My 7-week-old puppy has red flaky bumps on her head. What are they?

I would guess from your description that these might either be from a bacterial skin infection like puppy pyoderma, or folliculitis. Both of these problems will sometimes resolve without treatment if they are mild enough. I would not recommend picking at any skin lesion. If they are not resolving in the next week or so, or if Hummel seems itchy or begins losing hair I’d recommend seeing your veterinarian.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is a little difficult to say what the bumps may be without seeing a photo. These may be the result of a bacterial skin infection, mange, or be growths. I recommend having Bonita seen by a vet if these bumps do not resolve on their own in the next few days. You can also try using antibacterial wipes for dogs, which are available in most pet stores on the area to keep it clean. I hope this helps and that all is well with Bonita!

It is possible that they are small wounds/ scabs from the puppies playing rough with each other. I commonly see play wounds on puppies. However, other possibilities such as skin infections, ringworm, and mites are all possibilities. Best of luck and enjoy your new puppy! Thank you for using Pet Coach!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I suspect these may be local skin infections or infection of hair follicle. These kind of problems happen to some puppies and they often go away once the puppy gets older. You could try and use antibiotic cream or ointment on the skin for 7-10 days - it will likely help. However, the skin problem may come back a few weeks later.

It is difficult to say for sure with just a picture but it looks like a pustule. This is common in puppies and is called puppy pyoderma. It will usually heal on its in it occasionally they will get more of them and will need oral antibiotics. Watch it closely and make sure it isn't getting bigger and make sure more aren't coming up. Also make sure she is eating, drinking and playing normally.

The bumps could be an allergic dermatitis from fleas, insect bites, etc. It could also be a bacterial infection, even if you aren't seeing any purulent material. You could bathe him with a dog shampoo, like Epi-soothe, and see if that helps. Otherwise, he should be seen by a vet for treatment. He may need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, corticosteroid, of other medication to help.

With his age I would be concerned about puppy pyoderma (bacterial skin infection common in young dogs) but a type of mange and secondary bacterial infection is also possible. If this is mange then his skin won't clear without treating both diseases. There is also a possibility of ringworm. Your veterinarian could do an exam and go over in detail the tests for those diseases and treatment options. Alternatively some try an OTC pet medicated shampoo but if the skin doesn't clear up then a visit to the veterinarian is needed.