# Pyoderma



## esSJay (Apr 13, 2009)

Poor guy! I hope he is feeling better soon. I have no experience with pyoderma so I will bump this topic up hoping that somebody else can help you out...

Did the vet shave the area that is affected? I would think that letting some air get to it may help it heal faster.


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## little_pony (Feb 4, 2009)

No, she didn't save it.. She told me to give one pill the morning and one at night, once a day to clean the spot and after spray it.. He seems to hurt a bit.. She told me that he may not want to eat so much, but he should to eat when he takes the pill..


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## BearValley (Nov 30, 2008)

From the Merck Vet Manual: http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/70900.htm


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

That looks horrible. I'm truly surprised the vet didn't shave it. I think this is what we'd call a "hot spot" on this side of the pond. There's about a million remedies posted on the site.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

You definitely need to shave the fur off the sore and off all the red area until you have a small margin of healthy skin around it. It will never heal if you leave the fur to trap the moisture against the wound.


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## K9 Passion (Jan 2, 2009)

Pyoderma is another name for a staph infection. Pyoderma manifests itself in a variety of forms (rashy red marks & little scabs are the most common). Pyoderma occurs when moisture gets trapped against the skin, causing an imbalance of ph, resulting in the development of yeast. This type of infection happens most frequently around the genital area, tummy/inside of back legs, armpits, & underside of the neck. Again, it has to do with too much moisture against the skin & being unable to 'breathe.'

Pyoderma is not a hot spot, but rather a yeast infection, which can then lead to the development of a hot spot through licking/scratching/biting the infected area(s).

This is why keeping the hair trimmed around their genital area, for example, is so important. And, why it is so important to keep them dry because that thick hair traps moisture against the skin.


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## GoldenMum (Mar 15, 2010)

Clyde had that once years ago in the same place, it was awful. My vet did shave it, making it much easier to clean I would think. My vet also had me give Clyde benedryl when the pollen was bad to help with all the itching. Hope he gets refief soon. My vet did call it a Hot Spot.


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## K9 Passion (Jan 2, 2009)

GoldenMum said:


> ...My vet did call it a Hot Spot.


Pyoderma is a yeast infection, which can then lead to the development of a hot spot through licking/scratching/biting the infected area(s).


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

K9 Passion said:


> Pyoderma is another name for a staph infection. Pyoderma manifests itself in a variety of forms (rashy red marks & little scabs are the most common). Pyoderma occurs when moisture gets trapped against the skin, causing an imbalance of ph, resulting in the development of yeast. This type of infection happens most frequently around the genital area, tummy/inside of back legs, armpits, & underside of the neck. Again, it has to do with too much moisture against the skin & being unable to 'breathe.'
> 
> Pyoderma is not a hot spot, but rather a yeast infection, which can then lead to the development of a hot spot through licking/scratching/biting the infected area(s).
> 
> This is why keeping the hair trimmed around their genital area, for example, is so important. And, why it is so important to keep them dry because that thick hair traps moisture against the skin.


Sorry, but your post is wrong on several factual issues and is somewhat misleading. Pyoderma is a medical term referring to any skin infection with pus (it actually just means "pus-skin" in Greek). That could include a hot spot, a yeast infection in the skin, or a staph infection.

Your post is actually self-contradictory, since you claim in the beginning that it's a staph infection and then later a yeast infection. Staph is a bacterium (actually a genus of bacteria with 30-some species) and yeast is more closely related to fungus. They're not the same thing. Either could be involved in pyoderma, and staph isn't even the only bacterium that could be the cause of pyoderma. Are you saying that pyoderma starts with yeast and then staph colonizes?

I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that wetness causes an "imbalance of ph," since, of course, plain water has a neutral pH. How does that work, and why does yeast like "imbalanced" pH? I also can't figure out why on earth you brought up trimming the hair around their genitals.

Hot spot isn't a technical term, and you're right that a hot spot and pyoderma are not interchangeable terms; I apologize if my first post wasn't clear on the subject. The technical term for a hot spot is acute moist pyoderma or acute moist dermatitis. Based on the picture, this particular pyoderma looks like a huge, horrible hotspot that would respond to some of the strong hotspot remedies posted all over GRF (in addition to the meds the vet prescribed).

