Overview 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. All dogs and cats can get sebaceous cysts, whether purebred or not. The cysts look like enclosed small bumps that stay whitish in color and are raised from the skin. When touched, they feel like small circular or oval lumps under the skin. Symptoms Diagnosis/Treatment Prevention If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian – they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets. Treatment will depend upon the state of the cysts, the number of cysts, and the health condition of your beloved pet. If the cyst appears to be relatively new in appearance, you and the veterinary caregiver may take a wait and see approach, which basically means delaying any further treatment until the cyst, if it does, develops. At a later time, the veterinarian may choose to open and drain the cyst and treat it with a topical medication. If the cyst has ruptured by the time you make the visit to the clinic, the veterinarian may decide to treat any inflammation or infection that is present, and then surgically remove the cyst. Sometimes a cyst might need to be treated for infection first, and then when that is cleared up, have a surgical procedure for removal. If a cyst is found to be a malignant adenocarcinoma, chemotherapy and radiation will most likely follow the best option, which is surgery. It should be noted that with sebaceous gland overgrowth or adenoma, recurrence is common. The prognosis of removal is usually good, but the recurrence factor must be kept in mind. Also, if many cysts are present, removal is not an easy task. Top Page 2Treatment will depend upon the state of the cysts, the number of cysts, and the health condition of your beloved pet. If the cyst appears to be relatively new in appearance, you and the veterinary caregiver may take a wait and see approach, which basically means delaying any further treatment until the cyst, if it does, develops. At a later time, the veterinarian may choose to open and drain the cyst and treat it with a topical medication. If the cyst has ruptured by the time you make the visit to the clinic, the veterinarian may decide to treat any inflammation or infection that is present, and then surgically remove the cyst. Sometimes a cyst might need to be treated for infection first, and then when that is cleared up, have a surgical procedure for removal. If a cyst is found to be a malignant adenocarcinoma, chemotherapy and radiation will most likely follow the best option, which is surgery. It should be noted that with sebaceous gland overgrowth or adenoma, recurrence is common. The prognosis of removal is usually good, but the recurrence factor must be kept in mind. Also, if many cysts are present, removal is not an easy task. Top Page 3Treatment will depend upon the state of the cysts, the number of cysts, and the health condition of your beloved pet. If the cyst appears to be relatively new in appearance, you and the veterinary caregiver may take a wait and see approach, which basically means delaying any further treatment until the cyst, if it does, develops. At a later time, the veterinarian may choose to open and drain the cyst and treat it with a topical medication. If the cyst has ruptured by the time you make the visit to the clinic, the veterinarian may decide to treat any inflammation or infection that is present, and then surgically remove the cyst. Sometimes a cyst might need to be treated for infection first, and then when that is cleared up, have a surgical procedure for removal. If a cyst is found to be a malignant adenocarcinoma, chemotherapy and radiation will most likely follow the best option, which is surgery. It should be noted that with sebaceous gland overgrowth or adenoma, recurrence is common. The prognosis of removal is usually good, but the recurrence factor must be kept in mind. Also, if many cysts are present, removal is not an easy task. Top Page 4Treatment will depend upon the state of the cysts, the number of cysts, and the health condition of your beloved pet. If the cyst appears to be relatively new in appearance, you and the veterinary caregiver may take a wait and see approach, which basically means delaying any further treatment until the cyst, if it does, develops. At a later time, the veterinarian may choose to open and drain the cyst and treat it with a topical medication. If the cyst has ruptured by the time you make the visit to the clinic, the veterinarian may decide to treat any inflammation or infection that is present, and then surgically remove the cyst. Sometimes a cyst might need to be treated for infection first, and then when that is cleared up, have a surgical procedure for removal. If a cyst is found to be a malignant adenocarcinoma, chemotherapy and radiation will most likely follow the best option, which is surgery. It should be noted that with sebaceous gland overgrowth or adenoma, recurrence is common. The prognosis of removal is usually good, but the recurrence factor must be kept in mind. Also, if many cysts are present, removal is not an easy task. Top Page 5Treatment will depend upon the state of the cysts, the number of cysts, and the health condition of your beloved pet. If the cyst appears to be relatively new in appearance, you and the veterinary caregiver may take a wait and see approach, which basically means delaying any further treatment until the cyst, if it does, develops. At a later time, the veterinarian may choose to open and drain the cyst and treat it with a topical medication. If the cyst has ruptured by the time you make the visit to the clinic, the veterinarian may decide to treat any inflammation or infection that is present, and then surgically remove the cyst. Sometimes a cyst might need to be treated for infection first, and then when that is cleared up, have a surgical procedure for removal. If a cyst is found to be a malignant adenocarcinoma, chemotherapy and radiation will most likely follow the best option, which is surgery. It should be noted that with sebaceous gland overgrowth or adenoma, recurrence is common. The prognosis of removal is usually good, but the recurrence factor must be kept in mind. Also, if many cysts are present, removal is not an easy task. Top Page 6Treatment will depend upon the state of the cysts, the number of cysts, and the health condition of your beloved pet. If the cyst appears to be relatively new in appearance, you and the veterinary caregiver may take a wait and see approach, which basically means delaying any further treatment until the cyst, if it does, develops. At a later