My dog has a red ear lump, bleeding, and scratching. Vet help?

The most common reason that we see black crusting like that is when there is a small wound or mass that is bleeding a little and the blood is black when it dries. If it is a mass and was very small before and larger now, then it may need to be surgically removed. Since it has been there for a while, it would not be considered an emergency and the emergency clinic would likely recommend you have your regular vet evaluate it. However, if it is actively bleeding and you can't get it to stop, then it is certainly worth a trip to the emergency clinic. So, unless it is actively bleeding or bothering Zoey, I would contact your vet next week to have them examine it and decide on a treatment plan. We see a number of benign masses in young dogs and some require surgery to remove while some will resolve on their own. Here is a link with more information on one of the benign masses that we can see in young dogs. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1676 Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

It is difficult to tell from the picture, but it looks like what you are seeing is a mass. We will commonly see benign masses in young dogs called a histiocytoma which can be itchy. Unfortunately, there isn't any way to determine what a mass it just by looking at it. Your vet can do a simple test called a fine needle aspirate to remove some cells with a needle and look at them under a microscope to determine what the mass is. If it is a histiocytoma, it will go away on its own, but Damon may need some medication to keep it from being itchy. I have attached more information on histiocytomas below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1676 Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

I would recommend having Lily evaluated by the vet if this mass is getting bigger. any abnormal growth that is changing in size and shape should be assessed to make sure that it is not malignant. A needle aspirate may give your vet enough clues to determine what this is, or they may recommend surgical biopsy or removal. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Yes, I would recommend Houdini is checked by a vet as soon as possible; many tumors can develop on the ears and early diagnosis maximises the chance of a complete cure. Biopsy or removal and submission to the lab for accurate diagnosis is recommended in any growing or hairless mass, especially with the color change you describe.

It's not an emergency but this lump needs to be checked and analysed as there are many conditions and types of tumors that could look like that. take Diesel to the vet, they will perform a fine needle aspiration on the growth and send it to the lab for analysis. when the result comes, the vet will advise what needs to be done according to the diagnosis.

If this just showed up, I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at this. It may be a type of tumor that needs to be removed called a mast cell tumor. I would err on the side of caution and have the veterinarian look at this and perform some additional testing on it. 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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m sorry to hear Bella has a bump on her ear. I do recommend all new growths new evaluated by your regular veterinarian to determine if they are malignant (cancer) or not. I would keep your appointment, but if you are very concerned you could call and see if they have any earlier availabilities. Good luck!