My puppy has recently contracted pyoderma. I’m running low

Hello! Thanks for writing into JustAnswer. My name is***** and I am a veterinarian with 20 years of experience. I will do my best to answer all your questions today. I do need some additional information, though, to see if I can better assess your situation. It may take me a few minutes to respond back, so please be patient.

I am sorry to hear that your puppy has pyoderma.  Do you know how he contracted it?

Thanks for the information.  Can you get a picture of the affected area and attach it to your next message?

Thanks.  If you can get that picture, it may help.  Treating it depends a lot on why he has pyoderma.  If there is an underlying skin mite called Demodex (not contagious from the other puppies), that may need to be treated.  Otherwise, antibiotics are the best way to treat superficial pyoderma.  If the skin infection is deep, antibiotics are the only way to treat it.  It has to be given orally or via injection.  Otherwise, bathing with a 4% chlorhexidine soap or shampoo daily, and leaving it on for 10 minutes may help.

The time frame doesn't really factor into the treatment options.  It is the severity of the pyoderma and the cause that makes a difference.  A topical ointment may help if it is a localized area and is superficial, but if it is beyond that, it will need more.  Seeing a picture may help to determine a little more, but it still isn't as good as a physical exam.

Thanks.  I will get back to you as soon as I get a chance to review it.

Yes, I did.  Thanks.

You can try a triple antibiotic ointment on that area, but that looks a little too generalized and may need more extensive treatment.  Antibiotics would be the best bet, but you can try chlorhexidine shampoo or soap, which will give a better response than an ointment.

A reaction to bleach is possible, but these infections are so common in puppies that chances are that is not the case.  It does look like pyoderma to me.  I would have to get a skin scraping and impression smear to confirm, but I would treat something like that as pyoderma.  It can take weeks to clear with shampoo therapy alone, but it should show some improvement in 5-7 days.  It shouldn't start looking worse.

I use Hibiclens, but a specific brand isn't as important as making sure it is a 4% solution.  Malaseb is a very good shampoo many vets use.

Yes, you can.  Just leave it on for 10 minutes before rinsing.  I would just clean the affected area.

You can try chlorhexidine pads as well.  It may not work as well, though.

I would just do one or the other.

That would be my choice.  Do you have any other questions about this, or do you need further clarification about anything?