# scabs on neck and head??



## pompomsmom (Jan 8, 2006)

I am just wondering if anyone has any insight on this. Pompom has these scabs on his jawline, neck and this morning while giving him a bath, I noticed one on his ear and one near the corner of his eye







. I thought maybe it was fleas, but he is on frontline plus (has been for a while now). I did switch (or I should say add) a new food. He was eating evengers (pheasant), and because of the scare of dog food, I added nature's variety grain-free kibble food. Could it be an allergy? He is itching there a lot. I do have an appointment with the vet today at 4pm, but would love to know if anyone knows anything about this?









Diane and itchy Pompom


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

> I am just wondering if anyone has any insight on this. Pompom has these scabs on his jawline, neck and this morning while giving him a bath, I noticed one on his ear and one near the corner of his eye
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sounds like could be allergy..if it were fleas they usually itch at the back end...there is also a lot of pollen out right now so may be do to an allergy in the air.


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

My poodle Max occasionally had scabs in the same areas. The Vet. said it was a staph infection and gave him antibiotics. Over the course of his seventeen years Max only had about four flare-ups of staph, so if it was due to allergies, it wasn't a major problem for him. I would recommend getting Pompom checked by a Vet. to see what he/she thinks. Hopefully, it's something that can be easily treated. 





Joy


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## pompomsmom (Jan 8, 2006)

Thanks Jaimie and Joy for the replies. I love this forum







. Pompom is seeing the vet today at 4pm. I'll update when I get back. Thanks again!

Diane and scabby Pompom


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## pompomsmom (Jan 8, 2006)

Well were back from the vets office. The vet was very puzzled by the bumps. It almost looks like chicken pox would on a kid. Some are red itchy bumps, some have pus in them, and some have a crust over it. He has so many, poor little guy. They are only on the top half of his body, mainly under his chin, chest area, armpits and neck. He shaved his chest to do a skin scraping, he couldn't see anything abnormal. He doesn't think it's from allergies, he said it maybe mites even though we couldn't see any.He put him on cefpodoxime 100 mg daily, for 30 days. He also said I could give him revolution (I think that's what it was!) in case it is mites. Poor Pompom, the bumps were bleeding as sonn as he would touch them with the blade. It didn't seem to hurt him though. Any other thoughts on what it could be Jaimie? I know it's almost impossible, but I would like to know what caused this! The "bumps" are also multiplying. Seems like I find new areas every few hours!

Thanks for your help,

Is there anything else I should try, like stop the nature's variety, just in case it is allergies?









Diane and Pompom


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

hard for me to say without seeing it....do u have a pic?


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## pompomsmom (Jan 8, 2006)

> hard for me to say without seeing it....do u have a pic?[/B]


Here are a couple picks. I could only get the "shaved" ones (the ones he removed for the microscope). The others are covered in hair, and almost impossible to see. 

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/fuzzy...mpomskin003.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y26/fuzzy...mpomskin001.jpg

Hope this works! I realize it is very difficult to know what it is by those picks, but it may give you an idea!

Thanks,
Diane and embarrassed Pompom


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## Linus McDuff (Jul 12, 2006)

Oh don't be embarassed Pom Pom! Linus McDuff had little spots that looked very similar last summer. One of the vets at our office initially thought it was fleas, until it spread from his tummy to his head and shoulder area. It ended up being a bacterial infection. I don't know what meds they gave him, but he took pills for about 10 days.


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

well i dunno it looks like a regular staph infection....which is usually brought on by allergies or trauma to the skin...


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## pompomsmom (Jan 8, 2006)

> well i dunno it looks like a regular staph infection....which is usually brought on by allergies or trauma to the skin...[/B]


Well I will give him the antibiotics and will stop the new food, and hopefully his skin will be back to normal soon! Thanks for your help!









