# Bumps on skin



## SonyaBullyDog (Jun 6, 2011)

Hey guys!

We are settling in with our new dog Boris (previously Zack, Whiteleo's foster) very nicely. Sonya and him sometimes fight, but I think it is getting better and I am optimistic  He is a wonderful dog, very goofy, playful, social, easygoing, gentle, and just a sweetheart! We are very happy with him (if only they would stop fighting though, everything will be great!)

However, we already have questions! We are going to the vet this Friday to get him checked in to our vet, so I will ask there, but I wanted some input from here too. When he came, just 6 days ago, his coat was softer, glossier, he did not scratch, and he looked very healthy. We have started him on chicken backs right away (I think he got a few chicken necks as one meal). Since we need to keep up the "no fighting" training, he is also getting some treats (cooked chicken liver and cooked beef kidney). I have started him on fish oil and Vit. E pills. 

Now, his fur is slightly less glossy (still pretty good though, better than Sonya's!), but he is starting to have eye goop, he has tons of bumps on his back, and he is scratching quite a bit. His poop is not super firm, but not runny. Maybe moist and hard with some drops at the end (sorry for the graphic!). 

We do have mosquitoes here, but they're not too horrible. Sonya does not have any of these bumps. Boris' bumps look a lot like mosquito bites to which he is having an allergic reaction. There are maybe 20-40 bumps/ bites on his back and neck. None on his stomach, face, or legs. 

Does anyone have any idea on what this is? Is the eye goop from detoxing or from the Florida nature?

Thank you for any ideas!


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## Khan (Jan 17, 2010)

It does sound like some sort of allergic reaction. Just throwing this out there. Any cedar in the yard or in a pet bed? How about some sort of grass/plant that may be in your area? Could even be a carpet cleaner, or fabric softener? See what the vet says; but I may ask if putting him on an OTC allergy pill for a short period to see if it clears up may be the answer.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I think the eye boogers are from him chewing and the tear ducts are just more active. You might want to try a new protein like turkey with him and see. When he was here and fed kibble I would always add in a fish oil supplement (not salmon) an egg or some canned. it very well could be mosquitoes but I doubt with that many bumps. Miss that sweet boy!


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

It sounds like a complex of things that may be working together...stress, allergies or food reaction, environmental allergies, sensitivities to soap/detergents/fragrances....etc. 

What kind of stuff do you use around the house?


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I just had a thought as I was getting ready to go in the shower.........Have you given him a bath? I used oatmeal hypo-allergenic shampoo on him, also because he came from here and went to more intense heat, i wonder if they could be heat bumps. I keep a fan on my dogs when it is too hot here 78 degrees or more.


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## SonyaBullyDog (Jun 6, 2011)

Thanks for your thoughts on this! I did give him a bath with a medicated shampoo (forgot the name, I can look it up). This shampoo works very well for Sonya. She can't handle any regular "hypoallergenic" shampoos like oatmeal etc (gets very itchy). I figured that it would be good on him too. I will try to use a different one just in case. 

The bumps have scabs on them, maybe that is why I thought they were bites. What are heat bumps? It's been hot here, but not too bad. Maybe around 85-95. We keep the house at 79-81. He did pant a lot, but it seemed to be more from the uncertainties in the beginning as he pants much less now. 

I don't really clean the house with detergents at all... We just sweep the floor and pretend it's clean. His bedding hasn't been washed recently. Sonya used the mat in the crate about 6 months ago and it was in the garage on a shelf until now. 

I did treat him with some random dog biscuit and a half a grape once a few days ago (they stopped an intense play session and I didn't have anything else on me and wanted to make sure I reinforce it. I know I shouldn't feed those!)

Good idea to try to switch to turkey. I'll try that in the next few days. 

Thank you again!

Forgot to add, I don't think we have any cedar.. We do have grass in the backyard that we haven't mowed in a month. But his belly doesn't have the bumps. Sonya gets rashes on her belly from grass.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

It could be from the shampoo you used. Has he been checked for fleas? Could be a flea allergy....


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## SonyaBullyDog (Jun 6, 2011)

SO I'm back here with the same issue. The first batch of bumps went away but now they are back, about 40 of them; 20 or so in a cluster on the back of his neck and the other 10-20 dispersed on his back. They feel like bumps but with a scab on top. If I peel the scab away, the area underneath is moist and smells very slightly pussy (very slight smell, but smells kind of like eye boogers, sorry for the visual/olfactory!). He is itching but not going crazy with it. 

He has eaten chicken backs, necks, quarters; turkey necks; human fish oil capsules, random treats like dried liver, raw carrot, hotdogs. 

I don't give the treats enough to make me think it's from them. I stopped the fish oil just in case. 

His poop is good and firm. 

