My dog has a rash or hives in his potty area. Should I see a vet?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like very severe irritation/inflammation. It may be a reaction to something in the environment which may be causing this. Or it could also be something like a severe infection. I would highly recommend you consider going back to your veterinarian if she currently has the rash. They would be able to assess the situation and proceed with therapy accordingly. Best of luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a focal infection. 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 him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

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 her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. 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 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. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. 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!

This looks like local irritation or infection. You would need to have Belle physically examined by your veterinarian, though, for confirmation. In the meantime, keep the area clean and dry. You can use pet wipes or plain, unscented baby wipes to gently clean the area. Dry thoroughly afterwards. A small amount of plain cornstarch will work to keep the folds in her skin dry. An e-collar (cone) should be used to prevent further licking. This, along with cleaning, may be enough to allow healing, but if not then Belle will need to be seen by your vet. Monitor for lethargy, excessive urination, difficulty urinating or spread of the rash.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I can see that Pokey has a flat, red, moist area. This can be due to a bug bite (but it does not look like a typical bite from a tick), a localized infection, or an allergic reaction. I would recommend having him looked at by a vet, especially because some may be closed with the holidays coming up. In the meantime, try to keep the area as dry and clean as possible, you can get Pokey an E-collar (or "cone") to place around his neck to prevent him from licking or biting the area. You can also apply a small amount of antibiotic ointment (like Neosporin) to the area. I hope this helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on the photos and your description, I suspect what you are seeing may be due to insect bites such as ants. If this is just inflammation from insect bites and not an infection, it will likely clear up on its own. I would recommend using a product such as Malacetic Conditioning spray which can be found online quite easily or a steroid spray from PetCo and apply to the area twice daily until resolved. If pustules begin to form or the rash spreads / worsens, I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at Bentley so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please take the time to mark this question as helpful or not as it helps us to improve on the quality of our answers to other pet owners. Thank you kindly!