Recurring Muzzle Bumps in a Bulldog Boxer Mix

Short-coated, wrinkly-faced breeds like Bulldogs and Boxers often get muzzle folliculitis, sometimes called canine acne. The short, stiff hairs on the chin and lips get pushed back into the follicles, which become inflamed and infected. Flare-ups that clear on antibiotics and then return are typical, because the antibiotics treat the infection but not the cause.

Other things that cause recurring muzzle sores include plastic food or water bowls, rubbing the face on carpet or crates, allergies, and demodex mites. A sudden "explosion" can mean the infection has gone deeper into the skin (furunculosis), which is more painful and usually needs a longer course of treatment.

Until Monday, switch to stainless steel or ceramic bowls, wipe her muzzle gently after meals and pat it dry, and don't squeeze the bumps. If her face swells, she seems in pain, stops eating or gets a fever, call your vet before Monday. At the visit, ask about a skin scraping for mites and a culture of the infection, since a culture shows which antibiotic will work best for a deep or recurring case.

See pimples and bumps on dogs and staph skin infections in dogs.

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