My dog is itchy and has a spot on her belly. Is it a skin infection?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a focal infection though an examination is needed to know. You can try to use a medicated shampoo containing chlorhexidine twice weekly for 2 weeks. If there is no improvement or in the meantime this appears to be getting worse, have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. It may be the picture but I am concerned that there may be also a lump as well. If that is the case, that should be evaluated to know if it is actually a growth. Good luck and have a good night!

This looks like a mild bacterial skin infection. Dogs can get this from laying on damp ground. Often it will go away on its own. You can bathe the area with antibacterial shampoo once or twice weekly to help it heal more quickly. Since she’s not bothered by it I’m not overly concerned. Should it worsen please take her in for an exam. She may need oral antibiotics if is gets bad. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Marley.

You will need to take your dog to a veterinarian for a skin exam. Your dog could be suffering from an allergy, mites, fleas, a bacterial or fungal infection. each of these requires a different treatment, so it is important to find out what is causing the itch. Your vet will do a thorough exam and maybe a a skin scrape. He will then discuss the options with you and then prescribe medications, possibly give an injection to stop the itching.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m sorry to hear Toby is having skin issues. Skin lesions like you are describing can have multiple causes, including an infection, skin parasites, allergies, or another underlying issue. As you are seeing discharge, he may need antibiotics. I would recommend he be evaluated by his regular veterinarian to determine the underlying cause for his skin lesions, have any necessary testing done, and start any treatment that he may need to resolve it. Good luck!

Skin problems in dogs are usually related to allergies. They can get secondary bacterial and yeast infections. Unfortunately there is no way to know if Minnie has a yeast infection just by looking at the a picture. I would recommend taking her to a veterinarian where they can do a thorough exam and skin cytology. They place a slide against the irritated skin and then stain the slide and examine under a microscope. They can then give medication based on it is bacterial or yeast. If the primary areas are the armpits and the belly- I suspect that Minnie is allergic to something in the air which has caused a secondary infection. One thing to remember with allergies is that there is not one magic treatment . Do not get frustrated when the first treatment doesn't' work, each dog is different. Allergies can be controlled, but not cured. Thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It looks like skin inflammation and potentially deep skin infection. Most likely Pixie will need a course of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory agents to fully recover. Please, make sure she is not licking or scratching the area as by doing that she will likely make things worse.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a focal infection. These are called pustules and likely contain pus. You can try to use a medicated shampoo containing chlorhexidine twice weekly for 2 weeks. If there is no improvement or in the meantime this appears to be getting worse, have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and best wishes!