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My dog has skin bumps and hot spots after viral infection meds?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 9 years and 6 months old | 40 lbs

My dog has a severe viral infection. Her doctor gave her zeniquin. Now she has gotten these wart like things all over her back and they bother her so she bites at them and opens them up and they turn into really bad hot spots. I try to keep her from licking at them. The doctor really hasn’t told me what this is and I’m so upset because she’s miserable and keeps pacing trying to get comfortable. Have you ever heard of this?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jessica Desrosiers

Veterinary Technician

Published on July 6th, 2021

Poor Cali! I'm sorry to hear she's struggling. If the warts/bumps appeared after she started the medication or got ill, it is possible she is having an allergic reaction to the meds which is causing hives to appear (and can be very bothersome) or it is related to the viral illness. Having your vet take a look and possibly taking a sample of one of the bumps to send off to a lab (if its cause isn't obvious) may help determine what is going on. Your vet can also see if adjusting the medication being given or adding in an antihistamine to stop a reaction would help Cali feel better. Until you can get back into the vet, I suggest putting an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Cali, or an old T-shirt you can put over the affected area. This will help keep her from licking and scratching at it so the affected area doesn't open up and a secondary infection take hold. Keeping the spots as clean and dry as possible may also help.

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