My dog has itchy, spreading spots on his belly. Is it serious?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

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!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on the photos you provided, it appears as though Toby may have an area of infection. I would clip the fur from this so that you have better access for treatment and try a topical approach first and see if this helps. I would recommend using Douxo PS Chlorhexidine combination shampoo and bathe twice weekly until resolved. I would also recommend applying Vetericyn ointment to the area, which can be purchased online. If there is no improvement, then I would bring Toby into the veterinarian for examination so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any further questions / concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thanks for using PetCoach! The pictures didn’t come out very well on my end for some reason but these could be pyodermas small skin infections). This is usually due to underlying allergies. Allergies commonly appear at age 2-4 but can develope at any time. If that is the case, they are usually environmental but if you’ve switched food or added a new treat in the last few weeks, that could be a cause too. Finally, new shampoo, change in laundry soap, etc can also cause this to flare up. Treatment is topical (including medicated shampoo) or oral antibiotics and addressing underlying allergies of needed. It is also possible that these spots are mites or ringworm, insect bites, or other. Try Benedryl (see link below) and a medicated shampoo like Duoxo Calm first if you like. Bathe twice weekly during a flare up, then every 1-2 weeks for maintenance. If no improvement in a week (or worsening at any time) it’s time to see the vet for a better diagnosis and treatment. https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl Best of luck to you and Oliver!

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.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Based on their appearance, they look like freckles or birthmarks, which are normal and should not be causing him to be itchy. Oscar may be itchy for other reasons, such as allergies or a skin infection. If you are concerned that he may have an underlying skin disease, your veterinarian can perform a skin scrape and cytology to look for evidence of organisms that may be infecting the skin. I hope this is helpful!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely some local irritation. This may be due to allergies for example. It may be an allergy to something specific in the environment or something else like fleas or food. This may go away on its own if it is something minor. However, if this continues, I recommend you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Best of luck!