Diane and "was there a pill in this cheese I just ate" Pompom


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## pompomsmom (Jan 8, 2006)

Well we are on day 2 of antibiotics. He is doing better already. No new spots appeared, and the ones there are just going to heal. I think I discovered the root of his problem. I am almost certain it was the new food. I started giving him the nature's variety, the grain free one. Well I looked at the protein content, and it is 42%







The other varieties are all I think 26%. I am sure that he just can't tolerate the high protein content. Could this be the reason of his allergy? I called the pet store and they will exchange the bag tomorrow for a different one with less protein







I hope it does the trick!

Diane and "I only itched a couple times today" Pompom


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

was the type of protein different? if they r on say chicken and switched to beef, and allergic to beef...then yes a flare up can occur..... when we put animals on food trials though they have to be on it for months sometimes for their symptoms to resolve...before the owner is convinced its the food. but most allergies are inhaled and contact allergies...not food. but who knows. the test would be when he is back to normal, to give him the other food and see if the itching begins...then u would know for sure.


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## pompomsmom (Jan 8, 2006)

> was the type of protein different? if they r on say chicken and switched to beef, and allergic to beef...then yes a flare up can occur..... when we put animals on food trials though they have to be on it for months sometimes for their symptoms to resolve...before the owner is convinced its the food. but most allergies are inhaled and contact allergies...not food. but who knows. the test would be when he is back to normal, to give him the other food and see if the itching begins...then u would know for sure.[/B]


Thanks Jaimie! Now I'm confused again!! Oh well. The new food was chicken. He was on pheasant before. I mixed the two together, never gave him the high protein food by itself (chicken). He has had chicken before with no problems. I guess it is not an allergy. I thought I read on here before that some malts can't tolerate high protein food, I think it was the evo? What would be the symptoms of not tolerating too high protein? Stomach symptoms such as loose stools? I'm sorry to keep bringing this up, I just wish I knew so it wont happen again!

Diane and "mom give it up, I'm much better now" Pompom


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

yes it would cause loose stools.....but u say he was on pheasant though...and u switched to the chicken,,,so yes that can cause a flare up...even if he had chicken before. it takes more than one exposure to cause an allergic reaction


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## pompomsmom (Jan 8, 2006)

> yes it would cause loose stools.....but u say he was on pheasant though...and u switched to the chicken,,,so yes that can cause a flare up...even if he had chicken before. it takes more than one exposure to cause an allergic reaction[/B]


It makes a lot of sense. Thank you so much for your help. I wish you lived here, I would definitely go see you as Pompom new vet! I exchanged his food for the salmon variety this am. I will introduce sslloowwllyy with the pheasant.

Diane and "I'd much prefer the can salmon daddy gives me when you're not looking" Pompom


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## pompomsmom (Jan 8, 2006)

I have to bug you with one more question Jaimie... I am supposed to drive down to my in-laws in LA this week-end and we were going to let my SIL's 15 week old maltese puppy play with Pompom. Could he transmit the staph infection to him









Diane


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

no the staph is natural skin inhabitant and when there is irritation it goes wild and spreads and causes the infection...so if all it is, is staph then u should be fine


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## pompomsmom (Jan 8, 2006)

> no the staph is natural skin inhabitant and when there is irritation it goes wild and spreads and causes the infection...so if all it is, is staph then u should be fine
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Woohoo! Thank you!!

Diane


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## Mojito's Mommy (May 3, 2007)

> Well were back from the vets office. The vet was very puzzled by the bumps. It almost looks like chicken pox would on a kid. Some are red itchy bumps, some have pus in them, and some have a crust over it. He has so many, poor little guy. They are only on the top half of his body, mainly under his chin, chest area, armpits and neck. He shaved his chest to do a skin scraping, he couldn't see anything abnormal. He doesn't think it's from allergies, he said it maybe mites even though we couldn't see any.He put him on cefpodoxime 100 mg daily, for 30 days. He also said I could give him revolution (I think that's what it was!) in case it is mites. Poor Pompom, the bumps were bleeding as sonn as he would touch them with the blade. It didn't seem to hurt him though. Any other thoughts on what it could be Jaimie? I know it's almost impossible, but I would like to know what caused this! The "bumps" are also multiplying. Seems like I find new areas every few hours!
> 
> Thanks for your help,
> 
> ...


