My 9-week-old puppy has a whitehead on her whisker. What should I do?

Your puppy may have a swelling from trauma, an abscess, infection, or an allergic reaction. It is very difficult to say what is causing the problem without seeing an image. I would suggest leaving it alone for now and see if it changes over the course of the next few hours. If it appears itchy you can give her a single dose of Benadryl at 1mg per pound. If there is no improvement I suggest taking her to the veterinarian.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. This could even be an abscess. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be a benign or malignant growth. This could even be an infection. This cannot be completely assessed just by looking at pictures or reading a description and usually requires sampling such as fine needle aspiration to determine its origin. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good night!

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!

Looks like that might be an infected hair follicle. It if doesn't seem to be bothering her, its reasonable to just leave it alone for a week or so; clean it with dilute Betadine (povidone iodine available at any pharmacy)- dilute it so it looks like tea and then use a cotton swab to clean it once a day. If its not improving after a week, I would recommend that you take her to the vet. It may need some antibiotics. Its also possible that its a mass of some kind (possibly cancerous) though that seems unlikely due to her young age. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

It could be an infected hair foillicle, cyst, or a mass. Have your vet take a look at it to determine the cause. Your vet can do a needle aspirate to help diagnose and then determine if treatment is needed. He may just need an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory to treat.

It may be localized infection or inflammation. Keep the area clean and dry. If you see him rubbing or pawing at his muzzle, place an e-collar (cone) on him. This, along with the cleaning, may be enough to allow healing. If not, have Felipe examined by your veterinarian upon your return or a vet on your travels if it worsens. It could be travel stress related as well.