Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 10/11/2006

Question
my cat a few months back had gotten fleas when we were staying at my friends who had a dog infested with fleas. I bathed her a few times with a flea treatment and she is no longer by the dog or the flea infested house. I don't see fleas anymore but she has black dots all over her chin that started appearing once the fleas started appearing and she's still scratching. Is it possible she still has fleas? What is the best way to treat it?

Answer
Black dots on the chin could be chin acne in the dog.  It can be caused from bacteria, yeasts, or mange.  Often these dogs are eating out of a plastic food bowl.  Ask your vet to do a skin scrapping or cytology on these areas to ss if it is chin acne.