Cyst

[jasmine93]

My dog Jasmine, a cocker spaniel, has been getting these gray bump looking things all over her body. My vet said that they were not hazardous to her. However she has a sore on her ear that her groomer said is a cyst that will never heal. It is oozy and always bleeds. It really seems to bother her and I dont want her in any pain. Any diagnosis or things I can do?

[Cliff Redford, DVM]

If it is a lumpy bumpy wart like lesion then it is likely a sebaceous cyst (like your groomer said). These cysts are due to blocked oil glands (thus the term sebaceous) ofthen blocked from dirt or in-grown hairs. We see them much more often in dogs that dont shed. Occasionally they can rupture and form cysts as big as a golf ball (I almost said a loonie but unless youre Canadian you may not know what that is) however 99% of them are "harmless". They can be an itchy uisance to the dog though. The only thing that can be done is surgery to remove. I usually recommend to owners we take them off the next time the pet is sedated or anesthetized (dental surgery etc).
I hope this helps.

[jasmine93]

Im not sure when Jasmine was last seen, but its been within the year