My 3-month-old puppy has small bumps on her skin. Is it an emergency?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a focal infection. You can try to use a medicated shampoo containing chlorhexidine twice weekly for 2 weeks. If there is no improvement or in the meantime this appears to be getting worse, have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. This does not appear to be an emergency. Good luck and have a good night!

I am so sorry Pretty Girl is going through this. On her belly it looks like a little skin infection but on her side it looks like hives. If this just started today I would take her to an emergency veterinarian for a possible allergic reaction. If this has been going on for a few days call your regular veterinarian tomorrow. If you wait then during the night if the bumps that look like hives get worse, her face swells or she has difficulty breathing then take her to an emergency veterinarian asap. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

These lumps are not typical of a flea allergy dermatitis. That typically is just a superficial rash with itching, hair loss, scabs, etc. These lumps are concerning. Your pet may have developed abscesses which are deeper infections that form pockets of pus or infectious fluid. This is worth a trip to the vet for a recheck. I do not feel that it is a life threatening emergency, but it should be addressed by your veterinarian as soon as regular business hours resume. Your pet may need prescription antibiotics, the lumps may need to be aspirated or checked with a needle and if they are full of pus, they should be drained. Please have your vet recheck him as soon as possible,

There are a few possibilities as to what this could be on Ruby. In a younger dog benign masses called histocytomas are possible. These generally regress with time. However, masses like mast cell tumors can also present this way. Mast cell tumors can be problematic and need to be surgically removed. Mast cell tumors also release histamine so please do not continue to try to squeeze this growth. Some other causes of this (although probably less likely) are cysts or infections. I recommend taking Ruby to see your veterinarian so that a sample of cells from the mass can be obtained. This will help in diagnosing the growth and in deciding if it needs to be removed surgically. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope this turns out to be a benign issue for Ruby.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a focal infection. You can try to use a medicated shampoo containing chlorhexidine twice weekly for 2 weeks. If there is no improvement or in the meantime this appears to be getting worse, have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good day!

Poor Odyssi! The red pimple-like lesions that you are seeing could be related to a skin infection or contact reaction to insect bites (mosquitoes, fleas, etc.). A trip to the vet is in order to further assess these lesions, as antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medications are likely needed. At this point, make sure that she is receiving a high quality flea and tick preventative (such as Nexgard, Bravecto or Advantix) regularly. You can also bathe her in a gentle oatmeal-based shampoo (unless you are using topical flea control). If Odyssi seems overly itchy, put an e-collar (cone) on her until her vet appointment. If you do not have an e-collar at home, this link provides tips on making one: http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html. I hope that all goes well!

I think its time for Skye to see the veterinarian. If the at home treatments aren't working after a few days or if things are getting worse, the doctor is needed as she has medications to clear the rash. Those spots on Skye's belly are all little bacterial infections. Puppies commonly them and they typically respond well to antibiotics. I hope this answers your questions!