# Blackheads or flea dirt?



## juniorsmom

Hi y'all,

I decided to post here because I've been having a hard time finding a definitive answer on the internet.

My GR girl is 3 years old and has always been super healthy. Since she hit puberty I always noticed these little black spots in the crevices around her nipples and identified them as blackheads, and didn't think too much of it since there were only a couple.

But now, she seems to be getting them all over her stomach! I was cleaning her down there and she has them around her vulva too. They still just look like blackheads, some of them even seem to be stuck in hair follicles, half inside, half protruding out along the hair.

I've been googling for hours, and some sites tell me it's just blackheads and I should just try and wash them away or squeeze gently, and other sites give me bad bad things like flea dirt, flea larva, lice, or worse things.

Other sites tell me it's a Schnauzer-only thing!

P.S. Oh, and also, the other day she had an ear infection, and in the 24 hours it took from when I realized the ear infection and until I could take her to the vet she somehow managed to scratch (while I was at work) so that she got an infection between the toes of the foot she was using to scratch! When I was at the vet's I talked about the ear infection and then pointed out what was happening to her foot. The vet said it was all related. Then I thought of asking about the blackheads (at that point, they were spreading but not as far as they have now) and the vet didn't even take a look at them, just said that it was all related and that she has skin issues and that I should keep her on a prescription diet for skin problem dogs. I was like, whaaaaaat? Because I KNOW a skin problem dog, I have had one for 9 years. My GR boy has every skin&allergy problem you can find and I KNOW how to recognize and treat that. A big part of it is the diet, but they are both on the same food and that food is something that has worked wonders on his skin.

I also know that food can impact a lot in dogs and can cause ear infections, I had that with my boy too. But as I said, I know these things, I'm a Golden mommy so I know when an ear infection is just an ear infection and also when it's something more. Ruby's ear infection was just that, a simple ear infection, it was not a persistent chronic thing like it would be if it were the food causing it. So I was amazed that the vet just blamed everything on her food, without even looking at her belly when I talked about the blackheads.

After a week of some ointment, and a nice paw bath every night, the ear infection and paw infection cleared up like I knew they would, but the blackheads on her belly are just... overwhelming 

Are they flea dirt? Are they larvae? Dead fleas? Lice? Maggots?!? Or just blackheads? Should I make an appointment with a vet? Or have any of you experienced this in your Goldens?

Sorry for the rant, thanks for reading!!! Any help is appreciated dearly.


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## mylissyk

I have no idea what the black spots might be, but if your vet brushed you off like that, didn't even look at them, and then wants you to start buying expensive prescription allergy food, I would find a new vet.

Can you take pictures and post them here so we can see the black spots?


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## xoerika620xo

mylissyk said:


> I have no idea what the black spots might be, but if your vet brushed you off like that, didn't even look at them, and then wants you to start buying expensive prescription allergy food, I would find a new vet.
> 
> Can you take pictures and post them here so we can see the black spots?


I agree. I would still expect the vet to at least have a look at it 


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


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## lgnutah

Can you take a close up photo?


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## LibertyME

this is one of those times where a visit to a canine dermatologist will save you from going crazy!


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## DanaRuns

I saw those on a dog of mine. It was dirt, and it meant I wasn't bathing her often or well enough. :hide:


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## juniorsmom

Here's a picture. Hope you can see them well enough! Thanks for reading you guys. I will definitely not be going back to that vet. I just moved to a new city and have yet to "shop around".


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## juniorsmom

Update: I tried removing a couple with tweezers and they came right out, and she did not protest at all. In fact, she acted like it was comfortable. I looked at the stuff that came out very closely, it's definitely not bugs in there! It looks like they're just blackheads, but still I want to know if anyone else has experienced this and if it might be dangerous. Like for example, if the reason for these blackheads are related to something more serious or... "insecty"... hehe.


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## OutWest

juniorsmom said:


> Here's a picture. Hope you can see them well enough! Thanks for reading you guys. I will definitely not be going back to that vet. I just moved to a new city and have yet to "shop around".


can't see the picture???


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## Sally's Mom

Sounds like a skin infection...


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## juniorsmom

Hmm, you don't see the picture? It doesn't give me an error on my mac but I can't see it on my iPad...


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## kellie regan

MY FEMALE CHIHUAHUAS WHO HAVE ALL WELPED THERE PUPS AT LEAST A YEAR AGO OR LONGER ARE ALL GETTING THOSE BLACKHEADS IN THERE NIPPLES. WHEN I SQUEEZE THEM A LITTLE BLACK LIKE POD POPS OUT. ITS LIKE REALLY HARD AND DRY, AND ALL I HAVE TO DO IS BARELY PUSH EACH SIDE OF THE NIPPLE AND FLICK THE PODS OUT. WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE THESE THINGS??????? ANY HELP IS desperately appreciated. thanks, kellie


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## CAROLINA MOM

Welcome to the forum. 

Have you had your Chi checked by your Vet?


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## HunterH

*Australian Shepherd Same Issue*

I recently noticed this same condition in my bitch, just as described, very similar to blackheads. For our dog, the spots are tiny and true black in color. She is two years old, not spayed, never had pups. My wife and I have tried keeping the area clean by cleaning more often; however, this does not seem to fix this underlying issue. There is very little discussion on this exact topic online that I have found. Does anyone have a clue what is going on? I will let you know if I find out anything elsewhere.


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## CAROLINA MOM

HunterH said:


> I recently noticed this same condition in my bitch, just as described, very similar to blackheads. For our dog, the spots are tiny and true black in color. She is two years old, not spayed, never had pups. My wife and I have tried keeping the area clean by cleaning more often; however, this does not seem to fix this underlying issue. There is very little discussion on this exact topic online that I have found. Does anyone have a clue what is going on? I will let you know if I find out anything elsewhere.


Welcome to the forum.

If you have a picture you can post it might help. 

In one of the previous posts in this thread, a member mentioned it could be a skin infection. 

You may want to have your Vet check your girl to rule out anything.


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## Fifismom

CAROLINA MOM said:


> Welcome to the forum.
> 
> If you have a picture you can post it might help.
> 
> In one of the previous posts in this thread, a member mentioned it could be a skin infection.
> 
> You may want to have your Vet check your girl to rule out anything.





CAROLINA MOM said:


> Welcome to the forum.
> 
> If you have a picture you can post it might help.
> 
> In one of the previous posts in this thread, a member mentioned it could be a skin infection.
> 
> You may want to have your Vet check your girl to rule out anything.


I know this post is very old, but I’m having the same issue with my dog and I as well have had a hard time finding any information online but from what I gather here’s the deal. It’s a yeast infection. I know that sounds ridiculous. But apparently when the dogs gut isn’t balanced the wall can become thin I guess and let out yeast if the dog gets any kind of carbohydrates breads sugars things like that and it escapes out through the compromised gut wall... to the other organs...And it comes out of the skin. They are especially susceptible if you get flea and tick prevention.


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## Fifismom




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## Jazzy1129

Fifismom said:


> View attachment 880333


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## Jazzy1129

Fifismom said:


> View attachment 880333


wow exactly what my long hair chihuahua has. I have been googling trying to find anything for the longest. The more you pick them the more they spread. I picked a couple on my baby’s belly the other day and now her whole belly and nipples are covered.


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