My dog has a skin lump that oozes when squeezed. What is it?

This looks like a skin mass or tumor. Sometimes a benign growth or cyst can have some material inside that you can squeeze out like this. Unfortunately it also could be a malignant mass. I would recommend having your vet take a look - they may want to take a sample using a small needle to help determine what it is.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Cookie. Typically cysts have material that can be expressed out of them while warts do not. If the mass is not bothering her, does not become infected and is not rapidly growing, it likely does not need to be removed. This is especially true if her veterinarian was not concerned by it. I hope this information helps!

What you are describing sounds like a sebaceous cyst. These are commonly found in the skin in dogs. A lot of times they will express a thick white or yellowish material. This is normal. The cysts do not usually need to be removed unless they become infected or are irritating the dog. If your dog has one cyst they may develop more down the road but it should be nothing to worry about.

What you're describing could be a keratinized cyst, a foreign body, a wart, or some other type of tumor. If possible I recommend your veterinarian do an exam to make sure removal isnt necessary. Otherwise continue to monitor it for any change in size, shape, consistency such as firmness, as well as pain.

Hello. It is difficult to say exactly what this is because cysts, small tumors & other benign skin growths can all look pretty similar. We do not recommend doing any squeezing on things like this because you could inadvertently introduce bacteria back into it & then you have a real problem. You should contact your veterinarian to schedule an appointment. Only after a hands-on examination can a plan be determined. One might be to just continue to watch this (without squeezing out the contents), or to remove it, send the tissues off for pathology, & make sure this is not something worrisome. I hope it is just benign, but it is better to know than worry. Thans for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

The photo, unfortunately, is not clear but based on your description a sebaceous cyst is very possible. I cannot tell you if you should be concerned or not as I really can't see it and I can't feel it. It is best to have your vet check it out. It is not an emergency but just get him checked in the next few days.