What are these white, hard bumps on my dog's tail he keeps licking?

Any lumps/bumps that you notice on your dog should be checked out by your vet. Lumps are usually one of these things: * abscess (infection) * cyst * tumor/cancer There is no way I can tell you what it is just by looking at a photo but I have a suspicion these are cysts. That being said, usually they don't cause the dog any issues so that fact that he is biting at his tail makes me think he needs to see your vet.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Toby and for providing a picture of his lump, it's very helpful. That is quite a big lump, and he will be biting his tail because it's bothering him. This lump could be a cyst, abscess, a benign tumor, or a malignant tumor. Unfortunately I cannot diagnose what it is without seeing him in person. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the 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 its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. Give his vet a call now to make him an appointment. Until he sees the vet, I would put an Ecollar on him to keep him from biting his tail further. If you don't have one at home already, you can buy one at a pet store. I hope this helps!

It could be a cyst. called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. Give Riley's vet a call to make him an appointment. Best of luck.

Hi and thanks for posting this evening. It is hard to say what exactly the bump are without examining Buttercup and taking a sample of the bump first. I recommend this be done with you local veterinarian so it can be determined what the bumps are and whether or not they need to be removed or not. Sometimes middle aged to older dog can cysts or bumps that do not cause a problem, but it is a good idea to get them tested first just to be sure. Best of luck to you and Buttercup!

It is hard to tell from the picture but it maybe the start of a pustule which can be a sign of a skin infection. It may also be a cyst or sebaceous adenoma or wart as they have a similar looking characteristic. Since she has been through Cytopoint and Apoquel with out much relief, she may benefit from a dermatologist to get intradermal allergy testing. Your vet can check that spot to be sure what it is and set up a referral for the skin if you wish to pursue that route

Oh great! The picture worked this time. The picture sure looks like pustules, which is what I was describing in my first answer about pyoderma. However, this is not a diagnosis without a veterinarian seeing the patient and perhaps even sampling the bumps to determine what they are. Transmissible venereal tumors are also possible. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hello. From the photo that you provided, this looks like a growth that may be benign or malignant. It may also be a cyst. Your veterinarian can try to do a fine needle aspirate on the lump in order to determine if it is urgent to surgically remove it. As to whether the hot spot caused it…. that is not likely. Your pet may be licking or chewing at it and it may have had some part in causing the hotspot, but I cannot say for sure. Your next step should be trying to determine if surgery is needed to remove it. Your veterinarian can help you with that. Thank you.