Here's a couple of links for reliable reading on the subject:

http://www.vetinfo.com/dencyclopedia/dehotspot.html

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/70900.htm


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

tippykayak said:


> Sorry, but your post is wrong on several factual issues and is somewhat misleading. Pyoderma is a medical term referring to any skin infection with pus (it actually just means "pus-skin" in Greek). That could include a hot spot, a yeast infection in the skin, or a staph infection.
> 
> Your post is actually self-contradictory, since you claim in the beginning that it's a staph infection and then later a yeast infection. Staph is a bacterium (actually a genus of bacteria with 30-some species) and yeast is more closely related to fungus. They're not the same thing. Either could be involved in pyoderma, and staph isn't even the only bacterium that could be the cause of pyoderma. Are you saying that pyoderma starts with yeast and then staph colonizes?
> 
> ...


Thanks Brian. I was having those same thoughts. Staph and yeast are two different issues.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

K9 Passion said:


> Pyoderma is a yeast infection, which can then lead to the development of a hot spot through licking/scratching/biting the infected area(s).


Again, this is incorrect. Pyoderma refers to many kinds of skin infections, including, but not typically, yeast infections. Sometimes hot spots start up without a preceding kind of alternate pyoderma, and hot spots are a kind of pyoderma.

Yeast is not always involved in the process, though a species of Staph typically is.

As a side note, hot spots that come from acute moist dermatitis should not be confused with lick granulomas, which are primarily caused and maintained by the licking, not by the infection. If you have a true hot spot (moist pyoderma), it doesn't take much scratching by the dog to get it going. In fact, many owners whose dogs develop acute moist pyoderma will swear to you that the dog never touched it and that it appeared over a matter of hours.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Any dog that has frequent hot spots or other skin infections should have a thyroid panel run. 

From the Merck Veterinary Manual:

Pyoderma: IntroductionEtiologyClinical Findings and LesionsDiagnosisTreatment
Pyoderma literally means “pus in the skin” and can be caused by infectious, inflammatory, and/or neoplastic etiologies; any condition that results in the accumulation of neutrophilic exudate can be termed a pyoderma. Most commonly, however, pyoderma refers to bacterial infections of the skin. Pyodermas are common in dogs and less common in cats. _


















































































































































































































