What Causes Bumps On Your Dog's Skin and Treatment

​At the time of grooming your dog you may have felt bumps on the skin and there are various reasons why these appear. If you see a bump under the skin of your dog then you need not panic as most of the time these are just non cancerous lumps such as warts, cysts and hair follicles which are infected. These are skin problems which cause discomfort to dogs but are certainly not detrimental to a dog's health.

Dog Skin Bumps

Some of the common forms of these dog skin bumps (papulonodular dermatoses) are:

1. Abscess: It is pus collection where dog bites itself or a wound is punctured.
2. Basal Cell Tumor: These are seen on shoulders and neck of dogs and are hairless, ulcerated & round in shape.
3. Hematoma: These dog skin bumps are accumulation of clotted blood beneath the skin.
4. Ceruminous Gland Adenoma: In the ear canal it is found as a dome shaped pinkish growth which can become ulcerated.
5. Perianal Gland Tumor: This is a multinodular development near anus and is found to occur in intact males.
6. Skin Papillomas: These growths appear like warts but are not painful.
7. Squamous Cell Carcinoma: This looks like a cauliflower and is a grayish ulcer that develops in legs, scrotum, nose or belly.
8. Sebaceous Adenoma: It is also known as sebaceous cyst and commonly found on limbs as well as eyelids. These are wart like growths, soft to touch and pinkish in color.
9. Histiocytoma: Found mostly in young adults, these are dome shaped and rapidly growing bumps which can form in any part of the body.
10. Melanoma: Pigmented nodule which is colored black and sometimes brown, is found in dark skin areas. These are malignant if the occurrence is in nail beds or in the mouth.
11. Transmissible Venereal Tumors: These dog skin bumps have shapes like cauliflower, found in genitalia and are ulcerated.
12. Mast Cell Tumors: They appear as multiple growths often on the legs, trunk or the perineum. Their occurrence is seen more in some particular breeds such as Golden Retrievers, Boston Terriers and Boxers.
13. Soft Tissue Sarcoma: These dog skin bumps have varying sizes and appear in different locations on the body with growth which is relatively slow.

Common Causes of Dog Skin Bumps

Some of the most common causes of these dog skin bumps are:

1. Hair follicle's bacterial infection.
2. Hair follicle's with fungal infection along with bacterial infection.
3. Ringworms, acne and mange.
4. Sebaceous gland inflammation.
5. Nematode infection or reaction to sunlight.
6. Abnormal tissue growth which is also known as neoplasia.

A Final Note

If the dog's skin remains clean then it can help in curing some of these bumps. However, as soon as you notice any such bumps you should consult a veterinarian to know how serious the problem is. In some cases it might require surgical removal while most of the times proper medication is sufficient for curing the problem.