scab on back of neck

Question
I have a 3 year old min pin. He was ran over at 6 months old and suffered a broken leg. We got pins put in it and hes fine now. About a year ago I noticed he had a lump on the left side of his neck with swelling. I took him to the vet they drained it and said it was just fluid from a possible injury. Where the lump was is now a scab and will not grow his hair there anymore. two weeks ago, I noticed his right side of his neck was swollen. i felt around and noticed a nickle size lump. After applying ice and warm washcloths it went back to its normal size. However, a scab formed at the site and now there is no hair there. What do you think is going on? What should I do? Will he be okay? Im very worried. He acts fine. The only thing that touches his neck is his collar and i do hook im up to a leash to potty which sometimes he applies pressure when he sees other dogs etc. Other than that i dont know what could cause this.

Answer
Mandy -

Have your dog evaluated by a veterinary professional. Often, if enough damage is done to the hair follicle, then the hair will not be able to grow back.  The small lump you felt may have been the beginning of an abscess, but it is difficult to for me to tell without me examining her.  


If you remove the collar from the dog and allow the hair to grow you may see a change in the skin.   Have your dog evaluated by a veterinarian to determine if he needs further diagnostics.


Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM