Dog Skin Rashes: Symptoms, Causes, and Cures
Learn how to recognize different kinds of rashes on your dog and methods your vet may use to treat them.
Skin Care for Dogs
Just like people, dogs need good skin care, too. Some dogs never have any skin problems, but others deal with issues all of their lives. Irritated skin can quickly lead to excessive licking and scratching—and, if not properly cared for and controlled, may cause secondary bacterial or yeast infections.
If your dog is biting and scratching himself, here are some common reasons for red, scaly bumps and ways to treat them.
Causes and Symptoms of Dog Skin Rash
| Causes | Symptoms |
|---|---|
Contact Dermatitis | Red, inflamed skin and/or crusty skin due to contact dermatitis usually show up on the belly or legs. This occurs when areas with thin hair or no hair come into contact with an allergen, such as grass, melting ice, poison ivy, soaps/shampoos, floor cleaners, carpet deodorizers, flea medication, insecticides, dyes, and materials such as rubber, wool, leather, plastic, or metals (nickel). |
Puppy Impetigo | Acne-looking bumps on the dog's skin. More serious pus-filled blisters might appear and the skin may become scaly and crusted. Shows up on the abdomens and groins of young dogs. |
Food Allergy or Sensitivity | Skin plaques, pustules, crusting or scaling, leathery skin, hyper-pigmentation, hives, and elongated marks on the skin. May be accompanied by vomiting or diarrhea. |
Environmental Allergy (Atopic Dermatitis) | Happens seasonally. Itching often occurs on the feet and around the eyes and ears. May be accompanied by sneezing and watery eyes. |
Fleas and Ticks | Itchy spots, red bumps, and hair loss. If your pet is allergic to flea saliva, the rash will look inflamed. If the rash occurs on the feet or head, the cause is likely something else because fleas avoid the paws and face. |
Mange | Itchiness, scabs, sores, red skin, and hair loss often occur on the dog's face, ears, and legs. |
Hot Spots (Acute Moist Dermatitis) | Itchy, inflamed skin that is hot to the touch. Commonly found on the head, hip, or chest area. |
Infection (Bacterial or Yeast Infection) | Red, scaly skin, odor, and sticky discharge. Often occurs in the ear, between the toes on the paws, in the underarm area, or on the neck (under the collar). |
Heat Rash | Red tender skin only in one area (usually the folds of the skin). Scabs and sores, tiny red bumps, itchiness, and foul odor. |
Genetic | Some breeds are more prone to rashes than others. Golden Retrievers are susceptible to congenital ichthyosis, which causes scaling on the tummy. Arctic breeds are likely to develop zinc-responsive dermatosis, and Cocker Spaniels are prone to primary seborrhea (dandruff). |
Hormonal Imbalances (Endocrine Disorders) | Could be caused by a poor diet. Hypothyroidism and Cushing's disease fall under this category. You may see changes in coat quality, drinking and urination habits, as well as rashes, hair loss, and dry or darkened skin. |
Seborrhea (Dandruff) | Dry, flaky skin, and hair loss. |
Acral Lick Dermatitis (Lick Granuloma) | This is compulsive licking (usually of the paws) that results in inflammation. Over time, your dog may develop hair loss and a rash. This may be caused by an allergic reaction to something that your dog walks on, like grass or floors/carpets cleaned with a chemical agent. It could also be caused by boredom. |
Folliculitis | A bacterial skin condition that occurs along with other conditions, such as mange, allergies, or injury. Usually appears as red, scaly bumps and accompanied with a lot of itching. |
Contact Dermatitis
If your dog suddenly gets a rash or an allergic reaction despite having no history of sensitivity, then it may be contact dermatitis. Symptoms usually develop after a period of repeated physical contact and skin sensitization, and contact dermatitis occurs most often on the stomach, the scrotum, and/or the legs (or in other places where there is thin hair or no hair).
