# Sebaceous (sp?) Cyst?



## kimmiek915 (Oct 4, 2005)

Hi all! I just took Minky to the vet today to get her rabies shot, and the vet found a small lump on her mid-back. She started examining it and then she squeezed it. When she did this, a yellowish gray liquid was secreted. She said that we could clean it with peroxide and then watch it, but if it turns out to be a cyst, they may have to operate and remove it. So, now I'm all worried. She said that Minky's in the age range where she's susceptible to this condition where cysts are common...I can't remember the name of the condition. Basically I'm just really worried. Have any of you guys experienced a sebaceous cyst with any of your chis or dogs? I guess I will just have to closely monitor the cyst. I would greatly appreciate any insight into this matter. Thank you in advance...


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## Little G (Oct 16, 2005)

cysts don't actually hurt them. they're just gross. Our old poodle cross had them, the oilier their coat the more prone they are I found. They're more aesthetic than anything. The only concern I'd have would be constantly playing with it might cause an infection....kinda like playing with a zit, it might push the gunk deeper in and the germs from fingers might make it worse. i wouldn't use peroxide on it though, peroxide kills living tissue, use a rubbing alcohol solution or better yet a warm saline solution to clean it.


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## the pink fairy (Jan 1, 2007)

I've no experience in this Kimmie, but I hope Minky will be ok. Sending love and hugs from the UK to you, Minky and Minnie xxx((hugs))xxx


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## Lin (Jun 7, 2006)

I don't either Kimmie, have experience. Hope it clears up quickly, poor baby.


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## kimmiek915 (Oct 4, 2005)

Thanks you guys! I think it's scabbing over now, so I will just continue cleaning it daily and see if it gets better. The vet actually told me to clean it with peroxide, and it was just a little dab on a q-tip. I hope that's okay. I just don't like how the vet totally freaked me out. I think that was unnecessary. Anyways, thanks for all of your thoughts and helpful advice. I guess I was worried because there was another one that looked like it was forming. I'll just have to be really dilligent with it. Thanks you guys!


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## Lin (Jun 7, 2006)

Little G said:


> cysts don't actually hurt them. they're just gross. Our old poodle cross had them, the oilier their coat the more prone they are I found. They're more aesthetic than anything.


Now that I'm thinking about it, my sisters very old spaniel mix has them all over his poor old body. The vet's not doing anything about them, but yes, it is yucky when you pet him. Poor old guy.


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

if its puss filled its harmless! cysts are benighn, the fact that it errupted when squeezed, the only thing id watch for is infection, DO NOT use peroxide on skin, stick with saline (or a salt water solution) teatrea oil is also an EXTREEMLY effective antibacterial.

the only time you have to worry about cysts is if there a solid mass lump, if it pops or moves freely its usually nothign to worry about.
vixie had a cyst on the side of her face when she reached about a year, an aspiration showed it was nothing to worry about, keep the area clean and apply a little preassure and heat with a hot cloth and clean hands, it breaks down the gunk thats in there.

try not to worry too much


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## kimmiek915 (Oct 4, 2005)

I'll try cleaing the area with a salt water solution tonight, and I think I might have some teatree oil too. I think it's stuff that I got for her ears, but I wonder if it'll be alright to just use on her skin. Anyways, that was very helpful advice. Thank you so much! I'm glad to hear that it's not a biggie. I do tend to over worry sometimes. I just can't stand the thought of anything bad happening to my little one because I don't think I could endure it. Anyways, thanks so much!


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## Ms_P (Apr 25, 2004)

The vet probably told you to use peroxide to bring out puss and allow the cyst to heal from the inside out. If the skin heals over the infection it will eventually come back.
My mother has had cysts all her life and had many of them removed because they kept reacurring in the same spot.
I would listen to your vet or at least call and ask about the peroxide. There is proabably a reason he/she told you to use it.


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

i just worry wiht pure peroxide on skin, teatrea and a saline flush will do just as good a job without burning the skin, pure peroxide BURNS! (you should never use pure peroxide on skin.


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## princess_ella (Jun 4, 2005)

Princess had a protein lump about a year ago and the vet just squezed the yucky stuff out.she not longer has it its sound like what you mentioned but i am not sure.do you have a pic of it.


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## Ms_P (Apr 25, 2004)

foxywench said:


> i just worry wiht pure peroxide on skin, teatrea and a saline flush will do just as good a job without burning the skin, pure peroxide BURNS! (you should never use pure peroxide on skin.


Foxy, I have the upmost respect for you, you have given some excellent advice on this board.
However, you are not a vet, and neither am I. Our life experiences have been different, so we draw on different experiences when giving advice.
There are certainly some conditions that require treatment with peroxide because of the way it cleans, which is why I suggested she call her vet and ask.
When Koke started having hair problems I did alot of research on alopecia. Did you know that overuse of teatrea oil can cause seizures in chis? It does have lots of good uses, but I would never recommend anyone use it without researching it first. That's the main problem with holilistic remmadies, they aren't regulated and researched properly the way normal drugs are.
I am not going to debate this issue with you, I would just hope you would not give advice based on your opinions rather than fact.


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## kimmiek915 (Oct 4, 2005)

I have actually just been using Betadine because it helped the last time when she had a scrape. I just wanted to make sure that she didn't get an infection, and it looks like the area has scabbed over. Sorry I don't have a pic., but it was just a little lump that was raised and after the vet rolled it around it because red. The stuff that came out was a slightly yellowish gray color. 

