prescribe the most appropriate treatment. I hope that helps and all is well with Mia.

Hello, thank you for your question about Sequoia. Based on what you are describing it sounds like she may be dealing with puppy pyoderma/impetigo, secondary to a bacterial skin infection. This is not an uncommon infection in puppies. Depending on the severity this condition is treating with topical skin cleansers or if severe can require antibiotics. It sounds like Sequoia's condition may be more mild and respond to gentle cleansing, however I would recommend consulting with your veterinarian so that they can decide if Sequoia needs a course of antibiotics to help these lesions resolve. Hope this helps, good luck!

This presentation is due to a diffuse and quite severe pyoderma. A medicated shampoo, systemic antibiotics and a check up are absolutely needed to solve the problem. Pyoderma could be secondary to other diseases which cause immunosuppression. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

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.