What's this red raised lump on my dog's neck under his collar?

It is difficult to know what the initial lesion was, an insect bite, a skin growth, or a place where his collar has rubbed and irritated the skin are all possible causes. I would do the following; Replace his collar with a chest harness to let the area rest Clean the lump with warm water and then leave open to dry Measure the lump with a ruler In 2 weeks measure the lump again. Check for growth, changes in texture, colour or bleeding. If you notice any of these then I would advise a check-up at the vet.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Thank you for the picture, that is more helpful. The lump doesn't look infected or like a wound, however these are still possible. The lump looks like it could be a bit of a blocked gland, a cyst, an abnormal wart, or a tumor is always possible as well as some tumors, especially Mast Cell tumors, can look like anything. I would recommend monitoring it for now, if it is bleeding, growing (or growing and shrinking), bothering Bogart (he is chewing/scratching at it), or if there is any discharge, then I would get it checked right away. Otherwise, I would wait a few weeks and see if it goes away on it's own. If it doesn't go away in a few weeks, then I would recommend having it removed by your vet and sent away for histopathology. Your vet might do an "FNA" (fine needle aspirate) prior to removing it to determine what it is. Best of luck with Bogart!

I agree that it's unlikely that Smith's collar caused this lesion in any way, but it could be causing it to be more irritated by rubbing it. From the picture, the lesion looks like an irritated papilloma, but the only ways to differentiate between different types of masses are through a fine needle aspirate or biopsy, both of which involve different ways to examine cells microscopically. Given the irritation present, continue to keep Smith's collar off of him as much as possible at home. You can also try to clean it with an antiseptic cleanser, like Hibiclens or betadine (both of which are available in most drugstores), but take care to rinse and dry well afterwards. Ultimately, I do think you should have this lesion examined by Smith's vet to help determine if it should be removed or if it can be monitored at home for changes. I hope that everything goes well!

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry that Cooper has a lump on his neck. Unfortunately, we cannot diagnose a lump based on what it looks like. Therefore, I would take Cooper to a veterinarian to perform a full physical exam and determine if is in fact a lump that needs to be tested or a wound/abscess or something else. Based on what it is, your veterinarian will determine the best treatment. Good luck!

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. Chances are that this is a sebaceous cyst. Sebaceous cysts are usually harmless, sack-like growths with a lining that is not cancerous. In dogs, most cysts develop from hair follicles. These cysts typically appear as single, clearly defined, firm or soft lumps located in the skin or just beneath it. They are often between 0.5 to 5 centimetres in size and may sometimes have a bluish colour. A cyst can release a thick, gray-to-yellow-brown cheesy substance if it bursts. Other terms for sebaceous cysts in dogs include infundibular or follicular cysts. The lump needs to have a fine needle aspirate (FNA)/cytology to be sure of that diagnosis. Here is a link about the procedure and why it is done. It does not require anesthesia. ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/cytology-fine-needle-aspiration-fna ) If it is a sebaceous cyst, it will be very obvious once the vet introduces the needle into the lump. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These could be benign or malignant growths. These could even be due to an infection or an allergic reaction like you pointed out. This is often differentiated by an exam and 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 him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!

Hello. This looks like a possible infected hair follicle of sebaceous gland infection. It is probably not dangerous, especially since your dog is still quite young. I would gently clean the area with something like Hibiclens ( available at all pharmacies ) & if it seems to be getting worse, bothering your dog, or begins to ooze, please see your vet as soon as possible. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.