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My dog's scab turned into a hard red lump under her skin. Help!

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Jack Russell Terrier | Female | unspayed | 4 years and 4 months old

My 4yo Jack Russell had what seemed be be a small lump on side which was actually just a tiny scab but over the last week the crusty scab turned into the size of a twenty cent piece. I cleaned the scab off and there is a hard red lump under her skin the same size. It hasn't seemed to be bother her, no itching or changes to her personality or eating habits. Can you please help me

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3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Ana M, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on September 26th, 2018

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Charlie. I recomend she sees her veterinarian. The lesion could be an infection or a a mass that has developed. Depending on her exam findings, the veterinarian may perform a procedure known as a fine needle aspirate. A small needle is used to collect a sample of cells and evaluate them under the microscope to diagnose the lesion. This will help to guide treatment. In the meantime, you can try bathing her with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner such as an oatmeal or fatty acid based formula. I hope this information helps!

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on January 1st, 2017

    Poor Charlie! There are a number of different skin problems that could cause red patches of skin that form scabs like this. The most common possibilities would include allergies, fleas, a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). Treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is, so I would recommend having her examined by a vet when you are able to - he/she can do some simple skin tests to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate medication to treat it.

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    Answered By Sarah Derksen, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 27th, 2017

    She's so cute!!! I would say she most likely needs some skin testing and antibiotics, but,...it isn't awful. So you could try hydrocortisone cream on the red spots for a few days. You may want to try switching the protein in the food as well, and make sure she doesn't have plastic bowls.

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Related Questions

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My dog had what seemed be be a small lump on side which was actually just a tiny scab but over the last week the crusty scab turned into the size of a twenty cent piece. I cleaned the scab off and there is a hard red lump under her skin the same siz
A photo would be very valuable in determining what this might be. So if you could upload a sharp photo of the lesion and show where exactly on the body it is we can likely help you better. Please ask again adding photos. Also tell us a little more about your dog: age, breed, weight, how long the lesion has been there, does it itch, is there pain, etc. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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My 2 year old dog has a scab-like thing on her back, under the fur. It's about the size of a jelly bean and it is black.
Lesions like this can be a few things including a healing wound, a skin tumor, an enlarged pore or a keratin horn. If this is a healing wound, you do not want to disturb it or it will delay healing. I recommend to check the area daily for the next 2 weeks. Skin wounds heal in 7-14 days so if the lesion is still present at that point, I recommend to have Lily Kate examined. Starting Lily Kate on an oral omega 3 fatty acid supplement may help to improve the over all condition of her skin but it may not change anything about the lesion. A skin tumor will need an aspirate to determine if it is cancerous or not, the other conditions require medical management or surgical removal to heal them. Make sure to protect the area from any licking or scratching. She may need to wear a shirt or an elizabethan collar (if she can reach the area to lick). I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.
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My dog has a lump which has been scabbed up for 2 weeks. Scab had come off today but lump is still there. What could this be?
It would be helpful to see a picture of the lesion (you can submit photos by selecting "consult online" below your answer), but without seeing it I'd say that it could be a rupturing cyst, a foreign body (depends on where on the body it is - very common on the feet), or a tumor (mast cell tumors can get inflamed and scab over - histiocytomas do as well). If it's been there a couple of weeks, it's probably time to have it looked at in order to figure out exactly what it is. Bulldogs are prone to mast cell tumors, and they can be quite serious if not removed.
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I see what you mean about the red lump on Charlie's neck. It could be a cyst, a benign growth, or potentially a malignant growth if he's an older dog. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. Give his vet a call in the morning to make him an appointment. Best of luck.
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My dog has very small bumps under the skin, some have broken through the skin and some have not. Some have crusted over some are just red like a pimple. What could this be?
Thank you for using Boop by Petco! I can definitely see the small red bumps your are referring to, and agree that they appear scabbed over. This can be caused by a localized skin infection, an infestation with mites or fleas, or even an allergic reaction. It is likely that these conditions may be causing Hump to be itchy, and she may be having these scabs from scratching. A vet can perform some tests including blood work, and taking some samples from Hump's skin to figure out what is going on and prescribe an appropriate treatment plan. I hope this helps!
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I have a Chihuahua, her name is Charlotte and she will be 7 years old tomorrow. Just yesterday I noticed that she has weird red bumps. 2 on her tummy, one on each front paw, and 3 on her head and neck area. Her fur also fell out near the 3 bumps by h
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I am wondering what this rash is on my dog. We changed his food almost two weeks ago to a lamb and oatmeal, we have been weaning him over to it. Ever since then he had been gradually getting this bump on his head. It was a hard bump and it grew scabs
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Updated on September 24th, 2025
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my dog has some red bumps/rings around his stomach. he has a bump below his right eye and his snout is kinda cracked and inflamed
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Updated on September 24th, 2025
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My dog has a small bump on her face, it scabbed over but she had itched the hair off. We put a warm compress on it, applied Neosporin. Its been there for a couple days, now we are wondering if she needs to go to the vet. She has had bad allergies
I am sorry to hear about Daisy! Due to the size of this lesion and the fact that it isn't improving, I would recommend taking Daisy to the vet for examination of this swelling. I would be concerned that we could have a bacterial infection like an abscess, that this could be a spider bite or other insect bite, or possibly even a mass/tumor. The vet can examine the area and may try to aspirate the swelling (use a small needle to remove any fluid present or collect cells that may help identify the cause of the swelling and the best treatment). Best of luck with Daisy!
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