How to Treat Puppy Skin Problems

Unlike adult dogs, puppies are susceptible to a number of common skin problems due to their skin's sensitive nature. Knowing what to look for and how to prevent problems before they occur is the first step in keeping your puppy’s skin healthy and soft. With a few easy treatments and environmental considerations, you can effectively reverse many skin problems.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Check the soft skin on the belly of your puppy for bumps or scabs that signal a pyroderma infection. Often caused by damp and dirty living quarters, wash and thoroughly dry your puppy’s skin and apply chlorhexidine to the area. Provide fresh dry bedding at all times. Pyroderma should clear up in a couple of weeks but if it doesn’t or the bumps become larger after starting treatment, consult a veterinarian.
2. Pay attention to small bumps that appear on your puppy’s muzzle or lips. Puppy warts can sprout quickly and pass from dog to dog by a virus. Small knobby protrusions appear in puppies under one year old, and may rarely occur in older dogs. Puppy warts will usually go away on their own, but if your puppy scratches them and makes them bleed, see your veterinarian. He may prescribe an immune-system booster.
3. Look at your puppy’s face to determine if swelling is present. Puppy strangles is a skin and underlying dermal disorder caused by your puppy’s immune system temporarily acting up. Consult your veterinarian to see if he wants to treat the puppy with corticosteroids to stabilize his immune system or antibiotics to treat a secondary infection.
4. Watch for thinning fur on your puppy, especially around his eyes. Demodectic mange is common in young puppies and transmits by contact with other dogs that have it. Unlike sarcoptic mange, which is highly contagious to people, demodectic mange will not transfer to humans and your puppy will usually outgrow it.
5. Notice small pustules that look like pimples around your puppy’s mouth or on his chin because that’s what they are. Puppy acne is common in some breeds between the ages of 6 and 12 months. Wash the affected area with peroxide and pat dry twice daily. If it doesn’t clear up or worsens, consult your veterinarian for further advice.

Tips & Warnings

• Most skin problems will clear up quickly, but if your puppy appears listless or loses his appetite, contact a veterinarian immediately to rule out a serious illness or infection.