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Dog has lump on tail and its full of puss

HyperAquaBlastHyperAquaBlast Registered User regular
edited October 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
So my 11 year old golden retriever mix has this lump on her tail for the past few years. It's gotten pretty big. I always thought it was like an old wound that never healed properly. So I was touching it and there was this hard tip coming protruding from it. So I trimmed her tail around the spot and checked it out.

Well it looked like dried mud. So I began picking it off and realized there was a almost pencil sized hole that these grainy things were coming from. So I squezzed it. Pretty forcefully and almost like a huge grub worm of puss started coming out. First dark brown and then to a white. It was very thick and a very sweet smell came from it and stayed as one piece through most of it. My dog didn't seem to mind until I pressed really hard to get the last bits out. The lump is much smaller now but now there is a hole. Well it kinda puckered up now but there is a hole none the less. I cleaned it with alcohol and wrapped it up.

Ummm does anyone know what this is or is this one of those just go see a vet my dog maybe dead soon things?

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    AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    I don't know the English word and neither does my dictionary, but I do know that this is pretty common with older dogs.

    There's a whooping total of two reasons why I think you should go to the vet with her:

    1) I don't think we have any vets on PA
    2) I don't know if what you did with it is ok, but a vet should be able to tell what's what.

    Aldo on
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    ceresceres When the last moon is cast over the last star of morning And the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderator mod
    edited May 2009
    It was probably a fatty tumor, and those are very common on older dogs. Take her to the vet and have it looked at though.. He will probably tell you to leave them alone in future.

    ceres on
    And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
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    starmanbrandstarmanbrand Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    I don't have anything to add to this but
    I began picking it off and realized there was a almost pencil sized hole that these grainy things were coming from. So I squezzed it. Pretty forcefully and almost like a huge grub worm of puss started coming out. First dark brown and then to a white. It was very thick and a very sweet smell came from it

    is probably the most disgusting thing i have ever, or will ever, read.

    starmanbrand on
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    necroSYSnecroSYS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited May 2009
    ceres wrote: »
    It was probably a fatty tumor, and those are very common on older dogs. Take her to the vet and have it looked at though.. He will probably tell you to leave them alone in future.
    Yep. My dog had one for a couple of years (we always just assumed it was a bump or something) and then a week or two ago, it ended up rupturing (or he tore it open) and pretty much the same thing happened. We packed it off with Neosporin and threw a cone around his neck while it healed.

    It's all scabbed over now and he's none the worse for wear.

    But if you're worried or if it still smells infected, you should head for a vet. When our dog's tumor came out, there wasn't any "sweet smell" of decay.

    necroSYS on
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    jclastjclast Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    Sweet smell means it is most likely infected. Take your dog to the vet.

    jclast on
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    KakodaimonosKakodaimonos Code fondler Helping the 1% get richerRegistered User regular
    edited May 2009
    It sounds like a sebaceous cyst. A couple of things you can do:

    1. If it's still draining, you should try drawing the fluid out with a hot compress.
    2. Keep it clean and use an antibiotic cream.

    If it doesn't heal in a week or so or gets larger or looks infected, you should take the dog into the vet so they can clean the rest of the cyst out.

    Kakodaimonos on
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    Gandalf_the_CrazedGandalf_the_Crazed Vigilo ConfidoRegistered User regular
    edited May 2009
    LESSONS LEARNED ON PENNY ARCADE #5,723: Don't eat while browsing H/A. D:

    Gandalf_the_Crazed on
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    dispatch.odispatch.o Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    Eh, there are bugs that can plant eggs/bite an animal that the larvae can't survive in. Our dog had one, looked like she was shot with a BB gun. Took her to the vet and basically the larvae hatches and burrows then dies in the tissue in which it cannot survive.

    It may well be something like this which has become infected, especially if it looks like a clean tunnel.

    Edit: The solution was a couple seconds with tweezers and some antibiotic ointment. Dog didn't care at all.

    dispatch.o on
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    ScumdoggScumdogg Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    It sounds like a sebaceous cyst. A couple of things you can do:

    1. If it's still draining, you should try drawing the fluid out with a hot compress.
    2. Keep it clean and use an antibiotic cream.

    If it doesn't heal in a week or so or gets larger or looks infected, you should take the dog into the vet so they can clean the rest of the cyst out.


    Don't know if this was ever "officially" solved or not, but this is the right answer. 99.9% it is a sebaceous cyst. I just wanted to add that you may want to consider a vet even if you think you got it all cleaned out, because odds are high it'll come back again and again until you do. They're pretty impossible to completely flush out on your own.

    Scumdogg on
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    tardcoretardcore Registered User regular
    edited May 2009
    I wouldn't gamble it. Take your poochie poo to the vet.

    tardcore on
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    pofpof Registered User new member
    edited October 2009
    Has anyone else on the forum had a dog with a sebaceous cyst? Any info related to treatment options...

    pof on
    -pof-
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    Gabriel_PittGabriel_Pitt (effective against Russian warships) Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    If they're not causing discomfort or anything, they can pretty much be ignored. They're pretty common in older dogs.
    LESSONS LEARNED ON PENNY ARCADE #5,723: Don't eat while browsing H/A. D:

    Nom nom nom, this cream cheese danish is delicious!

    Gabriel_Pitt on
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    HyperAquaBlastHyperAquaBlast Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Haha I saw the title and I was like maybe something in here could help me. Turns out its my own thread.


    Um update?: Vet said don't worry about it. Thing is my dog has a shit ton of lumps now but this is the only one thats open.

    HyperAquaBlast on
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    Gilbert0Gilbert0 North of SeattleRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    I've had a couple of outdoor cats that would get those too after fighting with the neighbours cat's. Drain and keep it clean and try not to let them lick/chew at it. If it lasts same size for more than a week or GROWS, go to a vet and they'll probably just do the same thing with a stronger medication.

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    tubinrubintubinrubin Registered User new member
    edited May 2012
    Great description. Our chocolate lab has had it about 3 times now, she is 9 years old. The first time was about 3 years ago; so I guess it happens about every year. We also just drain it by squeezing and the stuff that comes out is EXACTLY as you described. Never seen anything like it. Also the very first time it had the same type and size hole. This last time we lanced it and drained it (actually it is too thick to drain) so it is forced out. The dog is totally alright with it and it doesn't hurt or bother her while its being done. However, when it does "flare" up and come back she seems like it bothers her. Also, when I read about sebaceous cysts the description of the stuff inside sounded much different than what is happening with our dogs, so I'm curious what it actually is.

    tubinrubin on
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