[SOLVED ] Q. My 3 year old pup seems to have developed little lumpy bumps on his torso and back overnight....no other signs of discomfort or illness...

Experienced and professional animal trainer provide their insights in answering this question :

A. I would recommend you to see vet eitherway if it will persist for 2-3 days or you will notice other symptoms. It can be allergic reaction, infection or something else.

How to Identify Common Pet Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced pet care professionals :

What causes sudden lumps under dog skin? There are several reasons why your dog may develop bumps and lumps. It can be a benign growth, skin infection, allergic reaction, or something more serious like cancerous tumors. Consult with your vet to get an official diagnosis and treatment plan.

Histiocytomas are an abnormal growth of immune cells in the skin, and are often seen on young dogs. These masses can look angry, because of their bright red color and “bubbled” surface. They often appear overnight and sometimes will disappear without treatment.

Lipoma – Lipomas are benign tumors composed of fat, and they are usually found under the skin of middle-aged to older dogs. They tend to grow slowly and don`t cause a problem for most dogs. Occasionally surgical removal is recommended if the lipoma is large and in a location where it hinders mobility. 2.

While some may be present for many months without growing much, others can appear suddenly and grow very quickly. Sometimes they can suddenly grow quickly after months of no change. They may appear to fluctuate in size, getting larger or smaller even daily.

Sometimes, dogs will develop an obsessive habit of licking themselves to such a point that they cause trauma or lesions on the skin. This is often brought on by stress, anxiety, or boredom. The lesions that result tend to red, well-rounded, and raised bumps.

Can lipomas in dogs grow fast? Lipomas are traditionally slow-growing tumors. If you find a mass that seems to have appeared overnight, it is unlikely to be a lipoma.

Wart – Canine viral papillomas, also known as a dog wart, is one of the most common causes of small lumps in dogs. They often look like small pale cauliflower or flesh-colored raised bumps. These benign masses are generally not a concern but can break open, become nicked during grooming, or become infected.

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of different types of lumps and bumps that dogs can get. Some are harmless, while others might mean something more serious is going on. And you may even notice these bumps on your dog more often as he gets older — but that doesn`t always mean they`re a cause for concern!

Fleas, Mites, and More

Bumps may result from a bite from the critters or an allergic reaction caused by the bites on the dog`s skin. Whether the bumps are caused by the insect bite alone or an allergy from the dog will determine the treatment method.

Poor diet. Your dog`s diet can actually lead to the development of a lipoma. Carbohydrates, chemical preservatives, and other toxins found in processed food all contribute to fatty tumor growth. Water is also an important part of your dog`s diet.

It is important to get all new lumps checked out by your vet, however, to ensure that they are benign. Occasionally, lipomas will cause difficulty to your dog if they become involved with internal organs or if they become so large that they impede movement or make your pet uncomfortable.

It depends on how aggressive or advanced the particular cancer is. By the time it`s detected, some dogs will live weeks to months, while others will live for years. Lymphoma patients, for instance, can live several years.

Cancerous lumps are hard and painless. They might seem to appear overnight and grow with time. A cancerous lump may block your windpipe or create pressure in the throat or nose. See your provider immediately if you notice these kinds of symptoms.

A painful lump or swelling that appears suddenly over a day or two may be caused by an injury or infection. It`s likely to be an infection if the skin around the lump is red and warm. Your GP can advise you about how to care for this.

Mast cell tumors can seem like lipomas until their cells are examined under a microscope. Hemangiopericytomas (a type of tumor related to blood vessel capillaries) can mimic the rubbery texture of a lipoma under the skin.

A lipoma usually grows slowly and is a nonpainful mass that is soft and moveable under the skin. Lipomas can also be associated with other syndromes where they are not so harmless.

Urticaria is commonly caused by an allergic reaction. These swollen welts can appear anywhere on the body, including the face, lips, tongue, throat, and ears. The individual welts can vary in size from about 5 mm (1/4 inch) to several cm in diameter, and if there are a large number of welts, they can blend together.

Hives (also called urticaria) are the development of swollen, pale red bumps or welts on the skin. These little lesions will usually appear suddenly and are often related to an allergic reaction against something.

Warts on dogs often look like a small head of cauliflower, but other, rarer types do exist, including an inverted papilloma (usually a firm lump with a dot in the middle) and dark, scaly plaques of skin that have an irregular surface.

In mild cases, benzoyl peroxide alone may be sufficient to resolve canine acne; in more severe cases, long-term benzoyl peroxide may be used to decrease the likelihood of recurrence. “The most common treatment for canine acne is topical benzoyl peroxide.”

Officially Called an “Occiput”

Its primary purpose is to protect the bones of the dog`s skull and, in turn, his brain. Predators would often try to crush a dog`s skull, so the more protection the skull had, the better the chances of survival for the dog.

Warts. Warts are more common in puppies, older dogs and dogs that are immunocompromised, and look like small skin tags or several small lumps. They`re usually found on the head and face and are caused by a papillomavirus.