Foxywench and Ms. P.:

You both have given me great advice. And I see both sides very clearly. I just hope I haven't caused unnecessary tension on this forum. 

I will keep you guys posted. I think she will be okay. I was probably overreacting based on what the vet said about having to surgically remove it. I think the other little lump that was kind of forming disappeared, or at least it's not raised enough to be visible. Thanks so much you guys!


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

once again, NEVER use pure hydrogen peroxide on flesh (the ONLY time it should be used as a flush is highly diluted, and in a slightly higher concentration to remove dead flesh. it is a very strong alkaline) not opinion FACT, what happens when you pour a strong acid or alkaline on flesh?! it burns.
Experiment, cut your finger then dip in pure hydrogen peroxide see what happens. (NOTE: DO NOT DO THIS UNLESS YOU WANT A BURN SCAR AND EXTREEM PAIN!)

if the vet told you to flush with a very dliute hydrogen peroxide fine, but saline solution is the only thing our vets have ever suggested for flushing (i WORKED as a vet assistant and have been burnt by hydrogen peroxide, it hurts, it also coninues to burn untill nutralized (ie pouring an acid of the equal strenght onto same area.))

not arguing, just pointing out that my post is based on scientific fact plus experience (with both the chemical and in a vets office) not opinion.
not trying to be a Bit**
just making sure its understood where im comming from.

i would never suggest taking anyone on a furums advice as "that of god" when in doubt call your vet back and double check, its very likley that the vet said to dilute it or assumed that the person would know to dilute it...unfrotunatly many vets assume were all chemistry majors when it comes to flushes.
but most vets will tell you, unless theres already a bad infection in place and dead flesh surrounding it, a saline solution is safer.
if the ares is badly infected and has dead flesh hydrogen peroxide is often used as it will burn away the dead flesh.

i SHOULD however have been more presice in my suggestion of teatrea, it is an essential oil and like all essnetial oild (and anything) some individuals are sensitive to its effects.

What i SHOULD have said was flush with saline would be safest then using a cotton swab aply a small dab of teatrea on the open sore once a day to act as an antiseptic would be just as effective.
im sorry that i wasnt more presice and i realized not untill now that i hadnt put that into my origional post.
lesson learnt, always reread entries.

KIMMIE!!! no tension on my half, no worries! glad shes doing better! just keep an eye, as said, most pus filled ones are nothign to worry about


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## kimmiek915 (Oct 4, 2005)

The vet just dabbed on the peroxide while I was at the vet's office. She didn't mention if it was diluted or anything like that. She just called it peroxide. I guess it's a good thing I didn't just go out and get some peroxide. That would've been a BIG mistake. I've just been using betadine because I didn't want the area to get infected. Like I said, it's pretty much scabbed over with just a tiny bit of elevation now. I think she'll be okay. The only thing is, the other dog in the house (a small Min Pin) keeps on jumping on Minky's back and scratching her. I think that's what caused this cyst in the first place. I don't know what I can do to make her stop mounting Minky. It's kind of annoying because Minky keeps on getting scratched up. Minky hates it too because she's always been the dominant dog. Any ideas as to how I can get the other dog to stop this behaviour?


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

its a difficult thing to "break" because its a normal way dogs play. theres a few things you could try like distracting them when they get playfull, but unless you stop them playing together theres realy no way to completly stop them possibly catching eachother when playing.

id just try to make sure you keep all nails short trimmed (and filed if possible)

yeah the vet probably has a pre-diluted solution on hand to use, i belive its usually diluted to about 1-2% that they use.
and since its just to stop infection/ keep it clean then the betadine works the same way 
glad its looking better!


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## kimmiek915 (Oct 4, 2005)

Thanks so much for your helpful advice. The area is scabbed and I'm so tempted to pick it off, but I know I shouldn't. When I was younger, I was that weird kid that liked to pick off her scabs. lol


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## iluvmyvikin (Aug 24, 2005)

aww poor baby minky!
hope she's doing better now! she's too pretty to be "hurt" in any way


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## kimmiek915 (Oct 4, 2005)

HEHE. She's okay now. I think it's the Min Pin that keeps on scratching her on her back and then she gets these cysts. I'll just have to watch them more carefully, but it's hard to get the Min Pin to stop because all it does it swat at Minky and try to jump on her back. Minky HATES it, but it's weird because they both love eachother even though they act like they don't like things that the other does. I guess it's a love hate relationship...lol.


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## iluvmyvikin (Aug 24, 2005)

thank goodness she's ok!
sometimes Freia does that jumpy thing with my mom's dog - they're the same size and Freia is one day younger than my mom's!! 
Dogs sure do the strangest things when they're together! *hehe*
Hope that Minky doesn't get any more little nasties on her back1


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## kimmiek915 (Oct 4, 2005)

HEHE. Thank you for worrying about Minky! The scab is still there, but I guess that'll fall off soon. I've been watching Minky like a hawk when she plays with the other dog, but there's really no way to stop jumping on eachother. Woe is me.... *sighs*LOL. Hope Beenie and Freia are doing well! =)


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## momto4chihuahuas (Nov 13, 2006)

Im sorry to hear that. I have never experienced that, but Im sure Minky will be just fine!!!


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## kimmiek915 (Oct 4, 2005)

I'm just waiting for the scab to fall off now...


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