Bald spot and swollen nipple

I've done a search of the forum and can't find anything so I thought I'd register and post.

I have a 2yr old female spayed dsh I brought home from the racetrack last fall. She was just a stray dropped off outside the barn area as a kitten by someone.

Today I noticed when she was laying on her back in the sun she has a bald spot a little smaller than the size of a quarter around one of her nipples. Her nipple is also a little swollen.

I have not noticed her lick the area any more than she licks the rest of her body. She grooms herself regularly I haven't noticed her excessively grooming any part of her body. She eats regularly, and uses the litter box regularly. Anyone have any idea of what it could be? Thanks for your thoughts.

it could be a benign cyst. They're not that uncommon.

It could also be an abcess though. Even though she's not messing with it I would take her to the vet anyway. It could even be a tumor, if it is, you'll want to have it removed as quickly as possible.
If it's either of the latter, time is of the essence.

does she have a fever?

I agree. Always best to have the vet take a look to be on the safe side.

PS - Thanks for rescuing your kitty and giving her such a loving, attentive home!

Thanks for the input

I'm calling the vet for an appt tomorrow, I had a friend who has owned cats all her life look at her, she doesn't see anything wrong with them (they're not odviously infected or leaking discharge); and there's no other signs of trouble, she's eating, playing, sleeping, grooming herself and voiding herself like normal, well formed stools, no blood or worms that I can see. But she's not a vet either.

I just don't want to look like an idiot going in there and being told "those are her nipples dummy, that'll be $100 for your anatomy lesson" lol

I'll post the diagnosis when I get it.

the only stupid question is the one that goes unasked.

good luck

We went to the vet today. The verdict ... drum roll please ... mammary hyperplasia.

The swelling is her glands swelling which is the 1st sign of heat ... before the yowling for a mate starts.

Either Shania's getting hormones from a left behind ovary ... as she has a scar where a spaying scar should be ... or she's not spayed at all and that scar is from a fight and just happens to be in the same spot as a spaying scar. If her overies and uturis was underdeveloped when the spaying was done then one could have been missed.

She's booked for surgery on April 1st.