Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi Dr. Tobin,

Are there anything I can do to treat a cyst (a bit smaller than a golf ball) on my dog's side? He's a 4-year old Husky. No pain. His active level and appetite are the same as before. The vet said that I could leave it alone, but I wonder if I could do something about in any natural ways.

Thank you.

You didn't say what kind of cyst it is. If it is fluid-filled, draining it with a needle will only cause it to deflate, but since the secretory cells remain, it will quickly refill. Your vet would need to remove the fluid-secreting cells to eliminate it completely.

If it is a sebaceous cyst with a wart-like growth, you could tie it off so that the enlargement loses its blood supply. I find that a zip tie works well if it large enough to encircle the base of the cyst, but you need to tighten it each day. If you have any doubts, leave it for your vet.