What It Is

• Petechiae are miniature hemorrhages, or broken capillary blood vessels. They are often small, measuring millimeters in diameter, and appear red or purple.
  
  

Benign Causes

• Petechiae are often present after a minor injury such as blunt trauma to the area or hard bouts of coughing or crying.
  
  

Petechiae as a Symptom

• Dermatological petechiae can be a symptom of an underlying disease, often relating to the body's inability to produce blood in a proper manner. Petechiae are also present with some viral infections.
  
  

Diagnosis

• To ensure that petechiae of the skin aren't being caused by a serious illness or injury, veterinary medical advice should be sought, particularly if the petechiae have been a recurring issue.
  
  

Treatment

• Treatment for dermatological petechiae depends upon the cause. Petechiae caused by serious health issues will disappear when those issues are treated. Veterinarians treat minor petechiae from injury as a bruise and monitor them closely.