Red spot near vulva.

Dr. Marie replied:

Sorry to hear that Cleo is so uncomfortable.

I won't be able to say for certain what this red spot is but I can take some guesses.

If this spot has only been there for a day or two and if you live in a climate that is warm enough to have biting insects at this time of year then, yes, it's possible that it is some type of a bug bite like a mosquito bite. If this is the case then it should go away on its own in 24-48 hours.

If she's also itchy on her paws and sides this can be a sign of an allergy. There are a lot of different things that she could be allergic to. One possibility is fleas. A flea bite could cause the red spot. Flea bites tend to be small - like 1/3 of the size of a mosquito bite.

If you think it may be fleas, then have a good look at the skin over the base of her tail. Can you see any tiny black flecks? If so, put them on a white piece of paper towel and see if they smear with water. If they smear a rusty color then this is flea dirt. If you do think this is due to fleas then I don't recommend any over the counter products for fleas. Prescription products are usually necessary.

It's also possible that there is an allergy to something else and now there is a secondary skin infection. If this is the case, then you should notice areas of the skin that are scaley or flakey. If this is a skin infection then prescription antibiotic pills are necessary.

At this point it doesn't sound like you need to rush in and see the vet right away. But, if the problem doesn't go away within 48 hours then it is probably necessary. In the meantime there is no harm in using a small amount of polysporin/neosporin three times a day. But, I don't find it is terribly effective though.

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