What is this red, bumpy mark on my dog's skin and what should I do?

Hello, my name is Dr. Shines and I am happy to help. Dogs can get all kinds of skin masses as well as things like pimples and ingrown hairs. Most of these lesions will be benign but a few will be cancerous. Unfortunately, you can't always tell from looks alone. If the bump doesn't seem to hurt or bother Bentley, you might try applying a warm (not hot) compress every couple hours for 10 minutes. If this is an ingrown hair or pimple, this might help it to come to a head. If it seems to bother him, have him examined. If the bump is still there in 2 weeks, I'd go ahead and have Bentley examined. There's one type of skin cancer called a Mast Cell Tumor and they commonly look red/pink, hairless and raised. If the doctor is concerned, they'll test it. I hope this helps and please feel free to reach out with any additional questions.

This looks like it could be an insect bite or sting, or a tick bite if they are in your area. Skin infections can also occasionally start this way. If you start to see more lesions similar to the one above, or if this bump begins to increase in size or have any discharge I would recommend having it examined by your veterinarian. If it is an insect bite it should be gone in the next 7-10 days or so. Monster is a handsome guy!

Insect bites can be common in dogs. I worry most about a red and swollen bump showing up suddenly because it could be a hive which is a sign of an allergic reaction or response to something. This tends to cause swelling of the skin around the face and feet and is a sure sign of an allergic reaction. Since Q is still a puppy, we also can commonly see a skin infection, called pyoderma, that tends to arise quickly. If Q is experiencing itchy skin, hair loss or develops more red and swollen bumps, I recommend having him examined by your veterinarian today.

This may be a pimple (little abscess), cyst or a tumor. You should have it examined by your veterinarian as tumors should be removed ASAP. An abscess can usually be treated with antibiotics and/or be lanced, and a cyst 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. Since this is obviously bothering your dog (it looks like Bentley is licking it), I would have this examined very soon.

This appears to be a possible pustule (infected small pocket underneath the skin). If just one of these is present and it isn't causing any discomfort, then I would suggest monitoring the area to see if it resolves on its own. You can gently clean the area with a mild soap (ie Dove) and warm water and placing a very thin layer of Neosporin to the bump to see if it goes away. However if it starts to spread or does not resolve within a week or two then a vet visit is needed to get Louie on a short course of antibiotics to get this to heal well. Best wishes and take care and I hope this resolved soon.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I can definitely see the small red bumps your are referring to, and agree that they appear scabbed over. This can be caused by a localized skin infection, an infestation with mites or fleas, or even an allergic reaction. It is likely that these conditions may be causing Hump to be itchy, and she may be having these scabs from scratching. A vet can perform some tests including blood work, and taking some samples from Hump's skin to figure out what is going on and prescribe an appropriate treatment plan. I hope this helps!

It looks like a pimple, a minor skin infection. You can use a Benzoyl peroxide topical cream or an antiseptic cream in order to help it resolve quicker, but otherwise it should resolve itself without treatment.