cyst or granulated bump?

[FTDL]

Can anyone help me out with this? I see no purpose in using space here to detail all of the reasons I can't get the pup to a vet right now, so all those on this board who jump to conclusions about people when they know nothing of the personal circumstances of the person who is asking for help; Please restrain yourselves & leave the replies to those who can actually contribute something useful. [B]Thanks in advance.
Now, as for the problem, I have a ten month old chihuahua/jack russell mix I was forced to board out in a place where he did not receive much attention to possible problems, let alone be taken to a vet. He came back with a large green pea sized bump protruding out on his leg between his paw pads and his fetlock (some would call it his "ankle") on the inside. It doesn't seem to be attached to the bone. It's red & hairless & looks like he's been chewing or biting on it, especially after I put some cortizone on it yesterday. It hasn't bled & isn't sensitive to touch. Today, I tried neosporin & a band aide, but he pulled that off & no doubt licked off the ointment.
Does anyone know for sure what this is, & even more so, how serious it is? Can it be treated at home, or would it have to be removed? It is not ON a joint. He may have had it as long as 3 months, but I have no way of knowing that. He didn't have it before I boarded him.
I will be able to get him to a vet, but it won't be until next week. If it's an emergency, I may be able to get help to, but ONLY if it's an emergency. And yes, I've tried calling vet offices, but all they will say is "I'm only the receptionist, you better just bring him in." or if I get a nurse, insert that in place of receptionist. And so on...most of you have probably heard similar before. If what I described rings some bells, please respond. Thanks.

[lastunicorn86]

hm...it could be a growth that he has chewed at to make it red and sore, possibly made it into a raised hot spot. you can try using the stuff you squeeze out of a live aloe plant to put on it, it will soothe and help heal it and the taste is awful so dogs usually won't like it off.
hope that helps, and good luck

[RavenRose]

Someone I work with has a rottie that had cysts between her toes. She actually nipped at her son, which she NEVER did, when he tried to touch her paws. The vet gave her some steroids or something and it has gone away. Although, if it wasn't there before you left, that's awfully fast for it to show up! I would say to keep an eye on it until you can get him to the vet next week.... if you notice it getting bigger or anything, take him ASAP. Also, get an elizabethian collar so he can't chew or lick at it... if it's entirely external, getting him to leave it alone may help. I know there are a few vets/vet techs on here, maybe one of them will pop in with some different advice... the ones that I seem to notice know what they're talking about (and no offense to anyone if I didn't mention you, just means I may not read many of your posts! :) ) are "Head" and "AllAnimalLover". Whatever happens, good luck, and please keep us informed.

[FTDL]

Thanks Ravenrose. Maybe I didn't make myself clear. He was gone for 3 months. He didn't have it when I took him there, but he had it when he came home this weekend. And like I said, the person who kept him for me said he noticed it, but couldn't remember when. Even if he had, it may have been there for a while before he saw it. He was keeping 13 dogs (11 were mine), & only 2 are his. He's not mentally stable & not very observant anyway. I truly could not help leaving my dogs in that situation. It was that- or a shelter or adopting them out, neither of which I could bring myself to do. They grieved anyway & all lost weight severely. One lost a toenail so that the bone tip is exposed and although the man noticed the nail missing, he didn't check to see how bad it was. One of my rescues came back so weak she could barely walk, & hairless again. Because of what she'd been through before I got her, she has to be bathed almost daily with a medicated shampoo & get extra vitamins & wheat germ oil. Of course, she didn't get anything except dry food & water. I really hate living in a city. If you want my reasons, email me. Thanks for your compassion.

[RavenRose]

Ok, 3 months is a decent amount of time then, it's not like you were gone for a weekend and it showed up. It's really hard to tell, it could be something, it could be nothing. My husky had a lump on her stomach. My vet specifically told me just to keep an eye on it because it didn't feel like it was anything more than a fatty tumor. It stayed the same for a couple years, then recently it about doubled in size... I took her in and he removed it. Turned out, luckily, that it really was just a fatty tumor, but since it had grown, my vet was even concerned. That's why I suggested keeping an eye on it... if you notice it getting worse at all, take him in.
Again, good luck, hope it's nothing!

[head]

its hard to say without actually seeing it and without doing a FNA. it could be a lick granuloma however by the sounds of it i would be more apt to suggest its a benign cyst but as i said without seeing or a FNA i couldnt say. being located where it is can explain why it is causing discomfort. i would try and discourage him from licking it (use an e-collar or bitter apple or some other deterant) until you can get him in.

you can try bathing it in a bath salt water solution to see if it will dry up however it more than likely will have to be removed.

[FTDL]

Thank you so much Head, for your very good suggestions on what it could be. I think you're right on your first guess. I decided to watch him for a few minutes after putting a bath salts soak on his leg. He almost immediately began licking it. I made him stop, checked again a few minutes later, & he was licking it again. I have an old bottle of "Bitter End" so I sprayed it with with that. My husband is completely anal about putting things up & these days he can't remember where he puts them, so the E-collar will have to remain wherever it is, since I'm in no shape to start hauling things down out of closets or clambering around in the garage. Taking into consideration he was shut up in a small house with ten other dogs & only a fair sized deck to go out onto ie. stress & boredom (I provided a doggie door & panel fencing for the deck) all that time, & after reading the information I found on a search, at this point, I feel it's a lick granuloma. At least I'm pretty sure now it's not life threatening, even if the outlook is dim. If anyone else is interested, email for the website. It's very informative & apparently authored by a vet clinic.

[FTDL]

Lastunicorn86, sorry I didn't acknowlege your input sooner. I have a lot of distractions! I would try the aloe juice, but unfortunately, I haven't owned an aloe plant for about 25 years, even though I used to keep them around for kitchen burns on my hands & fingers. Can't get to the store either, so I'll have to use whatever I have on hand. Thanks for your help suggestions. It's possible I can use that information some other time.

[Whoops]

I would try wrapping it with a ace bandage.. mighty thick too. Then you could put some AppleBitter spray on the bandage and the pup would leave it alone.

I would as soon as you can take him to the vet. A week will not kill him but as soon as you can.. the longer you hold off the worse it might be.