Last week I found a small cyst on Maggie’s back in between her shoulder blades which was about the size of a dime?  I made an appointment to see our vet and he explained it was a pimple that would keep getting bigger and eventually rupture. It had to come out.  What worried me was that it felt hard but Dr. Brown assured me it was not cancer.  Thank goodness!  We scheduled her surgery on Friday morning and I was able to pick her up by 2:00.  She literally bounced out of the office and was ready to go home!  She did amazing except for her eyes. I could tell she wasn’t 100% just by the way her eyes looked; watery and glassy looking.  She got home and slept for 3 hours, got up, ate, drank, and was asleep in her bed again. Saturday morning you would have never known she had surgery if you didn’t see her stitches!

As it turns out, he was glad we took it out because for one, it is easier to remove when smaller and it was growing nodules on it.  He described it as looking like a bunch of grapes.  Sebaceous cysts appear as a single raised bump that may seem white or slightly blue in color. If it bursts, it will ooze a grayish white, brownish, or cottage-cheese-like discharge. These cysts usually develop on the head, neck, torso, or upper legs.

A sebaceous cyst can develop when a hair follicle or skin pore gets blocked by dirt, debris, or scar tissue, or as the result of an infection.  Sebaceous cysts are basically very large pimples that are usually harmless to your pet. If left alone, they could resolve without treatment, but many tend to recur.  A sebaceous cyst is a small lump or bump under the skin. This type of cyst is not cancerous.  Usually a sebaceous cyst grows very slowly and doesn’t cause pain. However, they can become inflamed or infected, with the overlying skin becoming red, tender, and sore.

How much does it cost to remove a Sebaceous Cyst?

Their cost is typically confined to the price of the annual fine-needle aspirate, which usually costs anywhere from $20 to $100. Surgical removal, however, can prove pricey especially given that these tumors have a high degree of post-op complications. Owners should expect to pay anywhere from $200 to $500 per mass.

At the discretion of our vet, Laser Therapy was performed on Maggie after surgery was completed.  This can help aid in the recovery process by reducing inflammation, stimulating tissue healing, and providing pain relief.  I had to sign a consent form in order to allow this.  They instructed me that should the wound look pussy, swollen, or red after surgery, to use Neosporin on it.  The cost of her surgery totaled $175.00.

After surgery?

Because Maggie received an anesthetic, I was instructed to confine her, restrict water intake to small amounts for a 24 hour period, restrict food intake small amounts; 1/3 normal ration the evening of surgery.  Because anesthetic can lower body temperature, make sure you keep your pup someplace where they will be warm and dry.  Maggie was all snuggled up in her blanket on the couch and on her bed.

I’m happy to report that Maggie is doing amazing and we will return to the vet in 2 weeks to have her stitches removed!