[Cheri]

ok, so I've had Vi back for a month now, and I bathe her EVERY week. SHe's had 4 baths (maybe 5) since she's been home (long story short she was missing for 3 months and I found her and got her back...with short hair :/) and the first thing I did when she got home was to bathe her (even tho she had been cared for, you can tell it had been a couple weeks since her last bath). When I was bathing her, I noticed that her once nice pink skin on her belly and under her back legs) had little black spots. Almost like clogged pours. I lightly scrubbed them trying to get them off, but to no avail.
Anyone have any tips for getting these things gone and back to her nice clean pink skin??? It's driving me crazy! I don't want to scrub to hard and hurt her (she's very sensitive there as it is), but if that's what it takes...idk...
Thoughts?
~~Cheri~

 

[Alice Ana]

alice has black spots all over her.. i'm no expert, but i'm pretty sure they're common. are they raised?

 

[Cheri]

No, they seem to be topical. Here's a picture I just took...

could it be from the fleas she had? She wasn't infested or anything, just a few because her pill thing they gave her was up (idk what it was called but I think it started with a c). She's on frontline plus now, so no fleas, but I can't think of what else it could be from.
~C~

 

[maltlovereileen]

Maybe a quick trip to the vet is in order to be sure she didn't pick up some kind of skin infection?

 

[maltlovereileen]

You posted your pick while I was writing... if she was badly flea infested, it could be flea dirt

 

[Cheri]

closer up...(and in focus LOL)

 

[Cheri]

When I found her (running through their yard) and got her back, she was not infested with fleas, but she DID have some on her. They said she had fleas when they found her but didn't say if she was infested...I would assume they would have said if she was.
What's flea dirt and how can I get rid of it??

 

[Cheri]

gross...it's flea dirt. I googled it. But I can't find info on getting RID of it other than bathing...I've done that...every week for 4 weeks now...just like I have always done. I'm going to give her her bath a day early (since I'll be busy tomorrow anyway) and see if I can scrub it off I guess. ANYONE have any advice???

 

[maltlovereileen]

Poor little thing must have had a pretty bad flea infestation... try not to traumatize her too much since you've only had her back for a little while and who knows what **** she went through while she was gone missing.

Maybe just take a warm washcloth and soak the area in warm water mixed with a little aloe vera to sooth her skin (just hold it on the area you are hoping to clean for awhile to loosen it up and gently wipe off - don't scrub). You can imagine her skin is already very upset with all those fleas chewing on her... it will come clean soon enough. More importantly is getting her to feel safe and comfortable again...

Possibly also would suggest a trip to the vet just to be sure there isn't a secondary skin infection involved that she may need antibiotics for since who knows what she was exposed to...

 

[Cheri]

I've been searching and I'm going to do a couple of suggestions found on other pet boards. One said a warm washcloth and some grease fighting mild dish soap (and I read before that it's safe to use on dog's skin) so I'm going to try that. Another said alcohol, but I'll save that as a last resort lol Seems a little harsh to me, but I'll try anything. It doesnt seem to bother her. It's not red or inflamed or anything. But the more I read the more it made sense why her bath water was a rust color. I just thought it was a lot of dirt because like I said it was apparent she hadn't had a bath recently (she only had a few minor mats...they said they didn't brush her every day and they kept her coat super short in a terrier cut..they were told she was a terrier mix lol)
I don't think she needs to see the vet, but I will certainly pay more attention and keep an eye on it.
I feel like a bad doggy mom now. I swear she's not infested with fleas :/ She may have one or two when she goes in the yard, but she (and the other 4 dogs) are on frontline + every month.
I'll post updated pics later of her after her bath and after I try to get all that crap off her (no pun intended)
Thanks for the help!

 

[Cosy]

OK, this is what I was told many years ago. It's from splash back and dirt. I was told it happens to dogs that spend time outside. I was also told to wipe the area with ... WINDEX... and it would remove the spots. Then wash the area with a mild soap or shampoo and rinse. It worked. LOL

 

[Cheri]

...I don't have any windex... but she DOES spend time in the dog run outside probably 50% of the day with the other dogs (weather permitting of course) and it's if she wants to, I don't force her to be out there. I just got done washing the area and it helped a tiny bit, but she started to get red so I stopped (and by red of course I mean a darker pink...I didn't rub her raw or anything lol). I used some castile soap I had (organic). On the UP side I see it rinses off really nicely, so I'll be making her shampoo from that on the down side it didn't really help with the black spots.
*sigh* I don't know. I did buy some alcohol and I already have organic aloe gel. Maybe I'll try that next. I'm going to search some more to see what else I can do before I try that.

 

[poochie2]

I think the more your wiping, bathing and using a whole bunch of different things might just aggravate her delicate skin. I wouldn't bathe her daily also. I'm sure the black spots will go away soon.

 

[LJSquishy]

It looks like flea dirt, and since she's been bathed and the area has been clean, please just let it shed naturally. Trying all of these different things is only going to dry out & irritate her skin. A warm wet washcloth wiped daily on the area will keep it clean, and it will go away in not too long.

 

[Cheri]

I think the more your wiping, bathing and using a whole bunch of different things might just aggravate her delicate skin. I wouldn't bathe her daily also. I'm sure the black spots will go away soon.

Bathe her EVERY day? Wont that dry her skin out? I'm not going to scrub it anymore. I might try the alcohol and a cotton swab on a small part of her skin to test it, but idk if I'll try anything else. It's not a huge deal because you can't really see it, and even if you could I wouldn't care. She's clean and that's all that matters

 

[Cheri]

It looks like flea dirt, and since she's been bathed and the area has been clean, please just let it shed naturally. Trying all of these different things is only going to dry out & irritate her skin. A warm wet washcloth wiped daily on the area will keep it clean, and it will go away in not too long.

I like that plan, I'm going to leave it alone and do as you suggested, just wipe it daily and leave it be. Like I said above, I don't mind what it looks like because I know she's clean and that's all that matters.

I think the more your wiping, bathing and using a whole bunch of different things might just aggravate her delicate skin. I wouldn't bathe her daily also. I'm sure the black spots will go away soon.

LOl I totally misread what you wrote...I DON'T bathe her every day, only once a week.

Thanks everyone for your help!!
~~Cheri~~

 

[poochie2]

Bathe her EVERY day? Wont that dry her skin out? I'm not going to scrub it anymore. I might try the alcohol and a cotton swab on a small part of her skin to test it, but idk if I'll try anything else. It's not a huge deal because you can't really see it, and even if you could I wouldn't care. She's clean and that's all that matters

I think you read my post incorrectly. I said "I wouldn't bathe her daily".......meaning wiping and washing that area too often.

 

[Cheri]

I think you read my post incorrectly. I said "I wouldn't bathe her daily".......meaning wiping and washing that area too often.

LOL yeah, I caught that I guess we were writing at the same moment because I said that in my last post LOL
Sorry!

 

[Orla]

When I worked in a vets there was a lot of strays(who would be filthy and flea dirt) in to be spayed and the area where in incision would have to be cleaned - a thing called "hibiscrub" was used. I think that would work.