You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Vesicles are often seen in veterinary practice - but what are they ?

A vesicle (also called a blister) is defined as an elevated swelling in the skin that is filled with clear to straw colored fluid (serum). They are round and well circumscribed and can be up to 1cm in diameter. If they get any bigger they are called a bulla. 

Vesicles are not seen in cats and dogs as often as in other species because they are quite fragile and quickly rupture leaving an open ulcer. The appearance of vesicles is one of the main signs of Foot and Mouth disease, and Swine vesicular disease in farm animals.

Vesicles commonly form in :

• Viral infections
• Autoimmune skin diseases
• Contact irritation - eg chemicals

Updated October 2013