My dog has a red bump after playing outside. What could this be?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Frank. This lump could have become red and swollen from him scratching at it, and it may now be irritated. 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. I would take him into a vet tomorrow to get the lump looked at and to get the cause of his scratching diagnosed so he can be treated. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely a reaction to something in the environment causing mild dermatitis. I would continue to monitor it for the next 48 hours. If it does not improve or it worsens, have Jules evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. If it is just mild local irritation, it is expected to resolve relatively quickly. Good luck and have a great day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This lump you describe could potentially be something like an abscess for example. However, other things like a growth are possible. I recommend that you have Arlo evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. If an abscess was noted, further local therapy with drainage and antibiotics would be recommended. Good luck and best wishes!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I suspect this is a granuloma or a skin mass. A visit at your local vets is recommended to make the definite diagnosis and to start treatment for your dog. Your vet may have to take a needle aspirate from the lump to find out what kind of growth it is. Alternatively, treatment with steroids and antiseptic solution could be trialed first. If the growth responds to the treatment, it would strongly point towards the diagnosis of granuloma.

Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This looks like a possible bug bite based on how quickly this came about, and also the color and area that it is located. If it doesn't seem to bother Gracie, then I would recommend monitoring it for now to see if this resolves on its own within the next few days. You can apply a cold compress on the area (if needed) for 5-10 minutes to help with some of the swelling, and a very thin layer of Neosporin once every 12 hrs as needed; however, this is likely to resolve on its own as long as Gracie doesn't bother it and it doesn't spread. If the bump does appear to get worse over the next 24-48 hrs, then its best to get Gracie seen by your vet for stronger medication to get this to resolve. There is a slight chance that this is an infected pocket (abscess) that will require a short course of antibiotics and treatment to get this to heal well. I hope that everything works out well for your fur baby Gracie. Best wishes and take care.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. It could be that Harley Moon has an allergic reaction to something outside, could have ringworm, or it could be puppy pyoderma (a skin infection). It's a very good idea to have this seen by a vet this week, and for now, keep an eye on her. If it appears to be itching her, you can can give her an oatmeal bath to see if that helps soothe her skin. I'd also put an Ecollar on her if she starts licking at it. You can make one at home or you can buy one at a pet store. I hope this helps!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The lesions that you are seeing on JR's back could indeed be a reaction to a shampoo. However, it also looks to me that it could be a result of a bacterial infection, mite infection or even a flea allergy. The best thing to do would be to take JR to a veterinarian so that they can do a skin scrape and cytology to see what it going on. That way JR can be prescribed antibiotics or other medication if necessary.