I wash him with "Dermalyte" hypoallergenic formula from DermaPet. I have given him 3-4 baths total (very muddy where we go on a trail). 

The vet said that she thinks it's from fire ants, but I'm not so sure anymore. I sprayed some human insect repellent on him (2-3 times) when we went on trails. He is not on any flea preventative, but Sonya is highly allergic so I think I would know if we have fleas. 

Come to think of it, I have gotten 2-4 very small bites on my arms and legs that look a lot like flea bites... But Sonya isn't itchy, but she is on trifexis this month. 

Does anyone have any ideas? I think the vet probably won't be helpful in this case!

Thank you!


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## 1605 (May 27, 2009)

SonyaBullyDog said:


> SO I'm back here with the same issue. The first batch of bumps went away but now they are back, about 40 of them; 20 or so in a cluster on the back of his neck and the other 10-20 dispersed on his back. They feel like bumps but with a scab on top. If I peel the scab away, the area underneath is moist and smells very slightly pussy (very slight smell, but smells kind of like eye boogers, sorry for the visual/olfactory!). He is itching but not going crazy with it.
> 
> He has eaten chicken backs, necks, quarters; turkey necks; human fish oil capsules, random treats like dried liver, raw carrot, hotdogs.
> 
> ...


Fire ants are not as far fetched an idea as you may think, because the bites do tend to get rather inflamed; very different from mosquito bites or similar pests. It's almost like they are little blisters instead of bites. AAMOF, my hubby reacts very badly to fire ant bites. If he happens to stumble into some, he sometimes has to go to the Dr for cortisone shots, he has that bad a reaction!

"Insect repellant" isn't going to help with fire ants. They simply swarm over anything that gets in their path or disturbs their mound.

With the dogs I find that a course of generic benedryl works quite well in reducing the reaction & helping it go away. 

Take a good look around where the dogs are in the yard or on walks. There may well be fire ant mounds around that you weren't aware that your dog is getting into.

Bonne chance,


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## RRs (Aug 31, 2011)

I don't have any specific suggestions or remedies for you. Sorry. I just wanted to share a similar experience I had with my ridgeback, Jata, nearly 4 years ago. She was about 6 months old at the time and had been with us for almost 4 months. It was about this time of year (October) that she developed bumps similar to those that you describe on Boris. After a couple visits to her regular vet at the time, and 2 rounds of antibiotics and medicated shampoo treatments, it did not seem to be improving. Let me clarify, the bumps did seem to recede while she was on the antibiotics but returned as soon as the course of antibiotics ended. 

We were then referred to a veterinary dermotologist ($$$) who performed skin scrapes and blood tests and was still unable to offer a specific diagnosis. Her suggestion was to treat all posible causes because skin issues can take a long time to resolve themselves. So, much to my chagrin, we embarked on another round of antibiotics, more medicated shampoo baths, 2 separate doses of Panacur, and an elimination diet (extremely limited ingredients and no treats). This went on for approximately 2 months, at which time she was nearly, but not completely, bump free. I transitioned back to her regular food, re-introduced treats, etc. and eventually the bumps disappeared completely. During this entire time Jata appeared and acted normal, except for the bumps.

To this day, I have no idea if the bumps were food, insect (fleas, mosquito, etc), or environment related. I do have my suspicions but no concrete proof. What I did learn from this experience is that some skin issues can take a long time, and sometimes a lot of vet bills, to resolve themselves - in Jata's case it was well over 4 months. As you make changes to Boris' diet, shampoo, bedding, etc in an attempt to eliminate the cause of the bumps, be patient. And realize that the bumps could be caused by his exposure to new environmental causes which his immune system may adapt to in due time. Best of luck!


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## SonyaBullyDog (Jun 6, 2011)

So I just gave a hydroxyzine pill to both Boris and Sonya. Sonya started itching this morning and had an ear infection flare up last night. She also started licking her paws...

Boris is very itchy and the scabs are more smelly now (or I'm just getting more sensitive to the smell). 

I think it's time for a comfortis pill just in case even though I really don't think they have any fleas. I don't think this has anything to do with fire ants. If it was, then he should have bites on his legs and belly not on the back of his neck. 

Not sure what to do... I don't think the vet will be of much help. We could start a round of antibiotics for Boris, but I'm just not sure if it will help... Maybe I'll treat this as an allergy outbreak and do what I do to control Sonya. Medicated baths, fish oil, and hydroxizine when it gets too much...

Cold this be from detox to the raw food? His eyes are still boogery from time to time, but his ears and paws smell fine, so nothing wrong there. 

Thank you for your help!


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Boy, I really don't know what to say as there were never any reactions to anything here, it has got to be from the new environment and heat. Hope you get it figured out soon for the pups.


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