Reasons for Many Bumps on a Shetland Sheepdog's Head

Hello everyone, welcome to Oxygen Pet Doctor~

What's going on when a dog develops a lump on its head?

There can be many reasons for a Shiba Inu to develop a lump on its head, but we mainly consider the following four possibilities:

1. Flea bites; 2. Local bacterial or fungal infections; 3. Skin trauma; 4. Hyperplasia of superficial tissue, which may be related to tumors. Let's analyze how to deal with it together with Oxygen Pet.

1. Flea Bites

If your Shiba Inu doesn't have regular deworming and you notice signs of fleas or other parasites, such as scratching, hair loss, it's likely that the dog is suffering from dermatitis or an allergic reaction to the parasites, leading to the appearance of bumps.

If there are fleas on your dog:

Step 1: Confine your dog to a cage.

Prevent the dog from wandering around and spreading fleas to other areas (you can also use a finetoothed comb for physical deworming, combing out those tiny black spots).

Step 2: Prepare a spray with nonpyrethrin ingredients.

Apply according to the dog's weight, focusing on the neck, armpits, and navel areas. After spraying, help rub the medication in to enhance absorption. Remember to put a muzzle on after finishing.

Step 3: Environmental control.

Use 84 disinfectant diluted according to the ratio and spray it on the dog's usual areas, such as sofas, dog beds, curtains, floors, and all the nooks and crannies. Also, wash your bedding and clothes in the washing machine. After disinfection, remember to ventilate the windows for 30 minutes, at least once a day, and twice if possible (try to keep the dog out of the room during ventilation and disinfection).

2. Local Bacterial or Fungal Infection

Bacterial infections may lead to pyoderma, with mild symptoms like redness and dandruff on the skin, and severe symptoms like hair loss and systemic pustules. Fungal infections (ringworm) typically present with intense itching, hair loss, and expanding circular or elliptical lesions.

For mild pyoderma:

▶ Locally: Apply iodine tincture + Pipperone (terbinafine hydrochloride spray) + Fusant (zinc oxide ointment) (twice a day).

▶ For extensive areas: You may also need to bathe with Mala Xiang (hot bath/shuangjia mi) once or twice a week for 10 minutes at a time. Additionally, take oral medications such as Ethos (cefadroxil tablets)/Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium (antibacterial) once a day for one week, then stop for one week.

For mild ringworm infection:

● Trim the hair around the affected skin and disinfect with iodine tincture.

● Apply antifungal ointment every 12 hours until the lesions heal: Dashe Ning (ketokonazole ointment).

For severe ringworm infection:

● In addition to topical medications:

● Bathe with Banof Bathing Lotion once or twice a week for at least 48 weeks.

● Take oral medication: Itraconazole 510mg/kg, mixed with food and taken every 24 hours.

Note: Possible side effects include loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain, and elevated liver enzymes. Not to be used in animals with liver disease or pregnant animals.

● Nutritional support: Provide highquality protein food, unsaturated fatty acids, and vitamin B.

3. Skin Trauma

This could be due to skin trauma during outdoor activities, leading to tissue hyperplasia at the injury site.

For superficial wounds:

● Clean the wound with a cotton swab dipped in saline or hydrogen peroxide, then apply iodine tincture for disinfection.

For obvious wounds:

● Trim the hair around the wound, clean the wound, and apply disinfection. Then take oral antiinflammatory medication like Suino to help the wound heal.

For severe wounds:

● Bandage the wound and seek immediate medical attention.

4. Hyperplasia of Superficial Tissue

This may be related to tumors and it is recommended to undergo fine needle aspiration cytology or histopathological examination.