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My dog has a swollen spot with hair loss. What could be the cause?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Male | neutered | 80 lbs

Hello, My 7 year old labrador began losing hair out of nowhere in a certain spot about 2 weeks ago. I just noticed it has swollen and is looking very ugly. What can it be?

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Mara Howard, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on August 30th, 2017

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is difficult to tell from the photo where this lesion is located. However, with anything under the skin that is growing, we become concerned about an infection (abscess formation), a mass of some kind, or a blood accumulation (hematoma), among others. I would recommend Rokko be evaluated by his regular veterinarian to determine the underlying cause for his skin swelling/redness, have any necessary testing done (needle aspirate, culture) and start any treatment that may be needed. Good luck!

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