Diane, I was just going to write here the same stuff!!! Mojito has had that for a while now, same symptoms and same places too!!! My vet said that is was a skin infection and we have him on some antibiotic now (can't tell you the exact name, later when I'm at home) but I worry that there is some allergy or some sort. To top that, last evening on our walk, he started making weird noises like he was choking and we thought he had inhaled something but he's done it this morning too. I can't tell if he can't breathe or he coughs or what? Could it be asthma? Or some mixed reactions for the allergies?


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## KandiMaltese (Mar 27, 2007)

It's called reverse sneezing, it's normal.


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## Gemma (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi Diane. Sparkey has the same thing. I usually discover them when it is already dried up. but looks the same. he has been on antibiotics ( the same one as pompom) twice for 20 days each time. they will go away within the first week. but after he is finished with the pills they come back after a week or two. My vets solution was to give him antibiotics for the rest of his life







but the kind that you give only once a week. I still don't like the idea. I don't want him to get used to it. what if he really needs them later and then they wont work. I put peroxide on them and it helps. I think I will go again and see if he thinks it might be allergies. he also does that reverse sneezing a lot.


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## bellasmommy (May 8, 2005)

Harley had a similar skin issue a while ago. I took her to the vet and she took antibiotics for a while and it healed really well. I think in Harley's case she was a little over zealous itching, but I didn't want it to get infected. I'm glad you had the scabs checked out and he's on the mend.


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## pompomsmom (Jan 8, 2006)

I forgot to recheck this thread







Pompom is off the antibiotics. His scabs are all gone, he doesn't itch as much, once in a while on his belly, or "cheek" area. I really hope it was the food, or else I don't know what caused it! I am praying they don't come back...

Diane and Pompom


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

Alex has recurrent staph infection. He only gets it around his p e n i s area. Here is an old article I have about Staph. The link I have does not work anymore. It is from the Veterinary Services of Delaware. I will just copy what it says :



_What is Staph ?_

_Staph _is a commonly used abbreviation for Staphylococcus, a group of bacteria commonly found on the skin. Dermatitis is a term that means that the skin is inflamed.

_Does Staph always cause dermatitis ?_

No. In fact, Staph is a normal resident of the skin of animals and humans; however, it is considered an opportunist. As long as the skin is healthy, Staph is dormant. But once the skin is irritated, Staph can invade the area and multiply rapidly.

_What are likely causes of this type of skin irritation?_

Scratching is the most common cause. Any disorder that causes itching can create the situation which allows Staph to become a problem. Common causes of itching include fleas, inhalant allergy, and food allergy. Irritating chemicals, such as flea and tick dips, also can cause itching.

_How is Staph dermatitis diagnosed?_

There are two typical Staph lesions. One type begins as a red area on the skin with a pimple-like pustule in the center. The other type is a circular, reddish area with a crusty edge and hair loss in the center. The latter can easily be confused with ringworm. Finding either of these skin patterns in a dog that is scratching is highly suggestive of Staph.

Confirmation can be made with cultures or skin biopsy. However, the lesions are so typical that this is usually not necessary.

_How is Staph dermatitis treated?_

This bacterium is usually sensitive to several antibiotics. The include erythromycin, enrofloxacin, amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, luncomycin, dicloxacillin and oxacillin. Since these medications can be given orally, treatment can occur at home. However, some infections may require 3-6 weeks of treatment before the infection is under control. Antibacterial shampoos and ointments can also be helpful to bring about rapid control of the infection.

The other essential part of treatment is stopping the itching and scratching. Other tests may be needed to determine the cause or causes. Frequently, more than on condition contributes to itching.

_Is my dog contagious to me or other pets?_

No. All dogs, cats, and people have Staph living on the skin as a normal resident.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

More about Staph.



_*I finished treatment for Staph dermatitis two weeks ago, and now the Staph infection is back. Why is that ?*_

This situation may be caused by an allergy to the Staph bacteria. This is called Staph hypersensitivity or Staph allergy. The skin lesions that are caused by this disease are identical to those of a Staph dermatitis. The difference is recurrence. If Staph dermatitis is treated properly, the underlying cause is eliminated and itching is stopped, the bacterial skin disease should be eliminated. This situation may return if itching returns. However, when the dog with Staph hypersensitivity is treated, the skin lesions will return within a few days or weeks.