Causes
- Aside from poison ivy and poison oak, your dog could develop a rash by coming into contact with topical antibiotics, flea collars, flea medication, metals like nickel, grasses and pollens, soaps/shampoos, carpet deodorizers, insecticides, dyes, materials such as rubber, wool, leather, and plastic, poison ivy sap, road salt (melting salt), detergents, solvents, acids and alkalis, and petroleum byproducts.
- Dyes and perfumes are also common irritants. If your dog has a contact allergy caused by detergent, for example, his rash will appear on the belly where his blanket or bedding has been touching it or where he has been lying on a rug or carpet. Switching to non-perfumed, sensitive-skin detergents and cleansers may give your dog relief.
How to Check
- If your dog has been outside or in the woods, the rash may be from a plant irritant.
- Check your own laundry room and cleaning supplies. Did you switch to a new carpet cleanser? Is the laundry detergent that you use full of perfumes?
- Shampoos can also cause contact allergies. If you suspect that your dog's shampoo or grooming rituals are causing the issues, you’ll need to switch products. Ask your groomer to use a sensitive skin shampoo and to hold off on the perfumed powder and products. If you groom your dog at home, try an unscented pet shampoo or one that is medicated. Medicated shampoos often provide itch relief right away for your pet as you work to get the other factors under control.
Treatment
- The only way to treat contact dermatitis is to avoid exposure to the irritant, whatever it may be.
- To get rid of the skin irritation, your veterinarian can prescribe an antihistamine. They will be able to provide you with the medication and give you the information necessary for administering it.
- It's important that you keep your dog from licking the irritated area because it could lead to bacterial and yeast infections, which could further aggravate the skin and exacerbate the problem.
Scratching and biting at the area affected by the rash can lead to bacterial and yeast infections.
Impetigo
Impetigo, also known as a staph infection, is a highly contagious bacterial skin condition that appears in puppies. It is caused by the Staphylococcus bacteria. It shows up as bumps that may be mistaken for acne. If your puppy has a belly rash or a scrotum rash, then this is likely the cause.
Treatment
Most mild cases resolve on their own, but you should help clear up the itching and prevent the bacteria from coming back.
- Prevent your puppy from licking or biting at the affected area.
- Clean your dog's living area.
- Give your pup a medicated bath two times a week for two to three weeks using a shampoo with benzoyl peroxide.
- If the case is not mild enough to be treated with topical treatments, your vet can prescribe oral antibiotics or a medicated ointment. Again, they should provide you with instructions and be able to answer question you might have.
- Some people use hydrogen peroxide to kill the staph bacteria, but I recommend giving your vet a quick call to confirm that this is safe.
Sometimes dogs can develop food allergies
By Le dalmatien (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0
Food Allergies
Food allergies can cause itchiness and irritating rashes all over the body. You may also notice accompanying symptoms, such as loose bowel movements or stomach distress.
Common Food Allergens:
- beef
- dairy
- wheat
- egg
- chicken
- lamb
- soy
- pork
- rabbit
- fish
- corn (very common)
What to Do?
If you suspect food allergies, a consultation with your vet is the best route to take. They can do a test to pinpoint the exact trigger.
You can also try doing an elimination diet by removing one ingredient at a time for period of a week. If the symptoms go away, reintroduce the food. If symptoms reappear, then you will know for sure what caused the rash.
Foods to Feed
Look for foods that are premium and high-quality or ones that specifically say "for sensitive stomachs." One PetHelpful author made a list of her top recommended hypoallergenic dog foods and treats. It's a great list to read. Foods that say “limited ingredients” are the best to start with. I would also recommend you buy foods with natural ingredients and try to stay away from products loaded with chemicals and preservatives. A common culprit of food allergies in pets is corn, which is often used as a filler in dry dog food.
Instead of relying on processed dry foods, you can also try making your own food. There are many homemade dog food recipes on the web. Make sure you research your dog's nutritional needs carefully and consult your vet before feeding it to your pet.
