My dog has a sebaceous cyst on his head. Is it safe to leave it?

I agree that it looks like it is most likely a sebaceous cyst. Sebaceous cysts tend to grow slowly over time, but should not increase in size rapidly or become red. They can become infected, so it if becomes red or painful, I would recommend having your veterinarian examine it in case it has become infected. If it is enlarging, your vet can perform a simple test called a fine needle aspirate where they use a small needle to collect some cells from the mass, then look at them under the microscope to make sure that it is a benign cyst. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Many times these types of cysts will resolve on their own. You can use a medicated shampoo like Dechra DermaBenSs Shampoo that will help flush the follicle. However, if it gets big enough, it can sometimes get infected and need treatment from a vet. Try to avoid squeezing these cysts as you can cause some more damage. Here is a helpful article on sebaceous cysts, which I think is what you may be seeing: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/08/16/sebaceous-cysts.aspx

Sebaceous cyst will often fill with thick material and often you are able to pop or express the material from the cyst. As long as it is not painful, inflamed, or has bloody or purulent discharge there's no need to take Brennan immediately to the vet. The cyst will likely fill up again, they usually will not completely go away without surgical removal of the entire system lining. But as long as it's not bothering him and is not becoming infected, often times monitoring is all you need to do. I hope this answers your question, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, It's impossible to truly know exactly what it is without doing a fine needle aspirate of it. Although it could just be acne or a sebaceous cyst or ingrown hair. I would not worry about it. Have your vet take another look at the next appointment and see what they say. Hope this helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This appears to be a fluid filled cyst from the looks of it. These can come and go at times. Typically there is no concern with these other than the fact that they are unsightly for some pet owners. This is something that could be removed under sedation if you would like it removed.

Zac is an eight year old dog, and growths can occur as a normal part of aging. Sebaceous glands produce sebum, and if it becomes clogged, a cyst will form. Any suspicious growth should be examined by a vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. I would have Zac seen by a vet today or tomorrow. The vet can diagnose what is causing the growth and if it needs to be removed. Should it need to be removed, the vet will do it surgically.

This could be an infected cyst, mass or abscess. I recommend Mugzi get checked out by a veterinarian as this may need to be drained and antibiotics may be needed. In the meantime try to keep Mugzi from licking or chewing at the area and do not give him any medication as it can be toxic to dogs.