Why is my dog's belly rash not healing and he keeps licking it?

Those spots on Lucas could be several things including allergies, skin mites, flea bites, ringworm (which humans can get) or a bacterial infection. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesions with soap once a day and rinse well (don't wash his whole body, just those spots). Protect the areas from licking or scratching by having him wear an elizabethan collar. If the lesions don't start looking better within about a week or if they get worse, have him examined by the veterinarian who may prescribe medications. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It does look like a skin infection but the origin (bacterial, fungal, yeast) I don't know just by looking at it. If it is bacterial, sometimes oral antibiotics are needed if topical therapy is not working. I don't know what cream you are using as I am not aware of a chlorhexidine cream, or how long you have been using it, so it's hard for me to comment much more on what you are already doing. I personally like these chlorhexidine wipes because they also contain an anti-fungal/anti-yeast component (climabazole) and a component to help repair the skin (phytosphingosine) so it is gentle. ( https://www.allivet.com/p-5393-douxo-chlorhexidine-3-ps-pads-for-dogs-and-cats-30.aspx?SearchTerm=duoxo+Auto ) If she is licking this area, it will never get better. So, if she is licking, you will need to get an E-collar (cone) for her to wear until this is healed. So, if you want to try the medicated pads, I would do that. If there is still not resolution after a few weeks then she should go back to the vet. Skin maladies typically take quite a long time to respond completely to treatment so as long as it's not bothering her too much just continue on for a few more weeks. Treat the affected areas for at least a few days past all resolution of the lesions. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thank you for your questions about Ginger. That area looks very inflamed. There are four main reasons for persistent skin issues and you should work with your veterinarian to start ruling out the causes. Flea allergy, environmental allergies, food allergies and endocrine diseases can all cause similar looking skin lesions. At home protect the area from licking and wash it daily with an antibacterial hand soap (rinse it well). You can apply a small amount of coconut oil and rub it well into the skin. Also make sure she does not lick this off! This may help the skin to clear up. Starting Ginger on an Omega 3 fatty acid (make sure to get one for dogs as human products can contain toxic Xylitol) as this helps improve the skin health. If this does not help significantly within a week or so, I recommend to speak with your veterinarian to start treatment. I hope this helps to point you in the right direction. Please feel free to post any further questions!

Hello! My name is Dr. Elizabeth and I am happy to help. Thank you for sending the photo. It is helpful. That skin lesion could have a few causes: The most common reasons are •Allergies (environmental or food) •Bacterial infection •Fungal infections There are a few questions to ask yourself: Has there been any new treats or food within the last 2 weeks? If so, stop giving the new item. It could be related to the itching. Does your pet have a history of itchy skin or ear infections? If so, it could indicate an underlying condition like allergies or thyroid disease. Are other pets in the household itching? If so, it could indicate a communal cause. Here are some things you can do at home with may help. 1. Stop any licking (since this can make it worse) - Leo should wear an elizabethan collar at all times. - Remember that the collar must come out past his nose in order to be effective. 2. Next, wash the area once a day with either plain hand soap (like Dial) or a medicated pet shampoo. Rinse the area well and gently towel dry. -This will help to control the number of topical pathogens as well as remove oil and dead skin cells. 3. Lastly, apply a topical antibiotic twice a day to the red areas. Make sure the skin is dry before application. -Just a dab will do and rub it in well. Neosporin is fine to use. Here are some tips that can improve over-all skin health and decrease itchiness: 1) Add in an omega fatty acid supplement. - Your veterinarian will carry some nice products - You can also find a good product called Welactin online. 2) Change his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. *It will take 4-6 weeks for any diet or supplements to take full effect 3) Wash your pup in a pet oatmeal shampoo and conditioner once a week for general health. 4) If environmental allergies are suspected, a daily antihistamine can also help. Have your pup examined if- •Leo is severely itching/licking •If any itching/licking gets worse •If in 2 weeks the lesion is not completely healed Sometimes no over the counter options will work and they need a stronger medication from the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to check in any time!

Hi, and thanks for your question. This could be due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Those spots on Riley could be several things including allergies, skin mites, flea bites, ringworm (which humans can get) or a bacterial infection. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesions with soap once a day and rinse well (don't wash his whole body, just those spots). Protect the areas from licking or scratching and he may need to wear and Elizabethan collar at all times. Since he is still licking the lesions, it's hard to know if the changes to the lesions are a sign of recovery or a worsening. You MUST stop the licking. If the lesions don't start looking better within about a week or if they get worse, have him examined again by the veterinarian who may prescribe additional medications. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Unfortunately, without a physical exam it is difficult to determine the underlying cause with any certainty. It could be a bacterial or yeast skin infection or it may have an allergic component. Parasites, such as mites, cannot be ruled out either. Place an e-collar (cone) on Jax to prevent licking or chewing. You can clean the area with a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution daily. Dry it thoroughly afterwards. Veterinary clinics and ERs have been deemed essential, so they should be seeing patients. Travel to either is permitted as long as proper precautions are taken and social distancing is observed. Call ahead as procedures have likely been modified to prevent or limit contact. This may require you to drop Jax off then wait for your veterinarian to call you to discuss exam findings and treatment options.