As with many conditions, the causes are often multifactorial with environmental and genetic factors likely playing a role as risk factors. Lipomas are more common in senior dogs but can occur at any age.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Q. My 3 year old pup seems to have developed little lumpy bumps on his torso and back overnight….no other signs of discomfort or illness…

ANSWER : A. I would recommend you to see vet eitherway if it will persist for 2-3 days or you will notice other symptoms. It can be allergic reaction, infection or something else.

Read Full Q/A … : My dog's skin is turning black. This started on the tip of …

Q. My three month puppy is teething and she’s biting everything. What can I do?

ANSWER : A. As you know, this is a normal issue to have with a 3 month old puppy. Be sure that you are never scolding your pup for biting/nipping/teething. This is so natural and normal for them, scolding gives very mixed messages. There are a few things you can do to help teach your pup that nipping on you is inappropriate without the use of scolding.

First off, you should have a toy that YOU own. This toy should be brand new. It should be something like a SOFT braided rope toy. Never allow your pup to play with this toy without you. Never leave this toy on the ground for your pup to play with. Never allow your pup to “”win”” tug games with this toy. This toy disappears when YOU are finished playing with it. This toy is hidden from your pups sight whenever you are finished playing with it. After about a week of keeping this toy hidden from your pup, and only bringing it out when YOU are engaging your puppy in play, you can THEN begin to use it to redirect your pups attention when she nips.

Read Full Q/A … : Biting Puppy – How to Train a Puppy That Bites – WebMD

Q. My Bulldog puppy growls, barks and even tries to bite me when I say “no” to him. What can I do?

ANSWER : A. First, avoid scolding him and acting aggressively towards him if you don’t want him to be acting aggressively towards you. There are other methods you can use to communicate to your dog that you don’t want him to continue doing what he is doing. I recommend you stop telling him “no”, scolding him, or raising your voice at him. Everything coming from you should be 100% positive and 100% calm.

Try to figure out ways to clearly communicate what you want to your dog. If you want your dog to leave something or someone alone, I strongly suggest teaching your dog commands like “leave it”. Here is a link to a video in which I explain how to do it:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1TS5nA7z5Q

Another thing I suggest you use is a no-reward marker. This clearly communicates when your dog has done something wrong. No-reward markers have to be introduced during your training sessions. You should be doing at least three training sessions per day, that are something like 3-10 minutes long (working on different things each training session). If you are teaching your dog something BRAND NEW, do not use the no-reward marker, as you do not want to discourage your dog from performing behaviors for you. Use the no-reward marker for known behaviors only. Here is another helpful video about this:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdU5a6fXKlg

Lure each new behavior (as shown in the video) using high value treats. Let’s say you’re working on “down” which is a behavior your dog knows fairly well. Present the treat to your dog. Ask your dog to “down” (only ask once). If he does not go “down” immediately, say, “uh-oh” or “eh-eh” in a gentle tone, and then place the treat behind your back. This communicates to your dog that they did something to make the treat go away.

After you place the treat behind your back to show your pup “that was wrong” you need to communicate to your pup “let’s try again” by getting your pup to walk around for a second, and then start the behavior all over again. If your puppy is very young, chances are you haven’t taught him a solid “down” behavior yet. So, as I said, do not use this method until you have lured each new behavior as shown in the video.

This is the order in which you should teach behaviors: Lure using a high value treat as shown in the video. After a few successful food lures, lure with an empty hand. If the pup is successful with the empty hand lure, reward with lots of treats. If the pup is unsuccessful, then go back to food-luring a couple more times. After a few successful empty-hand lures, you can begin to add the cue. Say “sit”, then lure with an empty hand, and then reward. Once your pup understands the cue, begin to work on the no-reward marker.

Read Full Q/A … : Puppy Aggression And Dominance – Your Questions Answered

Q. Does an indoor cat need to be vaccinated every year?

ANSWER : A. In practice, I recommend a feline combo vaccine every year, but will generally start administering every 3 years once they have had their kitten vaccines and 2 additional yearly vaccines. Rabies, is required yearly by law, and if kept up to date can be good for up to three years also. Based on the age of your cat I would give a yearly feline combo and rabies, and then boost the combo again next year.

Read Full Q/A … : Ask a Vet: How Often Do Cats Need Shots?

Q. I have a 13 1/2 year old Shih Tzu. How old is he in dog years?

ANSWER : A. It’s used to be that dog years were 7 years to every 1. Now it normally around 5 years to every year as long as your dog is healthy and kept up with vaccines. So he’s about 68ish in dog years.

Read Full Q/A … : Shih Tzu Age

Q. I’m fostering some now motherless 5 week old Pitbull puppies. There are 5 of them. How much do I feed them? I give them blue buffalo puppy food by wa

ANSWER : A. It should say on the Blue Buffalo on the back under, “puppies” or some sort of age chart. Make sure it’s puppy food.. puppies need extra protein and nutrients. http://bluebuffalo.com/product-finder/dog/?facets=Puppy,Dog_DryFood#

http://www.bullytree.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Feeding-Chart-Blue-Buffalo.gif – On the back of a puppy-food bag from Blue Buffalo it says underneath 3-5 months, “3 to 20 lbs: feed 1/3 – 1 1/4 cups per day” and “21 to 50 lbs: feed 1 1/2 – 3 cups per day.” Make sure you are breaking that up into at least three meals. Let’s say you decide to feed them 1 1/2 cups per day each, then, you should measure that out, and set it aside. Throughout the day, you should offer at least three mealtimes with that set-aside amount. You want to start with the least amount, and then if they seem hungry (licking the floors, begging you constantly for food, whining/crying) feed them a little more until you get it right. Do not overfeed, and try to avoid underfeeding a well.

