lumps on head

[runnindawgz]

To me (of course I am not a vet) It sounds like it could be a Sebacious (sp)? Cyst - I’d have it more closely examined/ removed ... Carol, GSD’s are prone to these typed of cysts and we have had to deal with it numerous times (sounds a LOT like what you are describing) and the “sac” can change shape / size under the skin and that would cause the lump to grow... At some point the sac can burst or just become more infected so ... the skin can/will break. If it is a cyst... you must have the entire sac removed - not just have it drained .... it will most likely return if it is just drained. These things are not “dangerous” but they are also no “normal” cells, so, IMHO best to have them removed...Unfortunately, in our experience the dogs that are found to have one ...usually have multiple “lurking” beneath the skin and more than likely it has to be addressed more than once in their lives... yet, another reason our GSD “population” is not that big over here any more

[2tall]

Wow, how did this one come back? Dan, I believe you are on the money with this.. The lumps seem to change constantly, grow & shrink, point & flatten, etc. no eruption in two years, but still there. I seem to have dogs that have wierd problems. Now dealing with tendon problem in my 2 year old that Ortho surgeon has never seen and says can't be fixed.

[DarrinGreene]

Here I was, thinking u were making corrections!

[runnindawgz]

Wow, how did this one come back? Dan, I believe you are on the money with this.. The lumps seem to change constantly, grow & shrink, point & flatten, etc. no eruption in two years, but still there. I seem to have dogs that have wierd problems. Now dealing with tendon problem in my 2 year old that Ortho surgeon has never seen and says can't be fixed.

Not sure what you mean by: “how did this one come back?”

A cyst is like a pocket ... if you do not remove the pocket/sac ... and simply drain it- it will likely re-fill.

Sometimes even if you DO remove the whole pocket (or a vet can not get the whole thing because of placement etc...) ... the dog may just be prone to having Cysts and new ones will form...

The last time we have one removed the vet did a great job ... about a year later in a close but not the same exact location a new cyst pocket formed.

[2tall]

Danielle, don't know if you noticed but the thread started a year ago. That's what I meant by "coming back" I had asked my vet about removing it, and he just did not seem at all concerned. Unfortunately, we have other vet things going on now that kind of eclipse the lumpy head.

[duk4me]

I'm pretty sure she was refererring to this being almost a year old thread.

[runnindawgz]

OK - got it now .... none the less I am NOT a vet so I;d have it checked, if it is a cyst.... it won’t “kill” him but as I mentioned, we do like to have them removed entirely when possible. Once we had one rupture and cause more headache than need be.

[Rhenee Fadling]

I've had a couple of dealing w/ lumps on heads - biting flies would bite the top of Gordie's head, a lump would form, hair would fall out, a scab would form in spot and get kind of "weepy" and then it would heal, this happened to him several times over our first summer in NE Nebraska.

A friend's lab had a seed enter his body through his eye and work it's way to the top of his skull. The seed moved around on his head and finally traveled somewhere in his body, similar to a porcupine quill, only it never surfaced again.