My mini Aussie has a red rectal mass and blood. What should I do?

It is hard to tell for sure by the pictures, but my suspicion would be that it is either a perianal tumor that has bled, or potentially a ruptured anal sac abscess. I would highly encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. If it is an abscess then antibiotics will likely be needed. If it is a tumor then the veterinarian can discuss options with you. Often perianal tumors are benign. I think getting a diagnosis is the first step and then you can gather information and make decisions from there. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

It's a little difficult to tell from your picture alone - being able to examine and touch a lump in person makes it much easier to determine what it is. This could be a skin tumor, a small abscess or inflammatory nodule, or a lesion from something like contact hypersensitivity. I would recommend having this lump examined by your veterinarian since it looks red and possibly like there is discharge. If he is licking or chewing at the lump you should put an e-collar on him until you can see a veterinarian. They may know what it is after being able to examine it or may recommend taking an aspirate sample using a small needle to look for cells under the microscope.

This could be a severely abscessed anal gland/sac or a tumor or a perineal hernia. This can only be diagnosed with a hands-on exam. You should have it examined by your veterinarian, as it is not possible to distinguish these by just looking at a photo. An abscess can usually be treated with antibiotics and/or be lanced, and a hernia may have to be fixed surgically. To identify a tumor, your vet may want to do a fine needle aspirate (he takes some material from the bump with a needle and then looks at it under the microscope) to determine whether the mass is concerning.

It could be a benign or malignant growth, or an infected area in the anal tissue. I would keep an eye on it and have it checked by your veterinarian at your next regularly scheduled visit. At this point it nothing to be overly concerned about from the photo. Certainly if it changes at all or causes a problem for your dog then take him in right away to have an exam. It looks like it could easily be surgically removed if needed. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Bebe.

That does look odd. As a guess, I would suspect an infection or perhaps a prolapse. I recommend to discuss with the veterinarian some type of anti-inflammatory or even an antibiotic. The vet should also preform a rectal exam to get a better idea of the anatomy of the anus. Make sure to keep the area from trauma so She may need to wear an elizabethan collar at all times. She should also not drag her rectum on the ground (and if she does, keep her off rough surfaces). An omega 3 fatty acid supplement will not correct the problem but it may help to decrease inflammation and condition the skin. Prolapses sometimes require surgical correction. Have your pup examined again to discuss options. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Thanks for the pictures! Many skin masses can look the same. Red dermal masses, like this one, can be benign or malignant. Some possibilities are an inflamed sebaceous adenoma, hemangioma, histiocytoma or it could be a Mast Cell Tumor. Since it showed up quickly I would have Oscar seen by your Vet. They can decide if aspirating it (sticking it with a needle and sending the slides to the lab) or removing the mass and sending it for biopsy is best. I hope this helps and I wish you and Oscar the best!

It could be an [anal gland abscess](https://www.petcoach.co/article/anal-glands-sacs-impactions-infections-abscesses-in-dogs). This occurs when the anal glands do not fully empty during the act of defecation resulting in inflammation, impaction and infection. Have her examined by your veterinarian for confirmation and treatment. This may include sedation followed by lancing, draining and flushing the abscess. Antibiotics and pain management will likely be indicated. Topical treatment may not be sufficient. An e-collar (cone) can be used to prevent licking until she sees the doctor. Afterwards, you can have her glands expressed (emptied) regularly and add additional [fiber](https://www.petcoach.co/article/high-fiber-diets-anal-gland-disease-in-dogs/) to her diet to[ prevent recurrence](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-prevent-impacted-dog-anal-glands).