Questions & Answers

We noticed that our Catahoula puppy has a red sort of blister near his tail on his hind leg. We thought it was a bug bite or maybe even a blister so we just left it alone….we have been watching it over the past week and it seems to be getting bigger. It’s about the size of a pea now. Do you have any idea of what this may be? And should we bring him in to have this looked at more?

Thank you for your interest in our website and congrats on your puppy – if it is a new addition to your family! Blisters or abnormalities on the skin that you described could be several conditions so, yes, I do think it would be of benefit to you and your furry family member to come in and have an examination by a veterinarian as soon as possible. You’re right, insect/ant bites can be quite common, but there could be other possibilities, depending on the pet’s examination. If the lesion is closer to the base of the tail around the anus, sometimes we get concerned with involvement with the anal sacs – which are on both sides of the anus on the top of the leg. Depending on the age of your puppy, we can also sometimes deal with benign growths called Histiocytomas, which can regress very slowly with prolonged time.  However, since you noted that it appears to be growing, it could also be caused by an infection, or possibly an abscess. As you can see, there are several conditions or possibilities. I suggest you start with an veterinary exam, and based on appearance and location, a treatment protocol can be given to you – potentially in the form of something topic, systemic (like antibiotic or anti-inflammatory if indicated), or possibly a non-invasive needle aspirate of the area for a check of the cells in that region.  I hope to see you soon!  Lisa Teske, DVM  813 973 8566

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