Sebaceous Cyst

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

Bogey has a sebaceous cyst on his hind leg. If I squeeze it, I can get most/all the cheeselike gunk out of it. Then I put some polysporin on it for a few days.

However, it just fills right back up again. The vet took a quick look at it and said it was up to me whether I wanted it removed. I was hoping they could remove it using a local, but she said no and that he would need a general.

I'm leaning towards waiting, but I'm wondering if it will just get deeper and deeper and turn into a bigger deal to remove. It's about the size of a dime now and an 1/8 th inch deep.

Does anyone have any experience with this and has anyone ever seen them go away on their own?

[Dauxside]

They do get bigger - A completely removed cyst will not recur, though if the if there is a predisposition to cyst formation further cysts may develop in the same general area.

A common and effective method of treatment involves placement of a heat-pad directly on the cyst for about fifteen minutes, twice daily, for about 10 days (depending on size and location of the cyst).

This method works by bringing the temperature of the wax-like material inside of the cyst to a temperature at which it melts and can be reabsorbed and processed by the body as a small amount of oily fluid. This method is preferred over surgery both for reasons of associated costs and risks of surgery. This methodology is not applicable for non-sebaceous cysts, however, as other varieties of cysts do not contain the same hardened sebum deposits, and therefore do not melt to be reabsorbed by the body.

Under no circumstances must one try to pop the cyst as it can lead to infection of the surrounding tissue.

[weezyNollie]

My mom's dog had had them before, and I took a needle to it and then squeezed it all out for a few days.. and it finally went away.

The ones that recur like this are troublesome, and can get infected. And eventually they need to be removed.

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

Originally Posted by Dauxside

They do get bigger - A completely removed cyst will not recur, though if the if there is a predisposition to cyst formation further cysts may develop in the same general area.

A common and effective method of treatment involves placement of a heat-pad directly on the cyst for about fifteen minutes, twice daily, for about 10 days (depending on size and location of the cyst).

This method works by bringing the temperature of the wax-like material inside of the cyst to a temperature at which it melts and can be reabsorbed and processed by the body as a small amount of oily fluid. This method is preferred over surgery both for reasons of associated costs and risks of surgery. This methodology is not applicable for non-sebaceous cysts, however, as other varieties of cysts do not contain the same hardened sebum deposits, and therefore do not melt to be reabsorbed by the body.

Under no circumstances must one try to pop the cyst as it can lead to infection of the surrounding tissue.

Thanks, I'm starting this tonight! Hope for the best!

[Bclover92]

I hope bogey feels better and this gets fixed easy...

[Maliraptor]

I've only had one on a dog- and I had it lasered. If you know of a vet that does laser surgery- they are easy to remove with the laser, and do not come back. We did Niki's with a local, it was on his head.

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

Originally Posted by Draco

I've only had one on a dog- and I had it lasered. If you know of a vet that does laser surgery- they are easy to remove with the laser, and do not come back. We did Niki's with a local, it was on his head.

That's very interesting! How big/deep was it on his head? We have an emergency clinic in town that's also a day clinic. Maybe they would have a laser. They seem to be pretty forward thinking. I'm really trying to avoid the cost of a general.

Thanks for the tip!

[Maliraptor]

About the size of an olive- with just the tip sticking out.

[Maliraptor]

Although I should mention, he was a good patient, and I worked there, they knew that.

He taught all the new techs how to set catheters and draw blood, because I could leave him in a stay on the treatment table, and he didn'd need anyone to hold him.

So had they NOT known him, it might have been a general.

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

Dauxside - So far so good! This is the second day I've put heat on the cyst twice a day and it seems to be helping some. It is smaller and is NOT refilling with gunk. I'm keeping my fingers crossed here.

Also, the cyst is on the same leg that he's limping on and the heat seems to be helping that, too.

I'll keep you posted. Thanks!