Large Whitehead On Dog's Back...kind Of Gross...warning!

[Guest greyhound515]

On Tues or Wed I noticed a spot on Diva's back that felt like a fatty tumor or mole. After a chat with a neighbor she advised that a few of the stray cats we feed had ticks on them and my dog gets fairly close to them, so I went and checked out the "spot/tumor" with a tweezer. I squeezed the way I have been shown to remove a tick and a large hunk of white gunk came flying out. Thinking the (possible) tick evaded me I went at it again and more white stuff came out. Seemed like quite a lot for an area smaller than a dime. I cleaned the area and hadn't noticed anything amiss. Today I checked it again, more white goo came out and I cleaned it up again, and cut the fur surrounding it and placed Neosporin and a bandage on it. Anything else I could/should be doing??

[kamsmom]

It's just a sebaceous cyst. No biggie Just keep it clean. Sometimes they come back and sometimes they don't.

[PrairieProf]

Yeah, sebaceous cyst. The way to be sure they won't come back is to make sure you get the core -- there's a firmer bit at the center, like a grain or rice or rubber. But with a big cyst like that it might need to be opened up -- lots of squeezing can create problems. I've had my vet slit a few big ones on Beth with a scalpel (laser probably) to really empty them. He put a staple or two in a couple for a week or so, one he let heal by itself. Wasn't a biggie, just done with a local.

 

I am now pretty obsessive about wanting to get them all emptied, whether by me or by the vet, as Beth had a large one I just left and it ended up rupturing internally and creating a big mess. She goes in cycles -- for a few months she'll get multiples, and then for a few months she won't have any at all.

[JAJ2010]

Rainy had a tiny one on her side that popped. BF swears it was an ingrown hair. Never came back after it healed. Just try to get everything out and keep it clean. If it starts to look not good go to the vet

[Guest greyhound515]

Thanks, y'all. Have been cleaning twice daily with Hydrogen Peroxide and Neosporin. Also trimmed fur surounding so i could keep a lookout on it. Still looks a bit red and have kept up cleaning. If still red Monday we will go and see the vet.

[Guest mld]

I thought that Hydrogen Peroxide was no longer used because it kill living tissue as well?

I would use saline or chlorhexidine (from vet)

http://www.vcahospit...nds-in-dogs/950

[JAJ2010]

I was just going to post the same thing about peroxide. Good for one time initial cleaning but not anything after that. Although I do use it to wash Rainy's white face