Superficial pyoderma, dog 





























_Bacterial pyodermas are classifed by depth of infection, etiology, and whether or not they are primary or secondary. Bacterial pyodermas limited to the epidermis and hair follicles are referred to as superficial, whereas those that involve the dermis, deep dermis, or cause furunculosis are referred to as deep. Etiologic classification refers to the pathogenic organism involved in the infection (eg, staphylococci, streptococci, etc). Most skin infections are superficial and secondary to a variety of other conditions, most notably allergies (flea allergy, atopy, food allergy), internal diseases (particularly endocrinopathies such as hypothyroidism or hyperadrenocorticism), seborrheic conditions (including follicular or sebaceous gland diseases), parasitic diseases (eg, Demodex canis ), or anatomic predispositions (eg, skin folds). Primary pyoderma occurs in otherwise healthy animals, without an identifiable predisposing cause, resolves completely with appropriate antibiotics, and is usually due to Staphylococcus intermedius or other staphylococci. Etiology:Bacterial pyoderma is usually triggered by an overgrowth/overcolonization of normal resident or transient flora. S intermedius is the most common etiologic agent isolated from clinical infections. Normal resident bacteria in canine skin also include coagulase-negative staphylococci, streptococci, Micrococcus sp , and Acinetobacter sp . Transient bacteria in canine skin include Bacillus sp , Corynebacterium sp , Escherichia coli , Proteus mirabilis , and Pseudomonas sp . These organisms may play a role as secondary pathogens, but often S intermedius is required for a pathologic process to ensue. Normal resident bacteria in feline skin include Acinetobacter sp , Micrococcus sp , coagulase-negative staphylococci, and α-hemolytic streptococci. Transient bacteria in feline skin include Alcaligenes sp , Bacillus sp , Escherichia coli , Proteus mirabilis , Pseudomonas sp , coagulase-positive and coagulase-negative staphylococci, and α-hemolytic streptococci. The most important factor in superficial pyodermas that allows a bacteria to colonize the skin surface is bacterial adherence or “stickiness” to the keratinocytes. Warm, moist areas on the skin, such as lip folds, facial folds, neck folds, axillary areas, dorsal or plantar interdigital areas, vulvar folds, and tail folds, often have higher bacterial counts than other areas of skin and are at an increased risk for infection. Pressure points, such as elbows and hocks, are prone to infections, possibly due to follicular irritation and rupture due to chronic repeated pressure. Any skin disease that changes the normally dry, desert-like environment to a more humid environment can predispose the host to overcolonization of the skin with resident and transient bacteria.Clinical Findings and Lesions:The most common clinical sign of bacterial pyoderma in both dogs and cats is excessive scaling; scales are often pierced by hairs. Pruritus is variable in dogs and cats. In dogs, superficial pyoderma commonly appears as multifocal areas of alopecia, follicular papules or pustules, epidermal collarettes, and serous crusts. The trunk, head, and proximal extremities are most often affected. Shorthaired breeds often present with multiple superficial papules that look similar to urticaria because the inflammation in and around the follicles causes the hairs to stand more erect. These hairs are often easily epilated, an important feature that helps to distinguish superficial pyoderma from true urticaria, in which hairs do not epilate. In bacterial pyoderma, affected hairs epilate and progress to form focal areas of alopecia 0.5-2 cm in diameter. At the margins of the hair loss, mild epidermal collarette formation may be present, but follicular pustules and erythema are often absent in shorthaired breeds, making diagnosis difficult. Collies and Shetland Sheepdogs often have diffuse areas of widespread alopecia with mild erythema and epidermal collarette formation at the leading edge of the expanding area, often mimicking an endocrinopathy. Pustules and crusts are infrequently found. The hallmarks of deep pyoderma in dogs are pain, crusting, odor, and exudation of blood and pus. Erythema, swelling, ulcerations, hemorrhagic crusts and bullae, hair loss, and draining tracts with serohemorrhagic or purulent exudate may also be seen. The bridge of the muzzle, chin, elbows, hocks, interdigital areas, and lateral stifles are more prone to deep infections, but any area may be involved. Acral lick granulomas and areas of pyotraumatic dermatitis are also clinical manifestations of deep pyoderma. Interdigital furunculosis ( _Interdigital Furunculosis: Introduction_) is another manifestation of deep pyoderma. Plant awns, naked keratin from hair shafts or ruptured hair follicles, and other foreign bodies play a significant role in the inflammatory process associated with deep pyodermas. Superficial pyoderma in cats is often overlooked and underdiagnosed. The most common clinical finding is scaling, particularly over the lumbosacral area; scales pierced by hairs are a common finding. Intact pustules are almost never found. Superficial pyoderma in cats is usually due to Staphylococcus intermedius . Miliary dermatitis can be a clinical manifestation of superficial pyoderma. Cats with deep pyodermas often present with alopecia, ulcerations, hemorrhagic crusts, and draining tracts. Eosinophilic plaques are a common clinical presentation of deep pyoderma secondary to an allergic disease. Recurrent nonhealing deep pyoderma in cats can be associated with systemic disease, such as feline immunodeficiency virus or feline leukemia virus, or atypical mycobacteria.Diagnosis:The diagnosis of superficial pyoderma is usually based on clinical signs—hair loss, scaling, erythema, papules, pustules, and epidermal collarettes. Differential diagnoses for superficial pyoderma include demodicosis, Malassezia dermatitis, dermatophytosis, and other causes of folliculitis as well as uncommon crusting diseases such as pemphigus foliaceus. Diagnosis of pyoderma should also include steps to identify any predisposing causes.Identification of the dermatologic lesions described above allows a tentative diagnosis of superficial pyoderma. Direct impression smears of intact pustules, areas underlying crusts or epidermal collarettes, or moist erythematous areas may reveal cocci, rods, or inflammatory cell infiltrates. Impression smears of areas of hair loss and scaling may only reveal large numbers of exfoliative keratinocytes. One of the most important reasons to do impressions is to determine whether a concurrent Malassezia infection or overcolonization is present; there is a symbiotic relationship between Staphylococcus and Malassezia , and both are found in ~50% of cases. The infection will not resolve without concurrent systemic antimicrobial therapy. Multiple deep skin scrapings are needed to rule out parasitic infections, particularly Demodex canis . Dermatophyte cultures should be done to rule out dermatophytosis. Bacterial culture and sensitivity testing is mandatory in cases of deep pyoderma and recurrent superficial pyoderma. Accurate test results are most likely obtained from intact pustules or induced rupture of deep lesions. Caution should be exercised in interpreting culture results from samples submitted from crusted lesions, papules, epidermal collarettes, and fistulous tracts because contamination of the sample is more likely than with samples obtained from a closed lesion. Empiric antibiotic therapy is appropriate in mild, first-time superficial pyodermas with no complicating factors. The most common underlying triggers of superficial pyoderma include fleas, flea allergy dermatitis, atopy, food allergy, hypothyroidism, hyperadrenocorticism, and poor grooming. Appropriate diagnostic testing and treatment of underlying triggers is mandatory. The most common causes of recurrent bacterial pyoderma include failure to identify an underlying trigger, antibiotic undertreatment (dose too low or duration of therapy too short), concurrent use of glucocorticoids, wrong antibiotic, or wrong dose.Treatment:The primary treatment of superficial pyoderma is with appropriate antibiotics for ≥21 and preferably 30 days. All clinical lesions (except for complete regrowth of alopecic areas and resolution of hyperpigmented areas) should be resolved for at least 7 days before antibiotics are discontinued. Chronic, recurrent, or deep pyodermas typically require 8-12 wk or longer to resolve completely.First-time bacterial pyoderma can be treated with empiric antibiotic therapy such as lincomycin, clindamycin, erythromycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim-sulfadiazine, chloramphenicol, cephalosporins, amoxicillin trihydrate-clavulanic acid, or ormetoprim-sulfadimethoxine. Amoxicillin, penicillin, and tetracyline are inappropriate choices for treating superficial or deep pyodermas because they are ineffective in 90% of these cases. Fluoroquinolones should not be used for empiric therapy. Severe deep pyoderma, recurrent pyoderma, or first-time bacterial pyodermas that do not respond to therapy should be treated based on culture and sensitivity.Topical antibiotics may be helpful in focal superficial pyoderma. A 2% mupiricin ointment penetrates skin well and is helpful in deep pyoderma, is not systemically absorbed, has no known contact sensitization, and is not used as a systemic antibiotic that would increase the likelihood of cross-resistance. It is not very effective against gram-negative bacteria. This ointment should not be used in cats with any known or suspected history of renal disease because the preparation contains propylene glycol. Neomycin is more likely to cause a contact allergy than other topicals and has variable efficacy against gram-negative bacteria. Bacitracin and polymyxin B are more effective against gram-negative bacteria than other topical antibiotics but are inactivated in purulent exudates. Attention to grooming is often overlooked in the treatment of both superficial and deep pyoderma. The hair coat should be clipped in patients with deep pyoderma and a professional grooming is recommended in medium- to longhaired dogs with generalized superficial pyoderma. This will remove excessive hair that can trap debris and bacteria and will facilitate grooming. Longhaired cats usually benefit most from having the hair coat clipped.Dogs with superficial pyoderma should be bathed 2-3 times/wk during the first 2 wk of therapy and then 1-2 times until the infection has resolved. Dogs with deep pyoderma may require daily hydrotherapy. Medicated shampoos should be prediluted 1:2 to 1:4 prior to application to facilitate lathering, dispersal, and rinsing. Appropriate antibacterial shampoos include benzoyl peroxide, chlorhexidine, chlorhexidine-ketoconazole, ethyl lactate, and triclosan. Shampooing will remove bacteria, crusts, and scales, as well as reduce the pruritus, odor, and oiliness associated with the pyoderma. Clinical improvement in superficial pyodermas may not be evident for a least 14-21 days, and recovery may not be as rapid as expected.


