My 10-month-old puppy has a hard red lump on her face. What is it?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Chloe. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian as she appears to have a mass on her nose. She will likely need a procedure known as a fine needle aspirate to diagnose the mass. There is a benign growth known as a histiocytoma that is common in young dogs. Unfortunately, it has the same outward appearance as a cancerous growth called a mast cell tumor. The sooner a diagnosis is made, then a treatment plan can be formulated. I hope this information helps!

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!

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. Even young dogs can develop growths. This can be a viral wart or another tumor type like a mast cell tumor, histiocytoma, among many others. 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!

Hello, thank you for your question about Chloe. Based on the photos that you've attached and the symptoms that you are describing it sounds like Chloe may have a mass/tumor on her eyelid. These are generally benign and do not lead to systemic problems. Other possible causes include a cyst or local infection. Since this lesion is growing in size I would recommend having Chloe seen by your veterinarian. If it continues to grow it may lead to problems on the surface of her eye. Your veterinarian can examine Chloe and determine the need for diagnostics such as ocular examination and potential removal of this lesion. Hope this helps!

I'm glad to hear that by and large Roxy isn't bothered by this bump. It's possible that this bump could be due to a benign mass (histiocytomas are fairly common in young dogs), a malignant mass (although this would be far less likely given Roxy's young age), an abscess, granuloma, or other infectious issue. Regardless, it would be best to take Roxy to her vet for an exam to have this lesion checked out. Your vet will likely recommend some diagnostic testing to help determine the cause of this lesion. Most likely, they'll recommend a fine needle aspirate, which uses a needle to draw out a few cells for microscopic evaluation. Based on those findings, they'll be able to determine the best course of action, whether that may be surgical removal, medications, or just monitoring it for changes. I hope that everything goes well!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Thanks for the pictures! My hope, since Sophie is young, that the bump is a histiocytoma. These are benign bumps that are button-like, red, and hairless that can be seen in young dogs. They usually go away on their one in 2-3 months. Sometimes they ulcerate as they regress. If it gets larger, starts bothering Sophie or doesn’t go away in 2-3 months then you should have Sophie looked at by a Vet. There are other skin masses that can look like that, some are benign but there are ones that are also cancerous. I hope this helps and I wish Sophie the best!