# Lump on Asher's Face?



## Alika (May 17, 2016)

I don't know, but my 4 month spoo pup had the same thing today. Exactly the same as you described: you can feel all sides of it if you put your fingers in her mouth, so not gums. We noticed it yesterday and it doubled in size by the end of the day. We were sure it was an abscess and took her to the vet this morning. Our vet suspects insect bite/sting and gave antihistamines. 

Since my puppy is only a few weeks younger than yours (just turned 18 weeks), is also teething and has the same affliction it makes me wonder about the diagnosis. But it's been almost 3 hours since the vet and the swelling does seem to be subsiding. They told us it should be gone by the end of the day.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

From what I can see I think those might be inflamed hair follicles for the heavy duty "whiskers" that we are so fond of shaving off. If you don't think that explains it, then maybe a spider bite?


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Thanks for the replies. It is not on one of the big whiskers, and there appears to be absolutely no mark or inflammation of any kind of the skin/hair follicles. He is having really icky eyes right now, especially the side that this lump is on, I assume from teething. But the ick from the eye does not reach the lump.
We do have lots of spiders in my back yard, but again, there is no sign of a bite at all.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Oh I was hoping that one of my simple ideas seemed right to you. I hope you get it figured out asap.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

I would think spider bite, but I would check with the vet.


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

So I looked at an old post in the related posts and someone had a lump that looks very similar to what Asher has just in a slightly different location on the face. Said it was an enlarged facial lymphnode. Possibly due to allergies or infection.
If that's what Asher has it could be a tooth infection or eye infection or I just started changing him to a new food as the distributer of his normal food is not able to get it for a month. They gave her 2 weeks of antibiotics and if it didn't go away they would biopsy or aspirate.


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## Alika (May 17, 2016)

Honestly, I would worry about infection, especially since his eyes are gooey. I'm not convinced that Karma just has an insect bite, either, but then, I'm not a vet. 

I'd take him to the vet. It could resolve itself even if it's an infection, but if he ends up needing antibiotics I would think sooner would be better than later. Otherwise you'll keep worrying and wondering.


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

So we've now been to the vet twice for this stupid lump. Went last friday to my regular (but newish) vet and she wasn't sure what it was. She thought it looked like a reaction like to a bug bite but of course there were no marks or irritation that could come from a bite or sting. She said we could stick a needle in it and send it off for testing but, since I felt it had gotten a touch smaller that morning, she thought that it would probably go away on it's own. It was not a swollen lymphnode.
I was away monday morning till this afternoon, had friends/neighbours caring for the dogs. Looked at it this afternoon when I got home and it's now 3 times bigger than it was on monday! Took him to the vet. Again she couldn't tell me what it was, but she felt that it was purely cosmetic. She said it could be a cyst. She said I could either wait which if it wasn't for the show next week that's kinda what she would recommend, but we could stick a needle into it but it would take 5-7 days to come back which wouldn't be enough time to start him on meds and have it go down before the show and would cost 200 bucks (not including any meds). I decided I'd try waiting and she said to try 3 days of benadryl and see if it goes down with that. If it doesn't go down I'll probably do the 'biopsy' type thing
Ugh, right before our first big multiday show. Not sure what I'll do if it doesn't go down by then. I'll have to ask my breeder if I could/should still show with it, it's baby puppy so it's really just for practise but I don't want to have the judge laugh or dismiss me out of the ring.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Maybe a sebaceous cyst then? We used synotic for a sebaceous cyst that Peeves had with good results.


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

The vet didn't want to use a steriod until after we tested it in case it just happened to be an infection. But cyst is on the list of possibilities.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

After looking at that 'lump' for a long long time I realized it is under his chin right?
And this is a place we normally shave the hair from right?
I know from shaving Molly that she has various little Flesh colored moles /lumps on her face that I am always having to be careful with when I am grooming her face. Well I did some searching and I believe what I see on his face is the same as what Molly has on hers! ( and all other dogs too) 
They are called "vibrissae" and normally have a hair or hairs protruding from them ...but since we shave their face and necks we don't see them grown out.....
Vibrissae are typically found in clumps, although that can differ depending on the individual.
These little moles are mounds of nerves and other connections that make those particular whiskers function as tactile hairs. They are extremely sensitive to touch and are designed to transmit detailed information about movement to aid your dog's guidance and balance. 
Many dogs have one on each cheek and one under the jaw and even above the eye....
Check it out by googling "What are those bumps on dog faces?"


