My dog has dry, flaky patches on his tummy. What are the causes?

Hi. It looks like Jack has a bit of pyoderma or skin infection on his belly. It may be a hypersensitivity reaction to insect bites or contact allergy or he may have a mild bacterial infection. Dogs that swim a lot in ponds or creeks may get this. If this is his only sign and he is not painful or itchy then bathing with a mild antibacterial shampoo may clear it up. If it's bothering him or seems to spread or get worse I recommend taking him into the vet.

It looks like Donut may have a skin infection. That could be caused by bacteria or fungus, and is often secondary to allergies. If it's not getting better within a couple days I would take him to your vet as he may need a medicated shampoo or oral medications to heal it.

Thank you for your post! Leo looks like he has a bacterial skin infection. His long hair may make him prone to these as moisture gets trapped easily under his hair during warm times of the year. I would recommend scheduling an appointment with your vet to treat this appropriately. Leo may need a course of oral antibiotics along with topical therapy to treat this effectively. If you are unable to get to your vet soon, then I would at least recommend starting him on a shampoo and begin several supplements. The shampoo I find works effectively is Duoxo Chlorhexidine PS shampoo and bathing twice weekly lathering a minimum of 8 minutes at wash bath. I would start Leo on Welactin fish oil and essential 6 spot on by dermoscent. Hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me with any further questions or concerns you may have

Based on the photos, it appears as though Galbi may have a bacterial skin infection. This could also be the start of what we call seborrheic dermatitis. I would use the shampoo and spray as I had previously recommended (Douxo PS Chlorhexidine combo and the Malacetic conditioning spray, both of which can be found online quite easily). If there is no improvement or it worsens, then I would still recommend having a veterinarian take a look at Galbi for further treatment recommendations.

I can see how red Barbie's belly is, as well as some marks where she has been scratching herself. She also has some red bumps, which can be a sign of a bacterial or fungal infection, as well as certain types of skin mites. Certain hormonal imbalances such as Cushing's disease (an overproduction of steroids by the body), and food allergies can cause signs like this as well. I recommend having Barbie seen by a vet soon to determine the cause and any underlying conditions. A vet will be able to determine the appropriate treatment and prescribe any antibiotics or medicated shampoos that will treat this issue. I hope this helps and would be happy to answer any questions you may have!

It is very difficult to tell from a photo exactly what is going on here. I am concerned if these areas could be bleeding under the skin. From the photos the areas don't appear raised which is why I am concerned they could be this type of bruisng, also called ecchymosis. If you press your finger onto the area and remove it, and there is not a white spot, then this is a sign this is ecchymosis and your dog should be seen right away because it could have a bleeding disorder. If you press against the red area and when you remove your finger it blanches (turns white) and then turns red again, then it is less concerning in terms of the urgency of being seen and is more likely an actual skin issue. If the area is raised or crusted then this could be inflammation due to infection with bacteria or yeast. We can have immune system over-reactions that can result in red inflammed areas of skin. We can also in more rare cases see cancers that can affect the skin. A vet can examine the skin and determine what testing may be indicated- this could include cytology of the skin, culture of the skin, biopsy, or bloodwork depending on their exam findings. Best of luck to you.

The most common cause of scabs like this with red skin underneath is a bacterial skin infection called pyoderma - this can occur on its own, or due to an underlying skin problem like allergies or mange. If the scabs are confined to a single small area and don't seem to be bothering Luigi, you can try applying a topical antibiotic spray to the area for the next few days to see if the problem resolves. If there is no improvement after 2-3 days, or if the scabs become painful or itchy or seem to be spreading, I would recommend having Luigi examined by a vet since he may need prescription antibiotics or other medication to treat the infection.