My dog has a small red bump on her right hind leg. What could it be? She's 2 years old and lives a healthy lifestyle
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Dakota appears to have a small mass on her paw. Sometimes such a lesion can be due to a reaction to a foreign body such as a thorn or an infection. However in this case I would be more suspicious of a skin tumour. Try not to panic though as often tumours in the skin are benign and this looks like it may be a realtively innocuous plasmacytoma or histiocytoma. Of course you cannot tell for sure just by looking so there is always a chance it may be a nastier tumour. However, because of its location regardless as to whether or not is benign I would have it removed when it is small. There is little skin in that area to allow for removal and closure so best done early. You can have it tested before to find out what it is, or you can have it tested after removal. It should be absoloutely fine, just make an appointment when you can.
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There can be many causes for this little red bump, but the most common one would be from a histiocytoma. These are small, benign tumors that will usually go away without treatment, although it can take around 3 months. Sometimes they can become itchy or infected. I would recommend that you see your veterinarian for confirmation of this presumptive diagnosis. Your vet may use a needle to take a small sample of cells to look at under a microscope. Another option is to remove the mass and submit it for histopathology. If it is itchy or infected, your vet can prescribe a topical steroid ointment or antibiotics.
Other potential causes for this little bump include infection, bug bite, or something stuck under the skin.
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A
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