Environmental Allergy (Atopic Dermatitis) Treatment
Pets can have seasonal allergies, too. If your pet has inhaled allergies, you may notice other signs along with the itching and rash, such as sneezing and watery eyes.
If you suspect that your pet may be allergic to irritants in the air, you can check the pollen index through a website like weather.com. If pollen is high, and your pet is exhibiting these symptoms and is itchy, he may have hay fever.
How to Treat
- Your vet can prescribe anti-histamines for your pet. Most dogs can tolerate over-the-counter medicines that have the active ingredient of Benadryl. According to 1800Petmeds.com, dogs can take .5 to 2 mg of Diphenhydramine for every pound they weigh. Doses should be given every eight hours. You can always run your dog by the vet’s office for a quick weigh-in (something most vets will do for free). They will also be the best person to ask for recommendations of what medication to take.
- Give your dog a bath with a hypoallergenic shampoo and conditioner (but don't over-bathe as it can lead to dry skin).
- Feed your dog fish oil. The omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation.
How to Prevent
- If coming in from the outside, wipe your dog's feet to remove pollen, dust mites, grass particles, and dander. This prevents them from spreading it all over their living area.
- Change furnace and air-conditioning filters.
- Vacuum often and steam clean the carpets, if possible.
- Keep windows closed during high-pollen seasons.
Deer tick
Fleas and Ticks Treatment
Here is how you should go about treating fleas and ticks on your dog.
Fleas
Even with regular baths and treatments, some dogs may still get fleas. They can be especially pesky in warmer areas of the country or in places where the winter was especially mild.
The best flea products are available at your vet’s office or at quality pet supply stores. Ask your vet for the best recommendation. If your dog has a flea allergy, then the condition is probably severe and may require a prescription drug. For general flea protection, products such as Advantage and Revolution are more likely to work and keep working. Some products even allow you to retreat more often than once a month if there is an infestation.
How to Check
Before you look for other causes, rule out fleas. You can bathe your pet and look for fleas in the bathwater or use a flea comb to search for the bugs and eggs.
Ticks
Your dog may develop lyme disease from a tick bite. The most common tick is the black-legged tick (also known as the deer tick). Symptoms may not show up until two or three months after being bitten. Symptoms include fever, rashes, loss of appetite, lethargy, lameness, stiffness, and swelling of joints. This can progress to a fatal kidney disease.
Recently, a new tick, known as the lone star tick, has appeared in the central and southeastern regions of the U.S. It can transmit ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI).
If you suspect ticks are the cause, see your vet right away.
Washing a dog with medicated shampoo may give him some relief
By Andrew Vargas (Flickr: dog or rat?) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)],
Mange
There are two types of mange:
- Demodectic Mange: A skin condition caused by cigar-shaped mites that live in the hair follicles and feed on the oil glands of the skin. This is usually due to a weak immune system that is unable to fight off the mites. Puppies under two years old and older dogs are the most susceptible. A puppy may just have a naturally weak immune system, but if an older dog is inflicted, it may be a sign of hormonal imbalance or cancer .
- Sarcoptic Mange: This skin condition is also known as "canine scabies" and is transmitted from dog to dog. If your dog is frequently playing with other pups, then the mites may have migrated from one skin to another, and the female mite probably laid eggs and populated in your dog's fur.
Treatment
- If your dog has localized mange, then the issue will resolve itself. You can help by giving your pup a bath, washing his bedding, and cleaning his living area to kill all of the mites. There are also some home remedies for dog mange that you can try. However, one thing you SHOULD NOT use is motor oil.
- To relieve the itching or to make sure mites don't spread, talk to you vet. They will be able to prescribe either topical or oral medication to help you dog fight off the infestation.
Dog mange
Hot Spots
Hot spots is simply a broad term for any red, irritated spot on your dog’s skin. It can be caused by any of the above conditions. Hot spots can also lead to infection. So if your dog's rash becomes inflamed, red, oozing, or is an open sore, you will want to seek vet attention. The site could be infected.