Bumps on head and neck

[Christy and Yoda]

Yoda has two bumps that are starting to worry me.  The first one appeared on the back of his neck.  At first I thought that it was his microchip, but it is not.  It is a small firm bump about a centimeter wide.  I noticed it a few weeks ago and it has not changed at all.  The second one is on the top/back of his head.  My mother-in-law pointed it out last week and we just realized tonight that it seems to be getting a little bigger.  I can push on both bumps and he does not seem to care at all or feel anything.  I will call the vet, but in the meantime, any thoughts?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Probably just harmless sebaceous cysts. I'd have the vet take a look just to be sure, though.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I thought the same thing, Karen.  My Lab had lots of these.  I always worried and they were just cysts.  That said, I took him to the Vet every time I found a new one just to be safe.  Please let us know and good luck.

[F, Calla & Luca]

There are so many things they could be so I think the vet who can feel them, aspirate or biopsy them if need be is your best bet. The first could be fibrosis around the microchip but really it's all guess work right now. Yoda is young so the odds are in his favor.

[Christy and Yoda]

Thank you ladies.  I will be in touch with the vet tomorrow, but I had a moment of panic!  My fiance just told me that I need to stop googling and go to bed!

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

hard not to google and worry. Its probably nothing, but worth getting it checked out! Keep us updated

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Tara has one in the same general area of her neck that you are describing.  The vet said it was a cyst and that she would probably get more! :(

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

As the others said, probably sebaceous cysts.  Gracie has had two and one has been removed and the next one will be if we ever have to have a procedure done on her.  Not worth putting her out for just a harmless cyst.  The vet keeps his eye on it though.  He did aspirate it and it was just greasy (that is how I knew it was harmless...otherwise I was a wreck).  But always best to check them and then get them measured and recorded on their records so they can monitor the size at each visit.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Kona has several sebaceous cysts. It worried me terribly but the vet aspirated one and assured us that he is okay. I hope all is well with Yoda, too. 

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

My Shih Tzu's use to get cysts all the time, my one dog had a cyst that was the size of a jelly bean, the vet checked it out and said it was a sebaceous cysts and not to worry.  Then one day it was gone !!!  I noticed her scratching in the area of the cyst so I guess it drained and that was that.  I would get it checked out just to be on the safe side.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Chloe had one on her right leg it was super hard, didn't bother her and when were at the vet we pointed it out. He said to watch it and if it doesn't change, it's nothing to worry about. He said it was a very common cyst. Very scary though when you feel that on them!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Lucy had a sebaceous cysts that just appeared in what seemed like overnight.  Was about the size of a golf ball between what was above the skin and what you could feel below.  Made a vet appointment and by the time we got in the next day it burst.  She gave us an antibiotic and we had to make sure nothing got in it to get it infected, but it has now gone completely away.  She said if it didn't go away on its own we might have to have it removed.  But all is good now.  However, I wouldn't assume another lump was the same thing, I'd be off to the vet for sure.

[Christy and Yoda]

Well, we just got home from the vet.  She biopsied both lumps.  The lump that is between his shoulder blades is a sebaceous cyst.  However, the one on his head was some sort of an abscess.  She said that when she went to biopsy it, pus came shooting out of it.  When she examined the slide, she saw pus and white blood cells.  We are not sure how it could have developed since he has not had any injuries or wounds in that area.  At this point we can't even feel the bump anymore because it emptied out.  We are going to watch it and see what happens.  Hopefully it just heals!  Thanks for all the help and kind words!