Just about every pet will experience some sort of lump or bump in their lifetime. Be it a skin infection, warty growth, or a nasty tumor, it is difficult to know when to worry and when to chalk a new bump up to a healing injury or age. 

Schertz Animal Hospital knows that bumps on the skin is a common problem pet owners identify and worry about. A little information on how to know when to be concerned can be very helpful in getting appropriate care when necessary and settling your mind when it comes to your sweet baby.

The Many Possibilities Of Bumps on the Skin

When our team sees a “check lump/bump” on our appointment schedule, the possibilities are endless. Many different causes can be at play when it comes to this presenting complaint. 

In general, a lump or bump is going to be one of three main things:

Infection – When the body reacts to an infection, oftentimes is produces pus. This can cause an area to swell, whether it be a tiny pimple-like bump in a hair follicle or a baseball-sized abscess from a bite wound.

Granuloma – When a foreign object like a piece of plant material, a fungal infection, or even a parasite like a fly larvae invades the body, the body tries to wall off the problem. This can form a bump called a granuloma.

Neoplasm – Abnormal division of cells can cause a neoplastic growth. While some of these are malignant cancers, there are more benign possibilities as well. 

How to Know When to Worry

We recommend that we check out out any lump or bump on your pet that you find. When we examine a pet for a lump or bump, we notate the size, location, and characteristics of the lesion(s). We often also will take sample, often gathered via fine needle aspiration, to examine the area under the microscope. This can give us more information about what the lump might be and whether we need to act right away.  

Many bumps on the skin rcan wait until your next wellness appointment. When do we want to see your pet right away? Please call for an appointment right away if:

• The appearance of the growth is changing noticeably
• The lump or bump is growing
• The area is red, irritated, painful, or otherwise bothersome
• Your pet is otherwise sick 
• Your pet is a short-haired breed of dog such as a Bulldog, Pit Bull, Boxer, or Pug
• Your pet has had cancer before
• You are concerned or unsure

If your pets lumps or bumps are cancerous, time is important. Having things checked out without delay can help us to give your pet the best options possible. Many times lumps and bumps on the skin are no big deal, but we would rather be safe than sorry