Since differentiation of Staph dermatitis and Staph hypersensitivity is based largely on recurrence, it is very important that treatment be continued long enough. This often means a month or more of antibiotics. If not, there will still be a question of which disease is present.

_*How is Staph hypersensitivity treated?*_

Treatment begins the same as for Staph dermatitis : oral antibiotics, medicated shampooing, and whatever is necessary to stop the itching. However, long-term control is best achieved with Staph bacteria. Staph bacteria is a solution of killed Staph bacteria that is injected into the dog in very tiny amounts. This is an attempt to reprogram the dog's immune system so it does not over-react to its own bacteria. The use of Staph bacteria begins as a series of daily injections into the layers of the skin. After the initial series is completed, the injections are given subcutaneously on an interval of every 3-4 days to every 2 weeks. Since this is an ongoing treatment, it is done by you at home.

_*How successful is this?*_

Allergy shots are never successful 100% of the time, whether in dogs or in people. We expect up to 75% of the dogs to respond well.

_*What happens if Staph bacteria is not successful?*_

If your dog does not respond, it will have to be treated periodically with oral antibiotics and medicated baths. This is not the most desirable approach because Staph will often develop resistance to the antibiotics. If this occurs, a change in the specific antibiotic used will be necessary.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Since Alex's staph is only located around his pecker (some dogs can have it all over) and there are only a couple of pimples at the beginning, I try to treat it first by wiping the area and pimples with alcohol (does not hurt). I also use a mixture of essential oils in a carrier oil (lavender, chamomille, eucalyptus, tea tree, thyme). If it takes too long to go away, then and only then, I will start with the antibiotic (clavamox).


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## Gemma (Jan 19, 2006)

Thanks for the info







I am doing the same thing for now. I just keep it clean with peroxide. most of them are in the same area as Alex's pimples. I usually give Sparkey a bath every 10 days. I think I should wash him more often. I'm going to start with the malaseb shampoo. I used it couple of times. 



> The use of Staph bacteria begins as a series of daily injections into the layers of the skin. After the initial series is completed, the injections are given subcutaneously on an interval of every 3-4 days to every 2 weeks. *Since this is an ongoing treatment, it is done by you at home*.[/B]










there is no way I can do that at home.


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## pompomsmom (Jan 8, 2006)

Wow. Thanks for the info! It scares me a little though to know it may be a reccurent thing...


Diane and Pompom


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## Mojito's Mommy (May 3, 2007)

Ok so Mojito is on Clavamox. He gets .6mg every 12 hours of Clavamox. Hope it works!


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## Theresa (Mar 10, 2005)

OMG Summer's going thur the same thing under her arm pitts, on her cheast vet thought it might be bits ?? put her on antibotics too. 1st day it looks just like Pompom This is so wierd that everyones seeing this at the same time


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## starry (Sep 4, 2006)

My Lhasa had the same thing!








I swore they were ticks or flea nests







and even took her to my Holly's vet after not believeing hers at another office.
She also said it is a skin problem and gave me some itch pills and to keep on giving her the clavimox(sp?) antibiotics from the other vet.
They would bleed and itch too.








They were in the same places too, head & neck.
She is better now but Im worried this will return! She seems to be getting health problems now that she is 61/2. Like dryeye also.








She is such a good girl, I picked on her head for hours and she let me. Also at the vet she stood very still (Holly was standing on my leg trying







to see what wrong with sissy??? 
She was next with the bordetella shot.









p.s.Im glad your baby is better.


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## Mojito's Mommy (May 3, 2007)

Mojito's scabs did not go away with Clavamox the first time and then we put him on Benadryl and after i stopped it he got even more! now he has on his belly, back, chin, head!! poor thing! now he is on Clavamox again and Benadryl, all in the same time. I am suspecting it might be a heat rash, but I don't know. i will also try keeping them clean with peroxide. anybody, any advice?


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