Bump on back hip

    • Gold Top Dog

    Bump on back hip

    Hi all,
    I've noticed for the last month or so that Zoe had this little hard bump on her left hip.  I have been keeping my eye on it, but over the Christmas holidays I forgot about it.
    Last night I noticed that it had gotten bigger, and when I put a bit of pressure on it, some white stuff and blood came out of it!.  I put some polysporin on it and then put one of the diaper thingys I used to use on her when she was in heat so she couldn't lick it.  Turns out she can't reach that area anyways..
    I plan on calling the vet tomorrow to see if I can bring her in.  It seems to be a bit tender now, but doesn't feel hot.  Sorry this photo is so big, I don't know how to make is smaller.  Any guesses as to what it could be?
    • Gold Top Dog
    Could have been many things -- dogs can get folliculitis just like we can (read "zits") -- could have been anything from a clogged pore to an infected hair to a bunch of other things.  Sounds like you got the nasty junk out of it.  Some dogs are more prone to sebaceous cysts than others -- the key is to watch them -- if they grow go to a vet because some of them can explode from underneath and THAT can cause something really nasty to happen with them (yes, such things can turn malignant).  Typically the vet will ... if he thinks it IS just a sebaceous cyst either go in with a needle to aspirate it (and burst it in the process and clean it up) and either look at the gunk under a microscope to make sure it's nothing nasty or will simply lance it with a sterile needle and not bother with the aspirate.  Having such a thing explode in your hand when you're trying to determine what it is isn't pleasant, but it's WAY better than picking it up to feel 'under' it and finding it rooted -- THAT can be bad -- that's what a malignant tumor often feels like.  so frankly -- exploding is best!  You did the right thing -- clean it up and put an antibiotic ointment on it.  Good job.
    • Gold Top Dog
    well,
    I took Zoe to the vet today, and the vet said it looked to her like an infected hair follicle.  She shaved of the hair around it and cleaned it.  She also expressed Zoes anal glands[hadn't been done before].
    I told her about how much Zoes eyes watered, and she looked at her eyes and said her lower lids where rolling in, and the eye lashes where irritating the eyes.  So, she recommended surgery.
    She weighs 12lbs, and is in very good health!
     
    Sweetbon