My dog has a recurring ear bump. Is it a tick? What prevention works?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I do not think the mass has anything to do with being bitten in the area. It looks like a sebaceous adenoma form your picture (benign). It is very small and I recommend, if Lilly is a calm dog, removing it locally with lidoacine and a punch biopsy. It looks smaller than 8mm which makes it easy to take off with out anesthesia. If you decide not to take it off, I think that is fine. Dogs that form sebaceous adenomas tend to form more throughout their lives. Sometimes the dogs will lick or irritate them prompting owners to want to remove them. I hope this helps and I wish you and Lilly the best!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Thanks for the picture! It looks like an engorged tick. Gently lift it up and if you see 8 legs then it is a tick. Pull it gently off the skin where the head attaches to the skin or you can have your Vet for Vet tech remove it for you. I would change the brand of tick prevention you are using or start using one. I hope this helps!

The bumps on Lilly's ears could be insect bites from fleas or mosquitoes. Since they aren't red and don't seem to be bothering her, other allergies or skin infections are less likely. Make sure she is receiving a high quality flea and tick preventative (such as Nexgard, Bravecto or Advantix) once a month. If mosquitoes are a concern, Advantix claims to repel mosquitoes unlike the other products. Closely monitor her ears for changes and if this condition persists or worsens, take her to the vet for an exam.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It looks like a skin growth. I don't think it is a tick or any other skin parasite. Ticks feed on dogs for 3-4 days and then fall off. If this lump has been there for a few months it cannot be a tick or any other bug. Skin growths like this are common in older dogs. They are usually benign and not dangerous, but please show it to your vet the next time you take Lily in for an appointment.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. From the picture, the small bump appears to be a cyst or small benign wart like mass. It is difficult to say for sure what the mass is exactly without further testing. If you want a definitive answer, I would recommend having a veterinarian doing some more testing on the mass by inserting a small needle into the mass and looking at the cells under the microscope. As for the itching, I would recommend the below following products. If there is no improvement or the itching worsens, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine Jasper so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. 1. Douxo PS Calm shampoo and bathe twice weekly until resolved 2. Douxo PS Calm mousse and apply once daily 3. Pramosoothe HC spray and apply 1-2 times daily until resolved 4. Essential 6 spot on by Dermoscent 5. Welactin omega 3 fish oil capsules for dogs

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 her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!

I agree that this looks like an engorged tick on Bella's neck. Try to grab at the base of the attachment either firmly with a pair of tweezers or with your fingers, then smoothly and confidently pull it straight out. Your goal is to pull it straight out so that none of the mouth parts are left behind in the skin. If you're unable to remove it, seek veterinary attention for help in removing it. I can't tell what type of tick it is from the angles in this picture, but remember that ticks can transmit a variety of different infectious diseases. Due to this, I would have a blood test run on Bella in about 6 months to check for some of the more common diseases, like Lyme, Ehrlichia, or Anaplasma. If you don't already have her on a good flea and tick preventive medication, be sure to start one right away. I hope that everything goes well!