Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My puppy has a bleeding red bump on his chin. What should I do?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 7 months and 1 day old | 33 lbs

Found a small raised red bumo under dogs chin near neck. Nothing but blood comes out. It looks to be a wart or possibly a histiocytoma since he's roughly 6 months old

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Bobbi Musgrove, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on March 2nd, 2017

There are several types of lumps we can see in young dogs. Certainly a histiocytoma is possible but other growths or even infection in a skin gland or hair follicle could also look similar and bleed. I recommend cleaning the lump with a gentle antiseptic cleaner and if it is still bleeding or getting larger in the next 24 hours, have your veterinarian evaluate it. Howl may need a minor type of test called a fine needle aspirate to help determine what type of cells are involved.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
It is possible that this bump on Howl is only a wart or a histiocytoma, but it could also be a cyst. Without seeing him in person, I can't say for certain, so I would have him seen by a vet in the next few days to have the bump examined. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the bump 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. Once the bump is diagnosed, the vet can let you know if any treatment is needed for it. I hope this helps :-)
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Leigh, DVM
Veterinarian
It could definitely be a histiocytoma or wart since he is young. The only way to know for sure is to have your vet examine him and do a fine needle aspirate. Once diagnosed, your vet can determine if treatment is needed. If it is a histiocytoma or wart it should regress with no treatment in a few months. It could also be an infection and your vet could prescribe an antibiotic to treat.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Megan, DVM, CVA
Veterinarian
Published on January 9th, 2018
This looks like a growth. It could be benign like a histiocytoma but it could also be malignant like a mast cell tumor. Since it has been there for a month and it is bleeding, I would definitely have your vet look at it. Your vet will be able to help determine what type of mass it is and whether or not it needs to be surgically removed. They will also be able to tell whether or not it is infected and if he needs any oral antibiotics. I would also not let him rub it so you may need to put a cone collar on him to prevent this and help it heal and stop bleeding. I hope this helps.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Health & Wellness

My dog has a red, oozing lump on her chin. What is it and what to do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. There is no way of knowing what it is just based on its appearance. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good night!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Just noticed a bleeding bump on my dog's face. What is this growth?

This kind of lump/growth needs to be ideally assessed by your veterinarian to have a definitive and specific answer. Usually there are two ways your vet can do that a part from examining it directly during physical examination. A biopsy can be taken under local or general anesthetic, otherwise a smaller sample through a fine needle can be aspirated (this technique is called FNA= fine needle aspiration). Differentials include skin cysts, infections, benign or more sinister type of tumors. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog has red, bleeding chin bumps. Is it an emergency vet visit?

Hi and thanks for your request. This is likely to be due to a superficial skin infection likely to be caused by bacterial infection. It is not urgent. A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths twice daily. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any scratching (if any).

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog has a sudden bleeding pink bump on its nose. What is it?

Hello there! This is most likely a benign lump called a histiocytoma, which is a common condition that shows up on the face and paws in young dogs. This can only be confirmed by a veterinarian, by considering the size, shape, location, and the age of your dog, it's the most likely cause. I recommend a visit to your vet so that they may offer a definitive diagnosis. They will give Nikki a full exam, and most likely they will obtain a small sample of the cells inside the mass with a small needle. This is called a fine needle aspirate, or FNA. These cells will be examined under a microscope so that the vet can rule out other, more dangerous tumors. Histiocytomas most often spontaneously resolve on their own, but it can take weeks or months to go away completely. Some owners prefer to have them surgically removed, which is usually curative. If Nikki starts scratching at the lump, or if it becomes irritated or starts oozing, a visit to the vet is definitely in order as it could cause an infection. Good luck, and I hope Nikki recovers well!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog has pink bumps on his chin, swelling & bleeding. What's wrong?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Kovu! Possible causes are a deep bacterial skin infection (deep pyoderma), demodex (non-contagious mite) and Juvenile Cellulitus (puppy strangles). I recommend you take the to the Vet. Consider having a skin scrape done to check for mites or prophylactically put them on Nexgard or Bravecto (get demodex mites as well as fleas and ticks) and start them on an antibiotic. They usually need to be on antibiotics for several weeks. I would also change their food bowls to metal if they are plastic. Puppy strangles is an immune condition that requires high doses of steroids. I hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Why are the bumps under my dog's chin bleeding and getting bigger?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ruger. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. His skin appears to be infected. If so, he will likely medication such as antibiotics to help it heal. A topical cleansing solution may be prescribed as well. In the meantime, place an E-collar on him if he is scratching his chin. I hope this information helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog's old purple-pink skin lumps are bleeding. Is it serious?

I'm sorry to hear Chopper is having issues. Growths like you are describing can be age-related wart-like growths known as adenomas, but they can also be types of skin cancer. If they are bleeding and irritated, they can need to be removed in order to resolve the issue regardless of whether they are benign (non-cancer) or not. I would recommend he be evaluated by his regular veterinarian to determine what kinds of bumps they are, whether or not they are concerning and what options you have to stop the bleeding and get him back to normal. Good luck!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share