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Why is my puppy's head bump getting bigger and bleeding frequently?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 7 months and 30 days old | 30 lbs

My puppy has a bump on his head, at first it looked like a scab, but it has since gotten bigger and bleeds frequently.

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3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on October 31st, 2018

Hello. Any chronic lesion should be investigated by your veterinarian. This looks like some kind of abscess or perhaps even a foreign body under the skin. He is a bit young for a cancer, but young dogs can get benign growths. In the meantime, gently clean the area with an antibacterial skin wash such as Hibiclens ( available at any pharmacy ), but if it does not dry up soon, I would like you to have Cammo examined by your veterinarian. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 29th, 2017

    Oh no, poor Cooper! It is concerning that this bump has gotten bigger and is bleeding. This bump could be a cyst, an abscess, a benign tumor, or a malignant tumor. Any suspicious bumps should be examined by the vet. The vet may perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the bump to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. I would have Cooper seen by a vet today to have the bump examined and diagnosed, and treated as needed.

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    Answered By Ann Dion, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 18th, 2018

    Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Lumps and bumps cannot be diagnosed officially without a sample being taken and sent away for histopathology. Since it has been present for a while and is just recently getting bigger, this makes a wart more likely, however based on how it looks I would be worried about it being a type of cancer called a Mast Cell Tumor. I would recommend having a sample taken by your vet, and possibly having it surgically removed. It is most likely a wart, however I would recommend having it checked. Best of luck with your little one!

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