straw-like hair follicle - (dec.20.12) plucked!!!

Hello,
So, I was examining my Kai's fur/skin, which is something I like to do regularly on all my dogs, to check the health of the hair, skin, see if they have any odd bumps, etc, when I noticed something strange on Hana. She has this straw-like hair follicle? It looks like the base of a feather embedded in her skin. Does anyone know what I'm talking about or know anything about this? I tried googling it but the closest thing I found to explaining what that it might be was something called a "keratin horn"??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutaneous_horn

I was tempted to pluck it, because it looks like it can be plucked, but it also looked like it might be painful so I did not. I've never seen anything like it, and was fascinated by it, so I thought I might ask here.

Comments

  • Can you take a pic?
  • edited December 2012
    @tjbart17 here it is. It took a while to find it again and then try to take a photo.

    http://postimage.org/image/yl5ami4hz/
  • how weird! Sorry, that is all i got.
  • interesting...but given that you just got her, plucking it out and hurting her may not be conducive to your relationship
  • @jellyfart yup! Me too! That's exactly what I said!

    @ttddinh oh I have no desire to pluck it out. It actually looks like it might leave a hole in her skin like an enlarged pore. :s
  • It reminds me of something I have seen in Kerry terriers, called spicules. They are fairly benign and come out pretty easily. It may be different in Kai though. Akuma had some hyperkeratosis on his carpal pads.
  • @lindsayt How weird. Well, when Hana is up for it and I am able to take her to the vet, I'll ask them about it and find out what it is.

    Follicular

    Follicular hyperkeratosis dass (also called "Phrynoderma") is a skin condition characterized by excessive development of keratin in hair follicles, resulting in rough, cone-shaped, elevated papules. The openings are often closed with a white plug of encrusted sebum.

    This condition has been shown in several small-scale studies to respond well to supplementation with vitamins and fats rich in essential fatty acids. Some research suggests this is due mainly to E and B vitamins.[3] Vitamin A is also listed as connected to the pathology.[4]

    It kinda sounds like this is what it might be when I wikied hyperkeratosis. Did you treat Akuma carpal pads with a cream or something, or was it okay to just leave it?
  • @thegela I know what it is!!! It's the beginning of a cyst! Mika just had one removed on her belly button yesterday. Get the sack out. Pluck the sucker!

    @lindsayt How strange....Mei has hyperkeratosis on her carpal pad and so did Mika. One day Mika scraped them and both of them came off. They grew back fine though.
  • @tjbart17 hahahah really??? Just pluck it?? Will it hurt? Do I need to antibacterial in it after??
  • Just pluck it. She should be fine. I would not out anything on it because she will just want to lick it off.
  • @thegela pluck it! Lol....or pay $500 to have it removed. I had to have Mika's removed yesterday. It started getting infected, and she was biting it. I just had her spayed at the same time because she was already going under anesthesia. It was an all of a sudden decision. Basically I paid the same price either way.
  • Did you pull it?
  • @jessicarabbit it's a little hard to find! I've been having trouble finding it. Maybe it fell out when she was scratching herself? I'm going to take another look tonight!
  • @jessicarabbit @tjbart17 @lindsayt @sjp051993 I found it and plucked it last night!! (I was looking for it on the wrong side :S) It was surprisingly very shallow and came out really easily. Going to the vet tonight to get her tooth checked out, so I'll take her.. "hair" sample with me and see if they know what it might be!
  • @thegala It is so gross, but I am so interested. Keep us posted.
  • @tjbart17 so, the vet says that it's just a thorn-like plant stuck in her skin?? But I am not convinced. I don't know... is it?? :S
  • @thegela Oh that's hilarious. If they say so, it probably was!
  • Ha! I was just going to say, I don't believe that! :lol:
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