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My dog has skin bumps after ticks. Are they flea bites or infection?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Border Collie | Female | unspayed | 14 lbs

Are these flea bites or tick bites? We haven't found any fleas but have recently pulled 2 ticks off of our dog.

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

Veterinarian

Published on June 7th, 2017

Luna's skin lesions look more consistent with the papules and pustules that can develop with a bacterial infection of the skin. Skin infections typically develop secondarily to allergies and can be quite itchy, which only serves to worsen an infection. At this point, Luna should go to her vet because she most likely needs a course of antibiotics to manage this condition. Also be sure that she is receiving a high quality flea preventative (such as Advantix, Nexgard or Bravecto) regularly because some dogs are allergic to even 1-2 flea bites, which can ultimately result in a skin infection. I hope that all goes well!

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    Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 1st, 2020

    Those spots on Luna could be several things including allergies, skin mites, flea bites, ringworm (which humans can get) or a bacterial infection. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can cleanse the lesions with a hypoallergenic baby wipe once a day. Protect the areas from scratching and she may need to wear an Elizabethan collar at all times. If the lesions don't start looking better within about a week or if they get worse, have her examined by the veterinarian who may prescribe medications. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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