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12/22/08

What Causes Skin Bumps in Young Dogs?
Dr. Eric Barchas, DVM

563576_1181836978.jpgHi, I have a seven-month-old Redbone Coonhound mix
named Georgia and she is a very healthy dog. I
just took her to the vet for her rabies shot at 6
months and she has had all her puppy shots.

About a week and a half ago a little bump
started to form on her snout like in between her
eyes. Its kind of hard and its about the size of
and M&M. When she was playing with my other
dog they must of scratched it because now it is
scabbed over and bleeds sometimes.

I would like to know what it could be and if I should get
her to the vet. It doesn’t seem to bother her at
all it’s just not very attractive. Thanks A ton!

Casey
Bloomington, IL

There are a number of syndromes that can cause solitary skin nodules, lesions, or “bumps” in dogs less than two year old. The vast majority of them are harmless.

Dogs less than two generally do not have fully mature immune systems. This leads to susceptibility to a number of dermatologic problems.

The situation is roughly equivalent to acne in humans. Teenagers do not have fully mature immune systems. This, in part, makes them susceptible to pimples.

Although Georgia’s lesion is not truly a pimple, it may have a lot in common with one. It is likely to be a cosmetic concern rather than a medical problem. And, significantly, it is likely to clear up on its own.

I’d recommend that you monitor the site closely. If the lesion grows or causes pain, or if new lesions begin to develop, take Georgia to the vet.

About the photo: Ty the Redbone Coonhound has no visible skin lesions.

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There is 1 Comment

  1. NKYLabLover posted a comment on March 19th, 2009 at 6:57 am

    I have a lab, and he has a spot in between his “toes” on his paw…its hard and looks kind of like a wart? is this normal? how can I get rid of it?

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