Hi,

We have a seven year old Collie x Goldie who has had a lump on her back for the past eighteen months.  We had it looked at by a vet who said it was a sebaceous cyst and nothing to worry about.  Last week we had a different vet look at it as it had been getting irritated by the new puppy.  She drained the cyst and told us we may have to wash it for the naxt few days.

That evening it looked to have filled again so I just drained it through the same hole as before (must add that she shows no sign of this hurting her!).  The fluid that came out was like blood mixed with oil but when i looked up these cysts on the net it said they contain a sort of cheesy substance.  I drained and bathed it for the next couple of days and then left it two days.  Then i was just sort of poking at it and it started weeping from a different place, not from the original incision as you would expect?!

Does anyone know anything about these, she only has one, I know that it is common to have multiple.  any info on this icky subject would be great.

Thank you :)
Lesley

It sounds as though it may have become infected. I would take her back to the vet, she may need ABs. It may be OK, but better safe than sorry!

Possibly,  it's not really showing any signs of being infected, no smell or pus as such and no discomfort.  the discharge is the same as when the vet drained it and she said that is was fine then.  the small cut she made has healed very quickly and cleanly and the lump doesn't look red at all.

It also doesn't weep constantly, only when you squeeze it fairly firmly.  Perhaps i should just leave it alone!  I just think it seems to keep filling up again.  Could this be excess oil?

Will take her back to vets if it looks dodgy at all but at the mo its pretty much the same as when we took her last.

Thanks for the feedback :)

Lesley

These occur quite often in my breed (and in GSD's I have been told).  There is a very good non invasive method of removing them which avoids GA and shaving and cutting them about.

The vet opens the cyst with a needle (as they appear to have done) drain the cyst and they then use forceps to pull out the lining of the cyst, and trim this away, putting in a stitch if th cyst was large, or even using skin glue.  Usually antibiotics are given.  This takes care of this cyst for good, but a dog with a tendency to them is likely to get new ones from time to time.  Some never conme to a head, and if small are best left alone.

I did have the method written by a US Vet owning our breed, but saadly lost it when I had computer problems.

When I recently did a search on the Net I found the method I discribed but it was trefering to thesecysts in people being treated this way, couldn't locate a veterinary reference.

Here is the site I mentioned.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20020401/1409.html

Most vets opt for surgical excision as it is less fiddly, but it is more invasive has to have GA, and costs you a lot more, and it takes months for the hair to grow back.

My dog has had several cysts and it sound like the one on your dog is infected.    She has had to have two removed because they kept weeping.