What is Skin Rash?
A skin rash can be painful, itchy and very uncomfortable. Many skin conditions can quickly progress. The most common reason for skin rashes in dogs is allergies. Allergies may be caused by your dog’s diet, by the environment (air-borne) and by parasites. A few flea bites on a dog that is allergic to flea saliva can trigger itching and scratching for weeks. A flea bite allergy is also known as flea allergy dermatitis.
The most common food allergies in dogs are beef, dairy, chicken, corn, wheat, soy and yeast. A dog with a skin rash may also be reacting due to an allergy to the preservatives, dyes and fillers in his diet. Any dog can develop allergies. There are some breeds that are more prone to develop food and airborne allergies such as the Maltese, German Shepherd, Bull Terrier, Cocker Spaniel, American Hairless Terrier, Lhasa Apso, American Pit Bull Terrier, Golden Retriever and the English Bulldog.
Parasites not only cause skin rashes, they can rob your dog of nutrients. A heavy infestation of fleas, mites and ticks can also cause your dog to become anemic.
Dogs that have a skin rash should be seen by a veterinarian. The veterinarian will be able to diagnose and treat the underlying reason for the skin rash.
Skin conditions are a very common health problem in dogs. A skin rash in dogs can be caused by an underlying condition such as allergies, heat, bacterial infections and parasites.
Symptoms of Skin Rash in Dogs
Symptoms may include:
- Pimple-like pustules on the skin
- Hair loss
- Ulcerated skin
- Bleeding
- Red and inflamed skin
- Swelling
- Sneezing
- Itchiness
- Skin flaking
- Weeping skin
- Constant licking, biting and chewing
- Scabs and crusty skin
- Strong bad odor
- Depression
- Secondary skin infection
Causes of Skin Rash in Dogs
Skin rashes in dogs may be caused by:
- Parasites such as fleas, ticks and mites can cause skin rashes in dogs; many dogs are allergic to the saliva of fleas
- Ticks not only irritate the dog’s skin, they can transmit diseases such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever; ticks can also transmit these diseases to humans
- The mite Demodex canis is the cause of demodex mange; demodex canis lives on the dog’s hair follicles
- Sarcoptic canine mange is caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite burrowing into the dog’s skin.
- Food allergies are responsible for 20% of itching in dogs
- Environmental allergies such as grass, dust, mold, second hand smoke, insecticides and cleaning chemicals can cause your pet to itch and develop a rash
- Heat rash is caused by the combination of the staphylococcus bacteria and hot, humid weather; dogs with a thick coat are more susceptible to heat rashes
- Hot spots are also referred to as acute moist dermatitis. Hot spots can spread rapidly and a secondary staph infection can cause the skin to have open sores with pus
Diagnosis of Skin Rash in Dogs
The veterinarian will want to go over your companion’s medical history. He will want to know when the skin rash started and if you have noticed any other symptoms. The veterinarian will perform a thorough physical examination and may recommend a complete blood count (CBC). A complete blood count can help determine if the dog has a bacterial infection or if he is anemic. A skin scrape or biopsy may be taken to be analyzed under a microscope. This can indicate the presence of parasites or secondary infections to the rash, like fungal yeast.
Treatment of Skin Rash in Dogs
Mange is usually treated with dips and medicated shampoo. Fleas and ticks are treated with a topical product and followed by regular application moving forward, of a parasite preventative medication. If your dog was diagnosed with parasites, the home and yard may need to be professionally fumigated. Your dog’s bedding and toys should be washed in hot water.
Dogs diagnosed with food allergies may need to have a dietary elimination trial. An elimination diet, under the guidance of your veterinarian, can help determine what foods your dog is allergic to. Once a food sensitivity is identified, the rash caused by the reaction should begin to clear. Ointments to soothe the skin can be prescribed.
The veterinarian may recommend you take your dog to a veterinary allergy specialist. The allergist may recommend blood allergy testing and intradermal allergy testing to narrow down the environmental allergens. In some cases, daily allergy shots can eliminate the reaction.
Heat rashes may be treated with calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream. Dogs with hot spots may be prescribed antibiotics and a short course of corticosteroids. The hair around hot spots must be clipped away and topical medications will be prescribed.
Dogs with skin rashes may be prescribed anti-inflammatory medications. If the dog has a bacterial infection, antibiotics will be prescribed. The veterinarian could suggest Benadryl to help stop the itching.
Recovery of Skin Rash in Dogs
Your dog will need follow up visits to help monitor his progress. Most dogs recover from skin rashes once the underlying condition is diagnosed and treated. However, even though a rash appears to be healed, the medication prescribed must be completed in full. The rash and itching may return otherwise.
Skin Rash Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
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My boyfriends dog has a horrible rash all over it and pussy, thickened and raised skin, ver flakey and smells like and old dirty sock. He recently gave her a bath and is now covered in a rash that is bright red and blotchy and is itchy and burning. Could this have been contracted from the dog?
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My dog seems to have a rash that is on both of his inner thighs and on his stomach the only thing I am very worried about is his health but I don't know how much it will cost if it will be hundreds. His rash has seemed to grow and is now a bright red. His rash does not have any "blisters" or "pimples" the rash is smooth but red.
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My 2 year old chihuahua Luna has a rash all over her body. It is really bad on her stomach and butt. She is constantly scratching, biting, and chewing on herself.some of her skin is real rough and she has sores behind her ears that are really rough when looking at it.
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Dr M. King s a knowledgeable doctor but she never suggests the correct treatment. All her replies suggest to go for 2nd opinion. Writing to her solves any purpose?
