The Internet checklist says it's not fleas, so what is it?
September 26, 2013 2:28 PM   Subscribe

Teeny brown scab-like things on the dog I'm pet-sitting. Picture here. What did I do wrong, ahh? They first appeared on his ear tips, but I removed them and now they've concentrated on his paws.

They're just kind of 'hanging on' to his hair, not necessarily on his body, though near it. I've been able to just pull them off. I think they make it itchy for him but he also has allergies--he gets allergy shots--so he often bites his paws. Don't remember him scratching at his ears when they were there.

I'm pet-sitting so solutions that would just involve a trip to the local PetSmart would be great. Their vet is really far from me. He's a terrier. I believe he gets Frontline. Googling has been no help, thanks all, I have no experience with this really.
posted by inevitability to Pets & Animals (4 answers total)
 
They look like scabs to me, dried and clumped onto the fir. I pull things like these off of my cats after they've been tussling...
posted by msbubbaclees at 2:37 PM on September 26, 2013 [1 favorite]


Yup, scabs. Could've been formed days or weeks ago from a dogwrestle or a gallop under the blackberry bush. Unless there's a bleeding wound we don't know about, this is not worthy of a vet visit.
posted by workerant at 3:00 PM on September 26, 2013


I think that he's fine -- they just look like little scabs. Terriers (the name comes from the Latin "terra," meaning "earth") like to get into brambles and thorns and other wild stuff close to the ground because that's where the rabbits hide. And a terrier's job is to chase the evil rabbity vermin! Not worthy of a vet visit, you can brush them out if you wish.
posted by Ostara at 7:24 PM on September 26, 2013 [1 favorite]


They look like seeds to me. Our dogs get tiny, sticky seeds stuck to their coats that look a lot like that. Kind of like sesame seeds, only sticky. I have no idea what plant they come from, but this is a time of year when some plants have gone to seed.
posted by TooFewShoes at 2:21 AM on September 27, 2013


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