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My dog has recently been scratching a lot his tail and bottom. He has patches of missing hair and he bleeds from those spots. He just recently started growing this weird bump on his leg. I don’t currently have money to take him to the vet. Is there anything I can order or buy OTC for him?

My dog has recently been scratching a lot his tail and bottom. He has patches of missing hair and he bleeds from those spots. He just recently started growing this weird bump on his leg. I don’t currently have money to take him to the vet. Is there anything I can order or buy OTC for him?

Updated On November 8th, 2019

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered

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Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

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Those spots on Smokey (not the mass in the photo) could be several things including allergies, skin mites, flea bites, ringworm (which humans can get) or a bacterial infection. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesions with soap once a day and rinse well (don't wash his whole body, just those spots). Protect the areas from licking or scratching and he may need to wear and Elizabethan collar at all times. You can also try Frontline on him to see if that helps (if fleas are the cause). If the lesions don't start looking better within about a week or if they get worse, have him examined by the veterinarian who may prescribe medications. The mass on his leg is a different story. Pets can get many types of lumps and bumps. Most of these tumors will be benign but some will be malignant and you can't tell by looks. Here is a helpful link discussing the various types of skin masses in general: https://www.petcoach.co/article/lumps-and-bumps-on-your-pet/ Since you are noticing the mass changing, I do recommend to have it checked out to be safe. The doctor may recommend to aspirate the mass to examine the cells under a microscope. That is one of the best ways to know what it is and if further action is needed. Also protect the mass from licking but there's nothing you can put on it that will make it go away. If finances are a concern, you may look into financing through Care Credit or Scratch Pay. Lastly, you may call the local humane society to ask if they offer/know of any low cost solutions. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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