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Thanks but it is not that. I'm a groomer and very aware of what those are and it isn't that. It's semi close to the side of the face one, but it's not that.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

LOL! Oh well, it was just a guess, but I just took a picture of the one Molly has on her throat .....looks pretty close doesn't it? ....:dontknow:


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Asher's was alway bigger than those bumps and is currently the size of a large marble!! It's actually funny because the first vet I pointed to the lump and she thought I was pointing to the whisker lump and she thought I was dumb for a second, until I pointed out the actual lump.


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## West U (Jul 30, 2014)

Lola was at the vet twice this summer, either Spider or Bee stings. Her face got extremely swollen and her nose and flew. She also developed a cyst which grew on her point of hip. The vet drained it, took a slide to see if it was cancer (she didn't think was, and she was right). She also cauterized the cyst to make sure the entire sack was removed. It was much deeper than I thougut. I am always unconsciously checking all my dogs' body parts, especially the mouth. One of our Beagles had melanoma inside his mouth. That was a heart breaking outcome. Keep diligent in feeling around and looking.


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

3rd vet visit is the charm!
So Asher's lump BLEW UP today (in size) and by 1:00pm I thought that it was going to burst! By 1:45pm it started to seep some blood. So after I finished grooming my last dog I took him in. We decided to stab it and drain it and see what came out then send it off it need be to be looked at. Asher was apparently a superstar and let them do everything without sedation.
Vet came back in and it is diagnosed as... an Abscess!!
I think that the reason it looked weird with no sores or anything is cause it started on the inside of the mouth/cheek not the outside so the sore wasn't visible. 
He's on meticam and antibiotics. If there is a foreign body in there (they couldn't find one but it could be covered by the swollen tissue) then his face may start to blow up after the antibiotics are done and they would have to do more digging around in there but it should be pretty much gone for the conformation show I have starting next friday!

Here's the before and after of it









This morning









About 1:45pm









After draining


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## Alika (May 17, 2016)

Poor baby! I'm sure he feels so much better with that pressure relieved, though. And I'm glad you finally got an answer.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

OMG! OUCH!!!!! Hope aspirating was all you will have to do! Hope all is nice and healed by show day!!!!


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## NatalieAnne (Jul 23, 2016)

Is there something catching through the Internet? I made my 1st attempt at shaving feet, muzzle & neck today & notice my dog also has a flat reddened raised 1 cm circular spot close to the same area. I'll be watching it closely.

Glad your dog's abscess came to a head so it could be lanced & treated with antibiotics. Was it packed with anything so that it can heal from the inside out & doesn't close over with bacteria still inside? 

Did your dog happen to have any vaccinations recently?

I also hope all is looking good by show dates.

I'm wondering now how common abscesses are in areas where poodles are shaved, if ingrown hairs can cause abscesses in these areas.


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

NatalieAnne said:


> Is there something catching through the Internet? I made my 1st attempt at shaving feet, muzzle & neck today & notice my dog also has a flat reddened raised 1 cm circular spot close to the same area. I'll be watching it closely.
> 
> Glad your dog's abscess came to a head so it could be lanced & treated with antibiotics. Was it packed with anything so that it can heal from the inside out & doesn't close over with bacteria still inside? *No, I don't think it's too deep, so it shouldn't take much to heal the inside up before the outside is too healed.*
> 
> ...


my responses in bold


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Wow, I am so glad that you got an answer that should just be easy and quick to see resolution of. It looked like it really was ready to rupture and drain on its own when you were on the way to the vet. You should be very proud of how well mannered Asher was even though he must have been in pain.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Poor baby - that must have been painful for Asher - all that swelling. I hope it heals quickly and is completely resolved.


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## Kassie (Apr 7, 2016)

Poor Asher. I will pray that he is well healed by show day! Hugs


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Thanks guys. He surprisingly really didn't seem to even notice it except at the end when it was so swollen he didn't love having it squished but wasn't too unhappy with it being done. It's definitely looking much better now. Still a fairly big lump, but it's not red and has gotten smaller.
When the vet said that they may have to sedate depending on how he was I told them that they wouldn't have to haha. I know Asher pretty well.


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Since some of my pics aren't working so I will repost them, and give an updated pic.

When I first noticed it. It stayed this size from tuesday to at least monday (I left monday afternoon and came home wednesday afternoon)










Then when I saw it wednesday afternoon it was 3X that size (don't have a great pic)

This was it thursday morning



















As the day went on










Just before I took him to the vet thursday afternoon










After lancing it 










And the lump today!


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