Black growth on shoulder?

[Erin]

Ok - the vet said she wasn't really sure what this was, but she wasn't too concerned.  However I'm watching it closely and it's still growing.

 

About 3 weeks ago, I felt a small bump on Hershey.  Like a skin tag, normal color and everything.  Just odd, cause I had never felt it before.

 

A couple days later, I felt it again and realized it was bigger...  It was growing and developing some sort of black/grey center crusty thing.  It wasn't bothering Hershey, it wasn't hot or swollen, or infected or anything...  Just gross and pencil eraser sized

 

SO I made an appointment for the vet to take a look at it, and she popped out the center within a matter of seconds!  It bled a little bit, but a black/grey waxy center came out cleanly.  Big doggie blackhead?

 

She said is wasn't a larvae (which was my first gross concern...)  But has anyone else dog had skin problems like this?  Again, not itchy or bleeding, just a big bump with a black/grey waxy center.

 

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It sounds like a sebaceous cyst to me. Sometimes they have to be removed, if they keep filling; "popping" out the contents won't get rid of the cyst wall itself, and it can keep filling with sebaceous material.

This is just a guess of course. How long has it been since the vet saw it? Maybe you could have her look at it again, or at least give you an idea of what she thinks it is.

Sebaceous cysts are harmless, BTW.

[Erin]

Hershey was at the vet's a week ago and its already filled in again :oP

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The surgery to remove a sebaceous cyst is very minor and uncomplicated. I think I'd have it done, if it were my dog. Otherwise, it can become infected if it keeps recurring and it's open and bacteria gets in. They can biopsy it at the same time it's removed, just to be on the safe side.

Depending on Hershey's temperament, they may be able to remove it with local anesthetic. Jackdoodle had a small growth removed last year with just local.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Yep,

This week as a matter of fact.  It has been there a few months and growing but this week things changed.   Wasn't bleeding but oozing black oil.  Shinning like coal.   Not  an  ugly discharge just strange because of the color.  It looked like something under the hood of my car.   Maybe Starlit is producing oil because she sypathtic to the oil crisis??

Anyway, leave it ALONE.   I aggravated Starlit's a little and it became infected.  Very infected  really fast. 

[Carol Brand]

This is a Poodle thing and yes they are like big doggie blackheads.  Just leave them alone.  They can get big and some will actually pop, but often times they simply go away on their own.  Be careful about trying to squeeze them.  They can get infected very quickly and when they do, they can get huge and require surgery to remove them.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Glad to hear it wasn't too serious or hurtful but oh so gross??!!