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## little_pony (Feb 4, 2009)

We went to the doctor again before 2 days and she shaved the hairs and clean it.. She told me to stop the cleaning with shampoo and the spray, to continue the antibiotic pill and to put him a cream for 2 days.. But Paris didn't let me to put the cream and bit me twice so I didn't put the cream, and now I give him only the antibiotic pill (synolux).. He looks good now..And the wound seems to leave everyday.. We will go to the vet again when the antibiotics will finish..


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

I'm glad it appears to be healing. It must have been painful to touch for him.


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## Duke's Momma (Mar 1, 2007)

I'm glad he's feeling better. Hmmmmmmmm - I wonder why the vet didn't shave it in the first place. In my opinion, Duke's vet was "shave happy" at any scab or eruption on the skin. lol But certainly made it easier to clean.

It's good to know that he's responding to the pills.


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## little_pony (Feb 4, 2009)

She told that shaving would be to painful for the dog and we should do anesthesia (i don't know if it's the right word in english).. but I think that shaving and cleaning it by the vet it was very helpful, and the pills.. 
She told me that this could me caused by fleas or his collar.. But we wear this collar 8 months now (from the first days I get him).. I was wondering if it is caused by scalibor, I first wear it before 1 month..


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## little_pony (Feb 4, 2009)

Now that he is better can I take him to the sea?? It's getting to hot there, so I think he would like to do his first bath at the sea.. (we went again few times before this but he didn't go inside, only his legs..) 
And could you help me choosing a collar?? I use a nylon collar like this one
















but I think that he may cause him problems (the vet said that the collar may cause this)
I'm think of getting one like this 








but I don't know if it may hurt him or cause him other problems (legs, or anything else)..


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## esSJay (Apr 13, 2009)

I'm glad to hear he is doing better. Has the infection fully gone away and has he finished the antibiotics? If not I think I would still wait until it has fully cured and disappeared to make sure there is no re-infection. 

