What is this new hard spot on my dog's skin? Should I worry?

i am sorry to hear about your dog! It is very difficult to evaluate the skin by a photograph but it appears there is a defect/wound in the skin here? I would be concerned that this was an abscess that ruptures, a wound that isn't healing and is infected, or we could have something like a cuterebra (a fly larvae that lives in a hole in the skin- look closely and see if you see a tiny creature moving inside the hole!). I would recommend a visit to your vet- the area may need to be flushed/cleaned and have antibiotics prescribed. In the meantime, I would put an e-collar on your dog or a t-shirt if it would be covered by this to prevent your dog from licking/aggravating the skin. You can also clean the area with a mild soap or Hibiclens (available at the drug store) and apply an antibiotic ointment like polysporin to the area until your vet can see him.

If the spot has changed in size over time it wouldn't hurt to have your vet take another look at it, especially if the change was very rapid over the past few days or weeks. Your vet may recommend taking a sample of the spot for testing to help determine what it may be so it can be treated as needed. Growths like this can be caused by any number of things including rubbing the spot often on surfaces, cysts, blisters, allergies, etc, so having it examined if it is changing is best.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From the picture, I can see a small, flat, brown area that is slightly irregular. Though I cannot diagnose Mindy without seeing her in person, I would be happy to share some possible causes and advice on next steps. This could be a benign growth, similar to a mole or freckle on a person or a malignant growth (cancer). Several types of cancer can affect the skin, particularly lighter areas that have less hair. The area does not seem to be infected, as there is no discharge, redness, or swelling, but a bacterial or fungal infection is a possibility. You can have Mindy evaluated by a veterinarian who can take a small piece, or biopsy of the area to definitively diagnose the growth. This may require light sedation or general anesthesia to completely remove it. You can continue to monitor the area for an increase in size, margins, change in color, or additional discharge. If you notice any change in Mindy, you should definitely have her examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. I hope this helps!

Ouch! I'd have that checked out by your vet in person, especially if it appeared suddenly or is bothersome to Bella. They can take a sample of the spot to rule out any more serious issues such as tumor growths, infections that need treatment, cysts, or see if it's something benign such as a skin tag or other small growth. Until you can get into your vet, it's a good idea to keep the area clean and dry, and monitor it for any signs of changes such as oozing debris, having irregular margins, worsening, etc, as these can all help your vet pinpoint the cause. An Elizabethan (cone) collar can also keep Bella from licking or chewing at it which can reduce irritation and prevent a secondary bacterial infection from taking hold.

Portabella’s lesion is quite prominent. It’s possible that it could be an allergic reaction from contacting something, or a benign or malignant growth. Given her young age, a benign mass called a histiocytoma is quite possible. The good news is that these lesions resolve on their own in a few months without treatment. However, the only way to differentiate between different types of skin lesions is some diagnostic testing. There’s certainly no reason to panic or worry yourself, but I do think it would be best to have Portabella examined by your vet. Your vet may want to take some cells from this lesion for microscopic evaluation. I hope that everything goes well!

Ouch! Any new or suddenly growing growth like this should be checked out by your vet in person ASAP. Allergies, infections, skin irritation from rubbing it on things, and some growths and tumors can all cause spots like that on the nose, and can also cause rapid changes and discoloration like this. Until you can get to your vet, I would place an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Amber and keep the spot clean and dry to help reduce any further irritation. It is also a good idea to monitor the size and shape of it and how rapidly it is changing as this can help your vet figure out what may be going on. Your vet will likely take a full history as well as a potential sample of the spot to see what cells are present and provide treatment as needed.

Unfortunately, the photo is very fuzzy and of poor contrast so I am unable to really make much of an assessment out of it. Best guess, it looks like it could have been a self-inflicted wound called a lick granuloma, but this would need to be confirmed by a vet to be certain. If the lesion is getting smaller and is non-painful to the touch, it may not be very concerning since it very well might be resolving on its own. If it is in fact a lick granuloma, the best thing you can do for it is clean it with dilute betadine or chlorhexidine solution, apply some triple antibiotic ointment to it daily, and make sure Eddie has a cone on so he can't lick the area to make it worse. However, the reality is, if you really want to know more information on the origin / cause of the lesion, you are going to need to have a professional take a look at that in person. Hope this makes sense.