My Dog Has Bumps - Causes and Treatment

It's a good idea to check our dog at least once a week for possible coat or skin problems, and it's not unusual to occasionally find strange bumps or pimples.

These bumps can have different causes and can look different — from small, reddish bumps to ones with blood or pus. They generally appear on the dog's back, head, muzzle, or belly, though we should check every part of their body.

Any change in skin and/or coat color or texture, whether pimples/bumps, skin discharge, or mucous discharge, is the body's response to something being wrong. Let's look at the causes.

Bumps in dogs caused by allergies

Food or environmental allergies are one of the main reasons bumps appear on our dog's skin. They generally appear on the dog's belly, back, or legs, though they can occur anywhere on the body.

This type of bump is usually small and numerous, appearing reddened from the dog scratching, since they tend to be quite bothersome.

Sometimes we'll find these bumps with blood, because they cause intense itching that leads the dog to scratch over and over, until they create a wound.

We may also notice reddened areas on the skin, with the groin and belly generally being the most affected areas. This type of allergy also causes itching on the paws and muzzle, so if our dog tends to lick their paws or rub their muzzle to scratch... it's very likely an allergy.

The breeds most prone to allergies are the Boxer, the French and English Bulldog, the Shar Pei, Maltese, Chinese Crested, Yorkshire Terrier, and the West Highland White Terrier.

Bumps from insect and/or spider bites

Our dog can be bitten by many mosquitoes and other insects without showing any symptoms, or a single bite could trigger a reaction in the form of bumps or lumps.

Some mosquitoes are especially aggressive with their bites, though generally, spiders are the ones causing more reactions of this kind. A spider bite can cause our dog to break out in small lumps or bumps.

Dogs with this kind of problem generally show bumps in the affected area, which can grow into small or medium-sized lumps that will spread to more areas of their body.

Even a wasp sting on our dog can trigger a whole allergic reaction, whose main symptoms tend to be the appearance of bumps.

Be careful with spider and insect bites — depending on the location and number of bites, severity will vary. Bites closer to the head tend to be more urgent.

Pus-filled bumps on our dog's body

The presence of pus is a sign warning us that the skin's protective barrier has broken down, and certain bacteria (usually Staphylococcus) are multiplying in the area — a reason to take urgent action to keep the infection from spreading. Flea bites, too, can cause small, itchy bumps on your pet's belly.

From systemic diseases to poorly healed wounds or embedded grass awns, it's impossible to pinpoint the cause of the infection without an in-person exam of the dog, and possibly some tests. We should never squeeze these bumps or try to drain the pus, since we could further irritate the affected area and make things worse.

If you're in a situation where you can't get to your vet right away, you can apply cool compresses of water with apple cider vinegar to the lesions — in this case, one tablespoon per glass of water.

This remedy is only a stopgap, for exceptional circumstances that keep you from reaching the vet clinic, such as bad weather, but the real cause and solution can only come from seeing your specialist.

Bumps on the muzzle

Bumps generally appear on a dog's muzzle when they have an allergy or intolerance causing a lot of itching and the presence of small, rounded bumps clustered together.

This could be an environmental or food allergy, though it's also possible these are small warts rather than bumps. In that case, we'd be talking about a virus known as canine papilloma.

Canine papilloma causes warts of different sizes to appear on the muzzle, mouth, lips, around the eyes, and even near the genital area.

Bumps around my dog's anus

Our dog may have itching around the anus that shows up as swelling or a bump. Dogs have two anal glands that release fluid during bowel movements.

Sometimes, these glands located around a dog's anus have their drainage blocked, and need to be manually expressed for them to work properly. Otherwise, they could become swollen and even infected, causing our dog a lot of itching and pain.

Bumps appearing around a dog's anus can be a sign that something's wrong, so we shouldn't let it slide, hoping it'll resolve on its own.

Bumps caused by plants

When a dog goes out for a walk or to play, it's completely normal for them to end up rubbing against many plants naturally found in parks, gardens, forests...

Many of these plants can cause contact urticaria — that is, they can cause irritation in various parts of our dog's body, with swelling and itching.

Bumps appearing in these situations is completely normal, and they can even get worse, since the dog will scratch to relieve the burning/irritation.

What should I do if I find bumps on my dog?

It doesn't matter whether the bumps are on their face, muzzle, belly, or back... nor does it matter what suspicions you might have about their cause. It's vital that if you find bumps on your dog, you see a vet.

The vet will examine the dog and, if needed, run some tests to determine the actual cause and, based on that, prescribe the right medication so the bumps clear up and the dog doesn't suffer.

Yes, we know some websites recommend using this or that, some home remedies, etc... But do those websites know what's actually happening with your dog? Imagine you don't take it seriously and the next day they're much worse, or even dead — what happens then?

Please, don't gamble with your dog's health. Vets are specialists in animal medicine, and they're the only ones who can pinpoint the cause of the problem and provide a solution. See your trusted vet and let them guide you.