Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

Puppy has a bald patch, bump, and is scratching her cheek. What is it?

Updated on September 23, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Shiba Inu | Female | unspayed | 7 months and 30 days old

Hi, my pup has recently got a tiny bald patch on her cheek with a bump (skin colour) just by where she lost a whisker and scabbed over a little, she has been scratching at it a little but it doesn't look red. I have been advised to bathe it in salt water and apply sudocream for now and see how it goes by the breeder. Please see the attached pictures, would you know what it could be? Thank you, Carmen.

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on February 20, 2020

Hi Carmen,

It just looks like a minor skin abrasion. It seems to be healing OK. Just continue as you have been treating it. If it doesn't completely resolve or begins to look worse then have your vet check it out.

3Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Jenny, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on September 20, 2017
The hair follicle may have been infected and that can cause the hair to fall out. If the redness and swelling is going down, you can gently pull the scab and remaining hair and clean the area then apply neosporin. If the swelling persist or it is painful or ours from the scab, then your vet will need to check the area
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Elizabeth
Veterinarian
Published on January 22, 2019
It may be potentially difficult to treat depending on the cause. Things like mites, fleas, bacterial infections, ringworm or allergies could all look like this and cause hair loss. Unless you discover the underlying cause, you won’t be able to stop it.
A visit to your veterinarian would get you the answers the fastest. The doctor can preform a few simple tests to find out if it’s mites, ringworm or fleas. They can also provide antibiotics and medicated shampoo to treat the bacteria.
If you want to try home care first, you should wash the area with a hand soap once a day. Rinse well. You can apply a dab of coconut oil to the lesions and rub in well. You must keep Tyson from licking it!
If you use a product like Simparica or Nexgard, it will treat fleas and elimate that as a cause as well. If he’s not getting better or if he is getting worse, he needs to see the veterinarian.
I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on July 7, 2018
I would say that this could wait until during the week for a veterinarian examination. This appears to be an abnormal growth of the skin. I would schedule an examination for this week with the veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.
3Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Why does my dog have a red bump on her head that bleeds if scratched?

According to the picture this looks like a wart that Lady scratched and now has a scab on it. Since she is bothering with it and seems uncomfortable I would take her to see your veterinarian. They can make sure it is nothing else like a scratch that got infected or a different type of growth that go infected and scabbed over. They also will be able to give her a topical ointment to place on the area to help with any type of infection. If this is something that continues to bother her or scab over I would recommend removing it so it does not continually get infected and bother her. If she is scratching at it I would put an e-collar on her so she does not make it worse. As dogs age it is very common for them to get more warts like these, some may bother them while others will not.

Updated on September 23, 2025

My puppy has a dry, scabbed lump on her cheek. What is it?

The lesion on Luna's face may be a bacterial infection, a fungal infection known as ringworm or due to a skin mite known as Demodex. Luna will need to see a veterinarian for an exam and a skin scrape to determine the correct diagnosis. Treatment is very different for each condition and they can all look similar, so testing needs to be done to be sure.

Updated on September 23, 2025

My puppy has a red bump near her whiskers. What should I do?

Your puppy may have a swelling from trauma, an abscess, infection, or an allergic reaction. It is very difficult to say what is causing the problem without seeing an image. I would suggest leaving it alone for now and see if it changes over the course of the next few hours. If it appears itchy you can give her a single dose of Benadryl at 1mg per pound. If there is no improvement I suggest taking her to the veterinarian.

Updated on September 23, 2025

Training & Behavior

Should I worry about a scratch on my dog's cheek? What to do?

Yes, it looks just like some sort of wound from an injury. I would not be overly worried about it at this stage. You can use this wound spray 3-4 times per day and if after a week or so it is not looking better then she should see your vet. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-plus-hot-spot-antimicrobial-gel-for-dogs

Updated on September 23, 2025

Health & Wellness

My puppy has a red bump on its cheek that's growing. Vet needed?

This looks like a histiocytoma. If it is one, it will likely go away on it's own (see the article attached). That being said, it is always best to have any bumps/lumps on your dog checked out by your vet. ( https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952066 )

Updated on September 23, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dachshund puppy has a bald spot. What's causing the hair loss?

It's tough to say exactly what's causing Pablo's patch of hair loss from a picture alone. I agree that I don't see any redness, scaling or signs of inflammation in the picture. Some possible causes can include scar tissue from an injury or burn, infectious conditions like mange or ringworm, a sebaceous (oil gland) cyst or histiocytoma. Pablo should be examined by his vet so that diagnostic testing can be performed. It's likely that your vet will need to take samples from this area to be evaluated under the microscope. Once the cause of this issue is diagnosed, then your vet will be able to determine the best course of treatment. This is certainly not an emergency, so if many of your local vets are currently closed or have less availability, it's not a big deal if you need to wait a few extra weeks. I hope this helps and that all goes well for Pablo!

Updated on September 23, 2025

Health & Wellness

Is a pimple-like bump on my 4-month-old puppy's shoulder dangerous?

Hi there and thank you for posting this question. Pimple type growths can be a sign of a skin infection, mites, or even a tick bite reaction. If there is just one area and it improves daily then it is unlikely to be problematic. However, if you are feeling multiple areas, if you see fleas or ticks, or if it is not resolving then I would become more concerned. If any of these occur then she should be evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Updated on September 23, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share