My dog has a red, swollen, bleeding lump by her mouth. What to do?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. Oh my, that is quite swollen, and I'd be concerned that this swelling could increase and affect her breathing. This is a medical emergency and cannot be treated at home. Please take her into a vet immediately to get this treated. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is not possible to know what is exactly going on just based on a picture. This could be due to an infection or an allergic reaction for example. I would highly recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and treat accordingly. Good luck!

The photo is a little fuzzy so its hard to say. It may be an oral papilloma, which is due to canine papillomavirus. Typically these resolve on their own, but many more may pop up over the next few weeks on his lips and in his mouth. It could also be an inflamed hair follicle or a skin infection. If its not resolving over the next few days to weeks, or if it seems to be getting worse or causing him discomfort, please take him to your vet to be evaluated. Here is an article on canine papilloma virus. http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-diseases-conditions-a-z/oral-papilloma-virus-dogs Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This actually looks pretty serious. It could be an allergic reaction of some kind, a bacterial or fungal infection, or an autoimmune disease. I really think you should take her to a vet for an exam. If it is starting in other locations on her body then then I would be very worried about this being an autoimmune disease (such as pemphigus). This is not something that you will be able to treat at home.

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.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Thanks for the pictures! Many skin masses can look the same. Red dermal masses, like this one, can be benign or malignant. Some possibilities are an inflamed sebaceous adenoma, hemangioma, histiocytoma or it could be a Mast Cell Tumor. Since it showed up quickly I would have Oscar seen by your Vet. They can decide if aspirating it (sticking it with a needle and sending the slides to the lab) or removing the mass and sending it for biopsy is best. I hope this helps and I wish you and Oscar the best!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The lump in the mouth is an epulis, which is a benign or malignant growth on the gum. The nose bleed may not be related to the epulis, it may be a sign of other problem, like low platelet count, foreign body, polyp or mass within the nasal cavity. If the nasal bleed is severe, and has been going on for more than a few minutes, you should take Pharoah to your nearest vets as en emergency. If the bleeding has stopped now, you need to monitor your dog at home today and get him checked by your local vets tomorrow.