# Dog suddenly covered with blister-like sores



## HilltopDaisy (Feb 26, 2003)

My Min Pin woke up this morning with blisters? all over her snout, and along her spine. It looks like cold sores and appears to be very painful. I had to come to work so I can't get to the vet until Monday. I wasn't able to find anything through a quick online search. Can anyone help?

More info....

No change in food or treats, she only goes outside on a leash so it's unlikely she ingested anything. Up to date on shots, spayed, it's way too cold here for it to be flea/tick related.


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## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

Could possibly be a staph infection. My dog had one once that started out like that and then rapidly turned into a raw, bubbly mess. It was on his snout. Mine probably started from a pinprick scratch from one of the cats. I remember I had to use antibiotic ointment and something else, but I don't remember what.

Hopefully it's not a big deal, whatever it is.


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## Helena (May 10, 2002)

Since it's on her spine..do dogs get shingles like people..?? If she isn't better I guess a trip to the vets $$..do you think a little benadryl would help?? It might just make her sleep if nothing us. Let us know >>>


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## gapeach (Dec 23, 2011)

Benadryl will not hurt her. I would give her 25mg twice a day til you can get to the vet. Dogs don't get Shingles because they don't have chicken pox.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

It does sound like a staph infection  Trip to the vet is in order but it can wait until Monday as long as no fever, eating and drinking ok. and breathing normally.


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## HilltopDaisy (Feb 26, 2003)

Thanks for your responses. She looks terrible, her tiny snout is covered with fluid-filled blisters. I will get her to the vet Monday.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Shingles would only be on one side of a line drawn down the spine.

Hope she's okay.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Do you have any tricinolone acetone on hand? or dex? If so put either one on topically. You can just disolve the dex tablets of you have any, and put them on topically. If not, then you can use bendryl topically too.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Staph doesn't just "suddenly appear" all over that way. It grows from a spot and spreads. That is autoimmune in some way. She need some steroids.


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

Any chance your dog got into some blackthorn? It does this sort of thing, does it to people too. The thorn pricks cause a mild local infection that fills with pus, then scabs which then slough off & leave a raw round wound that drys out after a couple of days and then heals up.


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

Call the vet in the morning. Both of our vets (city and country) have Saturday morning hours. Do you have an animal hospital? I've called the animal hospital before and they've been honest about whether or not something was an emergency.


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## HilltopDaisy (Feb 26, 2003)

mekasmom said:


> Staph doesn't just "suddenly appear" all over that way. It grows from a spot and spreads. That is autoimmune in some way. She need some steroids.


Mekasmom, I've been really sick this past week so it's possible that it came on over a couple of days and I didn't see it until it was very noticeable. She definitely didn't have anything on her snout when I left for work yesterday at 2:00 PM. 

I'm leaving work now and will reassess when I get home. I have benedryl so I'll give her one, and another when we get up in the morning. Thanks for all the help.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

Is your dog near cedar or sleeping on a bed with cedar in it? If so, remove it and give her a bath. Just a wild thought, but many people do not know that cedar is really irritating to the skin and can cause it to break out badly and cedar is pushed as an insect repellant that smells good. If she has gotten into something a bath with mild soap and a good rinse will help a lot. 

It sounds like she might have gotten something on her skin. Did you treat her for anything recently? Has she slept anyplace she's not usually sleeping (since you are ill)? Just some thoughts. Poor baby.


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## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

mekasmom said:


> Staph doesn't just "suddenly appear" all over that way.


It can. Especially on an animal that is covered in hair. The initial 'injury' and infection can be very small and completely unnoticed.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Our dog Brawn developed huge nasty blisters all over his body overnight. Turned out he was severely allergic to chicken. 

Even though you haven't changed her food, she may have developed an allergy. She definitely needs to see a vet. In the meantime, give her Benadryl.


