puss filled sores on dogs belly

Question
I have a mix breed puppy about 9 months old. he has short wirey hair and about a month ago we found out both of my dogs had fleas. i put the frontline plus on them and it seemed to work but noticed that my puppy had a couple more bites a week later. now i put on advantix and it seems to be doing the trick but today i was looking at his belly and he now has what looks like a blackhead with a white head underneath. i popped one of them and it smells and they are in the same place his original flea bites were. could they be infected? is this anything you have ever heard of? i looked at something about staph infections but they are not warm to the touch or is he loosing hair in that area. any advice?

Answer
Hi Christina,

To me it sounds like your dog might have a skin condition called Pyoderma, which literally means "pus in the skin".

The most common underlying triggers of superficial pyoderma include fleas, flea allergy dermatitis, atopy (the canine equivalent of hay fever), food allergy, hypothyroidism, hyperadrenocorticism, and poor grooming.

Not seeing your dog, and not being a doctor, I can only provide you with a good guess. Your dog needs to be examined by your vet to be properly diagnosed. If it is Pyoderma (or the  staph infection you suspected) your dog would need to be on a course of antibiotics. There is no over the counter remedy. Your vet might also recommend bathing your dog with a medicated shampoo.

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,

Patti