Read Full Q/A … : French Bulldog Rescue Network :: Home

Q. My conure has suddenly developed swealing above the abdomin area. It seems to be in the throat. He has lost his feathers due to plucking awhile back

ANSWER : A. If your conure has plucked himself to bare skin in places, you may be seeing his crop. The crop is an area above the abdomen and located on the neck, usually to one side. The crop is where food is stored before it enters the stomach and digestive tract and is the first place where food begins to be broken down in place of teeth of other animals. If you are seeing swelling in this area after your conure eats, that is normal and means he is eating enough food.

If you are seeing the swelling in another location, or it appears to be painful, hot to the touch or oozing debris, then it may indicate a cyst, growth or infection caused by the feather plucking. Having this looked at by an avian vet is best as birds can hide illnesses until they are very very ill.

Feather plucking is another sign of stress and possible illness in birds. Birds such as conures that are not mentally stimulated enough may develop this behavior and may need enrichment or medical care to help overcome the feather plucking. Speaking with your avian vet to check for illnesses, and adding enrichment to your bird’s cage may help.

Read Full Q/A … : Avian Vet Question? Our Avian Vet will answer your questions!

Q. Which common foods are poisonous to pets?

ANSWER : A. That’s a great question. As responsible pet owners we need to be aware of food items that can be harmful to our canine or feline companions. Here are some of the most common foods proven to cause illness in our animals at home:

Chocolate: A favorite and irresistible treat amongst most humans, chocolate is considered toxic to dogs. In very small amounts it is usually not a huge issue, but with larger volumes and with darker chocolates pet owners should be concerned. Chocolate contains methylxanthine theobromine, which is similar to caffeine. Chocolate ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, issues with normal heartbeats, seizures, and in some severe cases, death. It is best to keep your favorite chocolate treats in a good hiding spot and out of reach of your dog or cat.

Grapes and raisins: Dogs should not consume grapes and raisins because of the risk of acute kidney failure. Most dogs experiencing grape or raisin toxicity will begin to have vomiting and/or diarrhea within 6-12 hours of ingestion. Other abnormal clinical signs include lethargy, abdominal pain, dehydration, and tremors. Kidney failure develops within 24-72 hours of the initial ingestion. There are some dogs that do not experience these devastating side effects. It is best to contact your veterinarian or veterinary emergency facility if you believe your pet has ingested grapes or raisins.

Garlic and onions: We often forget that our meals contain these two popular ingredients and will allow our furry companions a few bites or licks. Onion and garlic both can cause a type of poisoning that results in damage to red blood cells, making them more likely to rupture. They can also cause stomach upset and mouth irritation. Look for pale gums, increased breathing or drooling or any vomiting or diarrhea.

Bread dough: Unbaked bread dough is considered poisonous to our pets. The bread dough, when ingested, expands in the stomach because of the warm and moist environment. This can lead to a bloated or even twisted stomach. In addition yeast is often added to our baking products to help get bread to rise, and when this yeast is fermented it produces both carbon dioxide and alcohol. The alcohol produced can be absorbed into the bloodstream and causes dangerous drops in blood sugar, blood pressure and body temperature. Common clinical signs include vomiting or retching, distension of the stomach, weakness and collapse.

Macadamia nuts: Ingestion of these nuts are not proven to be fatal in dogs but can cause them to experience uncomfortable clinical sings, including fever, joint stiffness, vomiting, tremors and difficulty walking, especially in their hind legs. Often your pet will start to feel better after about 48 hours, but supportive veterinary care (such as pain medication) may help ease their discomfort.

Xylitol: The most common ingredient used in sugar-free gum is xylitol, which is a non-caloric sweetener. It is also found in some oral rinses, toothpastes and vitamins. Xylitol and dogs do not mix – it can cause a dangerous drop in blood sugars levels. Dogs will often display signs of disorientation, black tarry stool, tremors and seizures. If severe enough some dogs have developed liver failure. Keep your gum away from your canine companion.

Avocados: Avocados are not actually poisonous to dogs or cats but as many veterinarians can tell you the avocado pits can cause a foreign body obstruction. Avocados contain persin, which is actually toxic to the majority of pet birds. The abnormal clinical signs associated with avocado ingestion in birds include, respiratory distress, inability to perch, liver and kidney failure and sudden death.

Go forth and enjoy your favorite foods, but keep in mind which foods you should avoid sharing with your furry family members. Whenever in doubt, contact your veterinarian for healthy and safe food suggestions.

Read Full Q/A … : Foods That Can Be Poisonous to Pets : The Humane Society of …