If you do take him, make sure that you rinse or bath him as soon as you can afterwards, and fully dry him with a blow-dryer/hair-dryer. This will remove any bacteria he may have picked up from the sea and help prevent this problem from occuring again in the future.


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## little_pony (Feb 4, 2009)

I'll try to take a pic.. We finish the antibiotics before 6 days.. a redness still remains..








sorry it's to big!!! I'll try to resize it tommorow..


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Does he need to have that tight collar on? Is it a flea collar or something? It's creating folds in his neck, which will only encourage the pyoderma. In fact, if he was wearing that when the problem started, it may have contributed.


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## eeneymeanymineymo (Oct 5, 2009)

tippykayak said:


> Does he need to have that tight collar on? Is it a flea collar or something? It's creating folds in his neck, which will only encourage the pyoderma. In fact, if he was wearing that when the problem started, it may have contributed.


AGREED tippykayak......please take that collar off ~ it cannot be helping the situation at all.


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## BajaOklahoma (Sep 27, 2009)

It looks like a flea collar. If it is, the chemicals from the flea collar could be making it harder for the skin to heal.
No collar would be the best choice for now.

I use a rolled leather collar for the girls (Old english Sheepdogs in full coats). Synthetic collars tend to trap moisture, with the leather being slightly more water resistant.


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## little_pony (Feb 4, 2009)

I put this collar on march for first time.. The most vets recommand it about leishmania.. I though that this maybe cause the pyoderma.. I put it of when I saw the pyoderma and only put it when we went for walk.. But after the antibiotic finish I put it again all day.. I'm afraid because it was the time to put the spot before 1,5 week but vet said to wait a few days to stop the pill.. So I'm going to put the spot and take this off like you said..


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

little_pony said:


> I put this collar on march for first time.. The most vets recommand it about leishmania.. I though that this maybe cause the pyoderma.. I put it of when I saw the pyoderma and only put it when we went for walk.. But after the antibiotic finish I put it again all day.. I'm afraid because it was the time to put the spot before 1,5 week but vet said to wait a few days to stop the pill.. So I'm going to put the spot and take this off like you said..


I think you can have a flea collar on if you feel one is appropriate, but just loosen it so it doesn't create folds. Skin folds are the very best place for a staph infection to grow.


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## Auretrvr (May 6, 2008)

*Excellent response!*

We have been dealing with superficial pyderma w/ our 4 year old. It seems to be a problem when the weather has been hot and humid. Yes, a typical Golden, he has allergies. I think any scratching may introduce the staph bugs. This year it got away from us as I was going longer between his routine baths. He lost some hair along with having the collarettes, pustules and inflammation. 

The first outbreak, 3 years ago, was cleared up without recurrence. However the last 2 have had repeats about a month after treatment. I have read that this is common. Our vet prescribes prednisone and Cephalexin, and continued use of Benedryl for the allergies (this has been a banner year for those!!) I bathe Henry several times a week with Douxo chlorhexidine shampoo which seems easy on the skin/coat. He is showing _much_ improvement: odor is lessening, papules nearly gone, itching under control. I also treat any spots I see with antiseptic spray 3-4 times a day. (Yep, I am retired.) 

Vet asst. recommended we go to IA State Vet School for allergy tests. A good friend and owner of many Goldens said not to do it. She did once, spent a fortune (which was no problem for her, but still irked her) and basically found out that , yep her boy was allergic to mostly enviromental things. She wound up giving Benedryl until the frost and then he was fine for the fall/winter. I am hoping I can find a regimen of hygiene and antihistamine that will keep this at bay (an that he will grow out of it--dreaming...) If I can keep the bacteria on his skin down with twice weekly baths and use the Benedryl during the allergy season, maybe that will do the trick. Stay tuned!


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## My three boys (Jul 31, 2011)

I had problem much the same with my girl Chrissy some years ago and tried everything the vet suggested even the stinky fish diet nothing helped took her to holistic vet tried everything they suggested still didnt clear up then vet finally did tyroid test and got her on meds cleared up all problems and never had another problem after. This was some years ago and thyroid wasn't at top of list back then I would try thyroid test asap


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*LittlePony*

LittlePony

Please listen to the advice on this forum-some very loving and knowledgeable people here and *ask the vet if he doesn't want to shave that area, so air can get to it.*


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Karen519 said:


> LittlePony
> 
> Please listen to the advice on this forum-some very loving and knowledgeable people here and *ask the vet if he doesn't want to shave that area, so air can get to it.*


This is a 2010 thread.


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