YorkieTalk.com Forums - Yorkshire Terrier Community - View Single Post - Thought it was fleas...now pustules and brown spots?

Firefly27 · 09-26-2012, 04:58 PM

Yorkie - 3.5 years old, 8lbs, up to date on all shots, on monthly flea medication.
Appetite and energy is normal, if not a bit lethargic cuz I have her cooped up to monitor it but she jumps at the chance to play immediately and with the same vigor and stamina.

Last weekend I noticed a single flea on her. We gave her a medicated flea bath and started cleaning house. This weekend I spotted another single flea. Another flea bath. Meanwhile mid week she started to develop what I assumed was flea dirt - excessively on her belly and in her arm pits (not in her hair, does not flake off onto a paper towel or a sheet, cannot comb it out, etc). She also started to develop solid, slightly crusted/scabbed, dark brown spots with lots of mini spots around them. Yesterday I noticed pustules forming on her lower abdomen, today two on her vulva. More of these brown crusted spots have developed around her groin. She is licking her groin (thus the wet hair and spots you can see in the pictures below), she scratches her arm pits, and she nibbles on her hips. It does not bother her to touch these spots, or any other place on her skin. I tried to wash off the "flea dirt" but it took a good rub and it flaked off like scabs, and did not turn reddish like normal flea dirt either.

I am still assuming I have a flea problem and have already been in the process of cleaning down the house daily. However I am unsure of the brown spots and pustules as I've never seen them before. I'd like an idea before I head into the vet as my dog currently sees one that likes to do all sorts of tests and I'd like to limit them to relevancy for the sake of my pocket book.

(Roommates dog apparently has an ear infection but I do not know the details. Says he is cleaning the dogs ears nightly with medication.)

Some picture links if it helps:

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...s/IMAG2549.jpg
Above: Shows the armpit "dirt" and the most formulated crusted spot with little spots around it. Not raised, not painful or itchy to her.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...eiahealth1.jpg
Above: Blue - Similar brown spots and dots, Red - Pustules forming, Green - "flea dirt?"

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...s/IMAG2552.jpg
Above: Pustule and spots around groin. Several sites said not to try the dog hair down if there's a dermatological problem until identified so I've let it go this week but she keeps licking it.

Thanks for any input ahead of time.

09-26-2012, 04:58 PM	#1
Firefly27 YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Philadelphia, PA, USA Posts: 1	Thought it was fleas...now pustules and brown spots? Yorkie - 3.5 years old, 8lbs, up to date on all shots, on monthly flea medication. Appetite and energy is normal, if not a bit lethargic cuz I have her cooped up to monitor it but she jumps at the chance to play immediately and with the same vigor and stamina. Last weekend I noticed a single flea on her. We gave her a medicated flea bath and started cleaning house. This weekend I spotted another single flea. Another flea bath. Meanwhile mid week she started to develop what I assumed was flea dirt - excessively on her belly and in her arm pits (not in her hair, does not flake off onto a paper towel or a sheet, cannot comb it out, etc). She also started to develop solid, slightly crusted/scabbed, dark brown spots with lots of mini spots around them. Yesterday I noticed pustules forming on her lower abdomen, today two on her vulva. More of these brown crusted spots have developed around her groin. She is licking her groin (thus the wet hair and spots you can see in the pictures below), she scratches her arm pits, and she nibbles on her hips. It does not bother her to touch these spots, or any other place on her skin. I tried to wash off the "flea dirt" but it took a good rub and it flaked off like scabs, and did not turn reddish like normal flea dirt either. I am still assuming I have a flea problem and have already been in the process of cleaning down the house daily. However I am unsure of the brown spots and pustules as I've never seen them before. I'd like an idea before I head into the vet as my dog currently sees one that likes to do all sorts of tests and I'd like to limit them to relevancy for the sake of my pocket book. (Roommates dog apparently has an ear infection but I do not know the details. Says he is cleaning the dogs ears nightly with medication.) Some picture links if it helps: http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...s/IMAG2549.jpg Above: Shows the armpit "dirt" and the most formulated crusted spot with little spots around it. Not raised, not painful or itchy to her. http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...eiahealth1.jpg Above: Blue - Similar brown spots and dots, Red - Pustules forming, Green - "flea dirt?" http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d5...s/IMAG2552.jpg Above: Pustule and spots around groin. Several sites said not to try the dog hair down if there's a dermatological problem until identified so I've let it go this week but she keeps licking it. Thanks for any input ahead of time.