My puppy has green/white pus-filled skin sores. What's the cause?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her 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!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From what I can tell via your photo, this looks a lot like puppy pyoderma-a very common condition among young dogs. Essentially, these are "pimples" for puppies and usually caused by staph bacteria. I will usually try to rule out any underlying flea problem resulting in pustules, etc when I see these patients. If I see nothing else of concern I will usually prescribe antibiotics for 10-14 days at which point the breakout has usually cleared up. I would recommend seeing your vet to do these things as well-Lala will be much more comfortable without pustules. I hope this helps!

These are likely two spots of superficial skin infection, likely to be caused by a bacteria. A check up, appropriate disinfection and antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. If there is a solid lump underneath them, a biopsy should be ideally taken under local or general anesthetic, otherwise a smaller sample through a fine needle can be aspirated (this technique is called FNA= fine needle aspiration). Disinfection can eventually be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking/scratching. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Those look like pustules (pockets of infection). Luna probably has a bacterial skin infection. This is common in puppies because they do not have a strong immune system. I recommend taking Luna to a vet for a closer look and antibiotics. Good luck and kisses to Luna!

Rosie should see a veterinarian for a skin scrape in order to determine if she has Demodex. This is a mange mite that is most common in young puppies and presents with hair loss, red skin and pustules like you see in the photo. There are several very successful treatment options for this. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Stella. I am glad that she will be seeing her veterinarian. She may have created an open wound from scratching due to the fleas. Is there any chance she could have been bitten by another pet? This can result in a similar wound. She will likely need oral antibiotics. Her veterinarian will assess the wound. If it is superficial, it can be managed with antibiotics and possibly a cleansing solution. Deep wounds sometimes need surgery. Do not allow her to scratch the area if at all possible. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely either due to mites or allergies. I highly recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to diagnose this so that therapy can be started. Best of luck!