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My dog keeps getting white spots or pimples. Should I be concerned?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Jack Russell Terrier | Male | neutered | 3 years and 4 months old | 17 lbs

Hi I have a 4yr old jack Russell , very healthy no issues until last October, since then he has had 4 white puss pimples , 3 have come and gone and one I had to squeeze as it was irritating him . Am I to worry to much about there as I said earlier his skin and fur are in great condition apart from these few spots that appear at different occasions. Thank you in advance

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Kristin DVM

Veterinarian

Published on February 2nd, 2018

Thanks for the question. As long as Charlie is otherwise doing okay, I wouldn't be too concerned at this point. If the lesions are growing, or if they are red and very painful, or he is licking frequently, or they don't go away, they need to be checked by a veterinarian. If it is just a few little spots over the last few months that have resolved, then I would monitor. If they become more frequent or numerous, then this might deserve a consultation. Your veterinarian can check for underlying conditions such as hormone or allergy problems. But at this point it sounds like you can give it some time to see if it continues. I hope Charlie does well.

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    Answered By Elva Ma DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hello, and thank you for your question. It is difficult to say for sure what the spots are without any photos, but some possibilities include sebaceous cysts, or pyoderma (skin infection). I would continue to monitor the spots for now, as long as they are not increasing in size or number. You can try applying a bit of antibiotic cream such as Polysporin to help prevent them from getting infected. If they are sebaceous cysts, you can also try applying a warm compress to the area for 10 minutes at a time, which will help them to express. I hope this helps, and that Charlie's skin improves!

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