Lump on abdomen

[aliciavr6]

My dog has about a 1.5" round lump on her abdomen on one side. It is not firm, very soft. There are darker spots on it, and it has yellow crust on it. It's not a smooth lump, but a bit bumpy. I havent a clue what it is, and we can't call the vet until Monday. I have a photo. She is a 2 year old lab.

[Jaybay]

I'm so glad you'll be taking your dog to your vet!  One of my dogs is prone to developing sebaceous cysts.  They usually start with an inflamed hair follicle or some other kind of skin trauma.  A cyst forms and fills with a substance called keratin, which is a thick and foul-smelling protein.  Humans get them too.  

These cysts are benign and tend to float easily just beneath the skin.  They can, however, become infected which means antibiotics and surgical removal may be necessary.  Simple lancing and draining isn't always a permanent solution because the material is encapsulated.  They tend to just fill right up again.

We had a sebaceous cyst removed from our dog's face a few months ago.  She'd had it for well over a year along with a couple on her back that resolved with no medical involvement.  The facial cyst was right under her eye and finally got big enough that it interfered with her vision, so off it came.  It was the size of a large marble.  My vet knows me well, so I was able to observe the surgery.  Cool stuff!

Please post back and let us know what your vet has to say.  We love learning new things from our members!  :-)

[aliciavr6]

thanks! it doesnt seem to bother her at all, will call them first thing monday

[ginger899]

Unless this is causing her pain, this will wait till Monday.
But on Monday please do take her straight to the vet. The lump needs to be seen by a vet. It's hard for me to say what it could be.....a cyst? A cyst that has become infected in some way? A fatty tumor? Even an abscess? A breast tumor? I don't know.
The vet may know straight away by looking at it. Or may take a needle-biopsy.
Don't be alarmed if they suggest a needle-biopsy. My dog has had 3. In each case, suspicious-looking lumps (breast lumps) were identified as benign. But the only way to tell that for sure was to take the biopsies.