My dog has a red bump with a hole on his neck. Should I see a vet?

Thank you for contacting Pet Coach with your concern about Finn! Yes, this is definitely something I would have him seen by a vet. It's concerning that this lump has doubled in size in a week, and it's obviously bothering him because he keeps licking at it. It could be this lump is a cyst, a benign tumor, or a malignant tumor. This area also could have formed from irritation of him licking at it, leading to this raised and irritated area. Give your vet a call today to make an appointment, and I would put an Ecollar on him to keep him from licking at it further. You can make one at home (I will put a link below on how to do it), or you can buy one at a pet store. Best of luck, I hope this helps! http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

This is suspicious of a bot infestation. This is a type of fly larva that lives under the skin and is very difficult to remove. You will need a veterinarian to surgically remove it and clean the wound, so I recommend scheduling a vet visit and let them know that you are suspicious of Cuterebra. They may want to schedule you for a drop-off appointment. Here is a link to more info about this condition: https://www.petful.com/pet-health/cuterebra-treatment/ I hope that helps and Paris gets better soon.

You don't mention exactly what the first growth was that was removed from the left side of his neck, but hopefully that was either benign, or perhaps not but was completely removed with the surgery. Lumps can appear anywhere on a dog, and they certainly seem to increase in frequency as dogs get older. I wouldn't panic, but yes, the 2 situations you've already suspected are possible, and I'll add a third: 1.) The groomer went too close with the clippers, and nicked him. 2.) This is a new growth, which may or may not be related to the first one (i.e. may be the same type or something completely different). 3.) The groomer could have nicked a growth with the clippers! It does sound like it's pretty nasty, and I tend to be fairly aggressive with wounds that may have happened at the groomers, since they can easily get infected. I would recommend getting Brody in to your vet today for evaluation, cleaning of the area, and possibly oral antibiotics.

It could be a little skin tag or wart. I recommend keeping an eye on it and take her to the vet if it abruptly changes size, color, texture, etc., as this can be a sign that it should be removed. The next time she is in for a routine visit, show it to your vet so they can assess it and determine if it should be removed.

I'm glad to hear that Ivy doesn't seem to be bothered by this lesion, despite how inflamed and irritated it appears. While it's impossible to say definitively what the cause of this lesion is without further diagnostics, I can say that it's possible that this could be an irritated insect bite, or a benign or malignant mass. Given the irregular surface of this lesion, I think a bite/sting is unlikely, but the possibility shouldn't be ignored. Since it's so red and obvious, we have to assume that it popped up pretty quickly since you're just noticing it. As a result, I do think that you should have this checked out by your vet in person in the coming week. After an exam, your vet will likely want to perform a fine needle aspirate, where they'll use a needle to draw out a few cells for microscopic evaluation. That will help them to determine if this is more of an inflammatory/infectious issue rather than a more aggressive lesion. In the meantime, be sure to keep a close eye on Ivy. If she starts to lick this area at all, put an e-collar (cone) on her, as the licking will only cause further irritation. I hope that everything goes well!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. There is no way of knowing for sure without an examination though this represents a reason to seek veterinary care. This is usually determined with an examination and a fine needle aspirate (FNA) or a biopsy. Treatment depends on the findings up to that point. I recommend you have Gunnar evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

Hi there! It does look like Fynn does have a small nodule/mass. This could be a benign growth such as a focal infection site or a malignant growth like a mast cell tumor. This is most of the time differentiated with a test called a fine needle aspirate which is easy, cheap and pain-free. Sometimes, a biopsy is required for a diagnosis. Have Fynn evaluated by your veterinarian to have this test performed to try to sort out what the diagnosis is so that the best course of action can be determined. Keeping my fingers crossed that it is something benign!