A Young Puppy With Crusts and Pus Along His Back

We're so sorry about his brother. This puppy needs to see a vet today, or an emergency clinic if he becomes weak, stops eating or drinking, or starts vomiting. Green pus under crusted, painful skin suggests a serious skin infection, and at 7 weeks old, with diarrhea and a littermate who died, he could also have a serious illness such as parvovirus or severe parasites. Young puppies can become dehydrated and very sick quickly.

Puppies can get both demodectic and sarcoptic mange, and demodectic mange in puppies can be complicated by deep bacterial infection. Mange can't be confirmed from pictures; a vet needs to do a skin scraping, and the infection may need antibiotics alongside mite treatment. Please don't put ointments or dips on broken, infected skin without a vet's advice, as they can sting and may not be safe for a puppy this young.

Keep him warm, offer water, wash your hands after handling him, and keep him away from other dogs until he's been checked. If cost is a worry, ask your vet about a payment plan, or look for a low-cost clinic, humane society clinic or veterinary school near you.

See mange in dogs and demodectic mange.

This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.