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## wannabechef (Nov 20, 2012)

gapeach said:


> Benadryl will not hurt her. I would give her 25mg twice a day til you can get to the vet. Dogs don't get Shingles because they don't have chicken pox.


1 Benadryl (25mg) per 25 pounds of body weight...


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## HilltopDaisy (Feb 26, 2003)

No blackthorn and no cedar, and she's in my bed like usual. Great appetite, energetic, and very itchy. Will call the vet at 8:00 Monday morning and hopefully we can get seen tomorrow. Thanks for all your help, and I'll let you know how it goes.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

In your bed? Have you changed detergents?


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

What did you find out at the vet??


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## HilltopDaisy (Feb 26, 2003)

OK, I couldn't get in until 10:30 this morning. The vet said it is a staff infection, the worst case she'd ever seen. She gave Bitty a shot of cortisone, and a daily dose of a steroid (5 mg prednisone), and an antibiotic, one I'd never heard of (they cost over $2 per pill!!!). Also, a shampoo that I am supposed to dilute and dab on the sores with a cotton ball. I think that is going to prove difficult as she is determined not to let me touch them.

We go back in one week. We're looking at 6 weeks of antibiotics, and the vet said she will probably be left with scars. The vet also said if she isn't a whole lot better in 2 weeks she will refer us to Cornell (big, big bucks).

Please keep your fingers crossed that she recovers fairly quickly. Thanks again for your help.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Goodness, poor thing! I hope all that medicine will do the trick and she won't have to be referred to Cornell. Keeping my fingers crossed!


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

Oh MY! That must be one heck of an infection  But I think it will clear right up and you won't have to go to Cornell. ~~~positive thinking~~~


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## gapeach (Dec 23, 2011)

I hope it is already getting better.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

Poor girl! 

Be sure to think about ways to support her immune system with good food and possibly things like yogurt for probiotics. I'm sure others would have some good ideas there! If you can help her fight it as well as treat her, it should help. 

I had a friend move from Denver, where it is dry, to Portland, where it is NOT dry at all. Her dogs had perfectly healthy skin in Denver, but reacted to the molds and mildews in the air in Portland, broke out and got horrible staph infections. She both treated them and fed them very carefully. I don't remember exactly what she did, sorry, but they got better faster when she added things like yogurt to their diet.


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## HilltopDaisy (Feb 26, 2003)

When it rains, it pours. Today was another medical emergengy. :help:

I have 2 Maremma dogs outside and one of them dragged home a pice of a dear carcass. Poor little Jasper (Papillon) got too close to the darn thing and was attacked by Terra. One long gash needing 20 staples and 2 weeks of antibiotics, thankfully they didn't feel the need to charge for an emergency visit, so it was just over $100.

Bitty seems to be much more comfortable today. Thanks for the yogurt tip, I think she'll like it.

And I'm still sick. I've been on an antibiotic for almost a week but I can't seem to shake this chest cold/bronchitis mess.


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## lasergrl (Nov 24, 2007)

I hope she tries the staph injections before cornell. Some dogs are really prone to staph infections. Staph lysate injections really really help, like allergy injections sort of, a vaccine against staph.
It can take 6 weeks to get rid of a staph infection even if it looks to be healed so stick with it


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

Watch her very carefully. Prednisone lowers your resistance to infection. Wash your hands carefully as staph is contagious. 

Are the blisters gone?


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

HilltopDaisy said:


> When it rains, it pours. Today was another medical emergengy. :help:
> 
> I have 2 Maremma dogs outside and one of them dragged home a pice of a dear carcass. Poor little Jasper (Papillon) got too close to the darn thing and was attacked by Terra. One long gash needing 20 staples and 2 weeks of antibiotics, thankfully they didn't feel the need to charge for an emergency visit, so it was just over $100.
> 
> ...



Things do seem to happen in clusters. Poor Jasper! Thank goodness it wasn't worse. I hope you get better soon! ((((hugs))))


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