My Lab puppy has abscesses. What underlying causes to worry about?

Hello. In such a young dog, I am not necessarily concerned about an internal issue such as a metabolic disease or cancer, but more so a still maturing immune system. This might just be a simple issue of boosting immunity, especially gut immunity with added probiotics. Gut-associated lymphoid tissue ( GALT ) has been getting more attention lately, both in animals & people to improve overall health. Adding a probiotic like Fortiflora may be a great idea. And to reduce skin bacteria, bathing Remy in an antibacterial shampoo, one with 4% chlorhexidine once or twice a week is recommended. It goes against convention to bathe a dog this frequently, but it is sometimes needed & it definitely cuts back on the need for oral antibiotics. Try this for a couple of months & see if the lesions stop. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Emmitt! The lesions on his leg and muzzle could be due a bacterial skin infection (often from underlying allergies), ringworm, or mange. Make sure that he is receiving a high quality flea preventative regularly, such as Nexgard, Bravecto, or K9 Advantix II since flea allergies can lead to itching and subsequent skin infections. You can also try bathing Emmitt in an antimicrobial shampoo ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27982 ), but use caution around his face and be sure to rinse and dry well. Also consider switching to stainless steel bowls rather than plastic or ceramic bowls if you aren't already using them in case the lesions on his face are related to an "acne-like" condition. Stainless steel is less porous than the other materials and tends to harbor less bacteria. If these skin lesions persist or worsen, Emmitt will need to take a trip to his vet for further evaluation. I hope that all goes well!

I am sorry to hear about your puppy! These look like they could be pustules, or little pockets of infection. We can also occasionally see things like ringworm (a fungus) cause raised lesions, or foreign bodies like grass awns that migrate into the skin and cause swelling and infection. It is definitely odd! I would recommend bringing her to a veterinarian for an exam, as she may need to have the areas drained/tested and may need antibiotics to treat this.

Skin lesions like these can be caused by bacterial, parasitic or fungal infection, dietary or environmental allergies or sensitivities, immune system disorders, or a combination of the above. Sometimes puppies like Palmer can get a type of “puppy acne” along the belly as well. If the lesions do not start to go away in the next week, or if they start getting worse, I recommend making an appointment to have Palmer seen by your veterinarian to help determine the cause of the bumps you’ve noticed and to make sure they are treated appropriately. The vet will likely want to look at a sample from the area under the microscope to determine if there is an infection and to figure out what medication is appropriate for treatment.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to know without knowing more about the case and examining him. However, if these infections are recurrent, I would have to assume that this could be due to allergies. An examination and gathering more information would help tremendously. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

The most likely cause is bacterial - called puppy impetigo. http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2111&aid=878 I suggest you get these wipes and use them on the affected area twice daily until gone. http://www.allivet.com/p-5393-douxo-chlorhexidine-3-ps-pads-for-dogs-and-cats-30.aspx Hope this helps. Best wishes!

It's likely an infection under the skin. This happens more commonly in puppies and can be treated effectively by a veterinarian. It's also possible that this is a benign growth, but much less likely. It's best to have a veterinarian examine her, because this may need to be drained. It's also possible that something is stuck under the skin, which is causing the inflammation and infection. For now it's best to hold a warm compress over the bump for 15 minutes twice a day. Do this by soaking a cloth in warm salt water and applying it the the bump. Avoid pressing or poking the bump. I hope that helps and Elie gets better soon.