Petting your dog and feeling a lot of new lumps or looking at your dog and seeing a lot of lumps can be concerning, to say the least. It’s even scarier if the lumps under the dog’s skin seem to be moving.
If you find a bump on your dog, the first two things to consider are hives and insect bites, which are two common causes of sudden bumps on your dog’s skin.
urticarial bumps
Hives appear after exposure to something your dog is allergic to. While this could be an insect bite, it could also be any topical irritant, including a new shampoo, ointment, or plants you’ve rubbed against.
Hives usually appear a couple of hours after exposure, with many small bumps on the skin appearing suddenly. Rinsing it can help remove some of the irritants if that is the cause. Hives often go away within a few hours without treatment.
If your dog is uncomfortable, ask your vet about short-term corticosteroids or Benadryl for relief. Many dogs look hideous but don’t itch or rub.
However, if your dog begins to have difficulty breathing or shows hives around the mouth or throat, contact your vet immediately. Swelling in the mouth or throat can compromise breathing.
There are good medications for seasonal allergies, if the cause is an allergen and an ongoing problem for your dog.
Insect bites
Insects can cause large bumps on the skin from bites or stings. This usually occurs with large numbers of mosquitoes or black flies. While your dog may itch or roll, these bumps tend to go away pretty quickly without help.
However, if your dog stumbles upon a nest of wasps, hornets, or bees, you may need help. Yellow jackets and other bees can swarm a dog and cause a lot of stings.
Your dog may require veterinary attention due to toxins from multiple bites. Rinsing with cold water may help in minor cases, but if your dog has been stung multiple times or begins to show signs of a moderate or severe reaction, contact your vet.
Bites near the mouth or nose, swelling, difficulty breathing, lethargy, or restlessness are all signs that you should seek immediate veterinary attention. As with hives, bites in the mouth and nose area can cause internal inflammation that makes it difficult for the dog to breathe.
Lump under the dog’s skin that moves
A lump of mobile skin that appears to get bigger and smaller may be a mast cell tumor. The skin over these bumps usually appears red and irritated. Some of these cancers are static, but most will swell up if you or your dog rubs them. The increase in size is due to the release of histamine in the skin. Surgery is the recommended treatment, and the sooner you can do it, the better.
