Maltese on prednisone: new red skin spots. Is it an infection?

That picture looks like a pretty severe reaction, so I would recommend having your veterinarian examine it just to be on the safe side. Anytime new areas develop while a dog is already on Prednisone, it is worth having them evaluated. Good luck! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

That is quite an unusual lesion. Has your vet consulted a dermatologist regarding that? Given the history of autoimmune disease and immunosuppressive medication options could include calcinosis cutis secondary to the steroids, a fungal (or atypical bacterial) infection, drug eruption, etc. There are higher risks for complications with certain drugs and for certain infectious agents in different parts of the country. Sampling is likely indicated (cytology or biopsy, culture) and i would definitely recommend getting the input of a dermatologist before it progresses. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

If the skin lesions became worse on prednisone one has to seriously consider that these lesions may be caused by mange mites. Your vet would need to take a skin scraping and hope to find a mite in the scraping (this is not easy). Mange mites do emit a sort of sweetish odor, so this would be another giveaway. Of course this could also be caused by a fungus or bacterial infection, however the lesions should have improved with the antibiotics given. You will need to take Buster back to your veterinarian for a recheck.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! From your pictures I think the crusts are epidermal collarettes which are the end results of a pustule. A pustule usually indicates a bacterial skin infection. Skin infections can be from allergies due to food or the environment. Ideally oral antibiotics are used to clear bacterial skin infections. If she is also itchy then we prescribe medications to helps that as well. Below is a medicated shampoo that may help. I recommend bathing 2-3 times per week and allowing the lather to sit on for 10 mins on the affected areas before rinsing. If the skin doesn't improve I recommend a Vet exam. I wish Bella a speedy recovery! https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27306

Poor Guy! He could have an allergic dermatitis and a skin infection. He definitely needs to be examined and treated by a vet. If your vet is not able to manage the condition then you could take him to a veterinary dermatologist. I am not sure what medications he has been prescribed in the past, but it looks like he needs an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory. You could also talk to you vet about trying a new allergy medication called Apoquel or Cytopoint to see if that helps, too. Your vet could also do a skin scrape and/or biopsy of his skin to help rule out other potential causes. Hope he gets some relief soon!

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach! It is difficult to say without pictures what is going on with Casper. With your description, I would suspect either a skin infection (bacterial or fungal) or skin tumors. I would suggest having Casper examined by a veterinarian to further determine what these spots may be in order to get Casper the most appropriate treatment. Please feel free to contact me with any other questions or concerns you may have. I am also available via phone or text consultation.

Based on your description and her age, I personally would not recommend steroids for this skin infection. Express your concerns to the vet and consider not giving the steroids going forward. Often-times a topical spray that contains a steroid is helpful and not as much of an issue as oral steroids can be. The antibiotics alone however should take care of her skin condition if this is just a bacterial pyoderma. I hope that this helps! Best of luck with your pet Molly moving forward. Take care.