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My shi tzu is scratching under is neck, and now the skin looks irritated and either a dark drown or red hard to tell because of the color of his fur. He just got a grooming but this never hapoened before.
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Took my dog in to vet for rash that bled and has red bumps and hair loss where bumps are. Scraped areas and did not find mange on slides. He is 7 months old and this developed after going to dog park. Roundish bumps and bald areas on top of head and right side of muzzle that seem to be spreading slowly...some scratching, but not a lot. What could it be?
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Hi my dog went to the vet on Wednesday and had diarrhea and they gave him an anti-diarrhea medicine and a probiotic, well today i noticed he had a dark red rash under his neck and I’m wondering if he had a reaction to the medicine or what? I called his vet and they weren’t very helpful. Please help!
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Hi! My 3-year-old chi weenie developed a red rash under her neck two days ago. I made plans to take her to the vet the next morning, but when I woke up her rash looked like it was completely gone. upon further inspection, it looks like there are still some bumps there, but they are now yellowish in color. We live in a suburban area and she only really comes in contact with my parents dog, which they got a few months back. It seems like she doesn’t even notice the rash and isn’t in pain or itching it.
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My dog is around 10 years of old , from the last 4 days it's skin has rashes on its body , when it locks on the rashes getting smell , dog became some lazy , the rashes become wounds in some areas .
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My puppy just ended his Antibacterial medicine and still suffering from itchiness. Is it okay to bathe him with Madre de Cacao soap every day? He will turn two months this January 20, 2018. I was really worried about his condition.
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My 7 year old Shih Tzu male has a large red rash under his neck. I first noticed a hard scab a couple of days ago and noticed him itching it a lot. Then the day after it was a weeping bright red sore about the size of a small plum. I’m not sure if he itched the scab off but it looks very sore and weeping a little. I’ve put anticeptic on it but he won’t really let you go anywhere near it as it must be painful. I use a vet prescribed flea treatment (I also have a female Shih Tzu) and can’t see any fleas. He is eating and playing normally. Please help.
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My dog has rashes on her belly and there are also skin patches on her joints, she’s been scratching like crazy. The vet recommended using hydrogen peroxide on her rashes but it doesn’t seem to work. We have also seen ticks on her, what should I do to treat both conditions?
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My dog has skin rashes on her belly and we have also seen fleas. She has been scratching too much and is already losing hair on her joint areas. My vet recommended using hydrogen peroxide on the belly but it doesn’t seem to work, what shoul I do to treat both conditions? I’ve been using anti flea shanpoo and powder for the past two days. We only got her 3 days ago.
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My dog's skin is thickening in certain places. It started around her hips and now is up one side of her back. It's like small patches of thick skin. She's not itchy or is presenting any other symptoms besides thickened skin. It seems to be slightly red in the area where the skin is thick. It almost feels like running your hand over a bunch of soft scabs, or zits, with fur over it.
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My pup has been itching like crazy. I bathed Her in oatmeal soap tonight because she was spayed 2 weeks ago. I notices A few red patches on her skin the past week, but she wasn’t itching those areas. Tonight after the bath she was laying down and i saw MORE patches. She doesn’t seem to act like they are bothering her, but she tends to scratch other places. It’s making me a bit nervous because i dont Want my baby to be uncomfortable.
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My dog has a rash looks kind of like a rug burn maybe, it’s under one of his hind legs in the pit area. I noticed it about two weeks ago and thought I would just keep an eye on before making an appointment with our vet. Anything I could do at home for it?
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My puppy has a rash under both her armpits, I'm not sure if it's because of her harness or something else. I know that she has sensitive skin and a sensitive stomach. The skin is red and irritated. She's been itching a bit more than usual and has even scratched some areas raw.
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My puo seems to react to the new easy walk leash.the part that wraps around her ribcage has caused rashes on her skin under the armpit. She does not feel itchy though. The rashes look red and the skin uneven.
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Our Lab has been stumbling recently and he has a strange rash on his neck. They did blood work but nothing showed up. I know humans need a special test for Lyme disease, do dogs.
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My puppy Pixel is now about 5 months old and around 35 pounds. For the past few weeks hes been dealing with severe biting and scratching with noticeable hair loss and multiple spots where hes bit or scratched too hard. The cause could be to do with fleas, which I'm aware he has and have tried multiple things to get rid of them aka flea baths, oatmeal baths, fleas collar, etc. I'm finally bombing my house to get ride of them all and need to find the best method of removing them from him in the mean time, as well as something to prevent or soothe the itching and treat the rash. Any tips or things I should try? I'm on a very low budget I'm only 21 and in school.
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my boxer has a rash under neck where his collar is. We took off collar and there is some blood and very dry rough rash skin. Is there a topical over the counter I can put on it? He gets into everything and we are having work done on our home so who knows what he came in contact with.
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Circular, with multiple bite sites
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Your question is vague; are the bite sites from the dog or from fleas etc...? A rash may be caused by an allergy (the dog will bite the affected area and pull out the hair) which may also cause diarrhoea; have you given any new food, treats or anything else to Bronx? Also using new detergents may cause a skin reaction in a dog. If the hair loss is significant and Bronx is biting at himself, it would be best to visit your Veterinarian. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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my pup is suffered by rashes how to solve thatand what to do now..............................................................................................................
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There are various causes for skin rashes including environmental allergies, chemical irritation, food allergies, infections, parasites, juvenile cellulitis among others; you could try bathing Bairav with a sensitive shampoo and giving Benadryl at a dose of 1mg/lb two to three times per day to see if there is any improvement. Some causes like infections, parasites and juvenile cellulitis would need to be seen by your Veterinarian and prescribed medication. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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