time, the veterinarian may choose to open and drain the cyst and treat it with a topical medication. If the cyst has ruptured by the time you make the visit to the clinic, the veterinarian may decide to treat any inflammation or infection that is present, and then surgically remove the cyst. Sometimes a cyst might need to be treated for infection first, and then when that is cleared up, have a surgical procedure for removal. If a cyst is found to be a malignant adenocarcinoma, chemotherapy and radiation will most likely follow the best option, which is surgery. It should be noted that with sebaceous gland overgrowth or adenoma, recurrence is common. The prognosis of removal is usually good, but the recurrence factor must be kept in mind. Also, if many cysts are present, removal is not an easy task. Top Page 7Treatment will depend upon the state of the cysts, the number of cysts, and the health condition of your beloved pet. If the cyst appears to be relatively new in appearance, you and the veterinary caregiver may take a wait and see approach, which basically means delaying any further treatment until the cyst, if it does, develops. At a later time, the veterinarian may choose to open and drain the cyst and treat it with a topical medication. If the cyst has ruptured by the time you make the visit to the clinic, the veterinarian may decide to treat any inflammation or infection that is present, and then surgically remove the cyst. Sometimes a cyst might need to be treated for infection first, and then when that is cleared up, have a surgical procedure for removal. If a cyst is found to be a malignant adenocarcinoma, chemotherapy and radiation will most likely follow the best option, which is surgery. It should be noted that with sebaceous gland overgrowth or adenoma, recurrence is common. The prognosis of removal is usually good, but the recurrence factor must be kept in mind. Also, if many cysts are present, removal is not an easy task. Top Page 8Treatment will depend upon the state of the cysts, the number of cysts, and the health condition of your beloved pet. If the cyst appears to be relatively new in appearance, you and the veterinary caregiver may take a wait and see approach, which basically means delaying any further treatment until the cyst, if it does, develops. At a later time, the veterinarian may choose to open and drain the cyst and treat it with a topical medication. If the cyst has ruptured by the time you make the visit to the clinic, the veterinarian may decide to treat any inflammation or infection that is present, and then surgically remove the cyst. Sometimes a cyst might need to be treated for infection first, and then when that is cleared up, have a surgical procedure for removal. If a cyst is found to be a malignant adenocarcinoma, chemotherapy and radiation will most likely follow the best option, which is surgery. It should be noted that with sebaceous gland overgrowth or adenoma, recurrence is common. The prognosis of removal is usually good, but the recurrence factor must be kept in mind. Also, if many cysts are present, removal is not an easy task. Top Page 9Treatment will depend upon the state of the cysts, the number of cysts, and the health condition of your beloved pet. If the cyst appears to be relatively new in appearance, you and the veterinary caregiver may take a wait and see approach, which basically means delaying any further treatment until the cyst, if it does, develops. At a later time, the veterinarian may choose to open and drain the cyst and treat it with a topical medication. If the cyst has ruptured by the time you make the visit to the clinic, the veterinarian may decide to treat any inflammation or infection that is present, and then surgically remove the cyst. Sometimes a cyst might need to be treated for infection first, and then when that is cleared up, have a surgical procedure for removal. If a cyst is found to be a malignant adenocarcinoma, chemotherapy and radiation will most likely follow the best option, which is surgery. It should be noted that with sebaceous gland overgrowth or adenoma, recurrence is common. The prognosis of removal is usually good, but the recurrence factor must be kept in mind. Also, if many cysts are present, removal is not an easy task. Top Page 10Treatment will depend upon the state of the cysts, the number of cysts, and the health condition of your beloved pet. If the cyst appears to be relatively new in appearance, you and the veterinary caregiver may take a wait and see approach, which basically means delaying any further treatment until the cyst, if it does, develops. At a later time, the veterinarian may choose to open and drain the cyst and treat it with a topical medication. If the cyst has ruptured by the time you make the visit to the clinic, the veterinarian may decide to treat any inflammation or infection that is present, and then surgically remove the cyst. Sometimes a cyst might need to be treated for infection first, and then when that is cleared up, have a surgical procedure for removal. If a cyst is found to be a malignant adenocarcinoma, chemotherapy and radiation will most likely follow the best option, which is surgery. It should be noted that with sebaceous gland overgrowth or adenoma, recurrence is common. The prognosis of removal is usually good, but the recurrence factor must be kept in mind. Also, if many cysts are present, removal is not an easy task. Top Page 11Treatment will depend upon the state of the cysts, the number of cysts, and the health condition of your beloved pet. If the cyst appears to be relatively new in appearance, you and the veterinary caregiver may take a wait and see approach, which basically means delaying any further treatment until the cyst, if it does, develops. At a later time, the veterinarian may choose to open and drain the cyst and treat it with a topical medication. If the cyst has ruptured by the time you make the visit to the clinic, the veterinarian may decide to treat any inflammation or infection that is present, and then surgically remove the cyst. Sometimes a cyst might need to be treated for infection first, and then when that is cleared up, have a surgical procedure for removal. If a cyst is found to be a malignant adenocarcinoma, chemotherapy and radiation will most likely follow the best option, which is surgery. It should be noted that with sebaceous gland overgrowth or adenoma, recurrence is common. The prognosis of removal is usually good, but the recurrence factor must be kept in mind. Also, if many cysts are present, removal is not an easy task. Top |