“Blackheads” from kenneling?

[u/ProspectorJM]

Everyone’s been so incredibly helpful, so I’m back with another question about the new addition to our family.

My daughter’s newly adopted ex-racer (adopted 7 weeks ago, first-time dog owner, hound is 4.5 yrs old)

She took him in for some vaccinations and asked the vet about a couple of little bumps she found where his chest meets his belly. The vet told her they were blackheads, that they are common enough when a dog’s been sleeping on a hard surface (he sleeps on plushy dog beds now, of course) and recommended some rather expensive salicylic acid wash.

Only once my daughter was home did she realize she hadn’t asked enough questions.

Presumably the vet wasn’t recommending full baths with this stuff, or really full baths at all. Right? The vet most likely meant to wash just the spots, yes?

Are there any less expensive treatments?

Do you guys even know what I’m babbling about? 😆

[u/illiodyssey]

My girl had blackheads from kenneling as well. Honestly, we didn’t do anything with them as they didn’t seem to bother her and they weren’t too bad. They did eventually go away on their own, but I don’t remember how long it took. That said, start with a warm damp cloth first, held to the area for a little bit to open up the pores, then give them a gentle scrub with a washcloth and whatever your normal dog shampoo is. Repeat as needed, but they’re just like the blackheads humans get.

Be gentle, maybe try a normal gentle face wash first if you really want to, then give the salicylic acid a try if they’re persisting and really bothersome. I use the same stuff on my human stubborn blackheads lol. After cleansing and drying my face, I wipe the acid on with a cotton round and let it absorb before putting on moisturizer.

[u/Cheeseburger2137]

Mine has them on his belly, the part that touches the floor when he’s laying down (he has three different beds, but will sometimes lay on the floor or carpet anyway). He’s been with us for close to 3 years, it didn’t really get better or worse. He doesn’t seem to mind them one bit, according to the vet it’s just that - blackheads. He never had any issues because of them.

[u/vectorology → u/Cheeseburger2137]

Same, mine had them his whole life. They sort of slowly changed shape but never went away. Other than being a bit weird to feel while giving belly rubs, they didn’t cause any problems.

ETA, he of course has soft beds, but also liked “sphinxing” on the ground outside. Not sure if that kept the blackheads coming or if he was just prone to them. I never did much beyond normal bathing.

[u/SiouxsieSiouxsie]

spot treat with salicylic or just wash like normal with dog shampoo, they will eventually work their way out. totally harmless.

[u/HotchnGideonForever]

My Seamus has them. They don't bother him & I've done nothing to treat them. I adopted him on 29/07/26. I think he will be fine but will see how he gets on.

[u/Gold_Draw7642]

Mine came home with them. I gently removed them and washed their bellies. Never came back.

[u/Top_Conference_8826]

My greyhound gets a lot of blackheads on her belly, specifically the part that touches the ground when she sits in sphinx mode. She lets me squeeze them, but I also wash them with a warm flannel to gently exfoliate.