Dog has rash on lip/mouth. What can I do before a vet visit?

Poor Brooklynn! I would worry that she is having an allergic reaction to something. Sometimes we are able to figure out what a dog has had an allergic reaction to and sometimes we can't. Either way, we need to resolve the allergic reaction. The only over the counter product that can be used at home is Benadryl (https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/). However, your vet can give a Benadryl injection that will work more quickly and may also give a steroid injection if needed, so I would recommend having your vet evaluate her and decide on the best treatment for her. If the bumps are getting worse, Brooklynn is not eating or she vomits, she needs medical attention. If she appears to have trouble swallowing or breathing, it is a medical emergency and she needs to be seen by a veterinarian right away. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Brooklynn feels better soon. Thanks for using PetCoach.

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 medications such as Apoquel or prednisone which may help with the itch. 

 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!


Thank you for submitting your question regarding Merlin. If the rash has been present for several weeks, then he needs to see his veterinarian. He may need medication or a diet change. Sometimes irritation along the mouth can be due to a food allergy or intolerance. He should also have his teeth evaluated as I can see a retained baby tooth in your picture. This needs to be surgically extracted under anesthesia. I hope this information helps!

I am sorry to hear about your dog! If this is coming and going I would wonder if there is something he is occasionally getting into that he has an allergy to, such as a plant in your yard. Or perhaps he is getting a special treat/table scrap on the days he breaks out that he has an allergy to. I would recommend bringing him in during a flare up for his vet to examine him as we do worry when we have lesions develop along the edge of the nose about autoimmune disease, so he should be examined to ensure this isn't something that needs to be further investigated.

This redness could be related to seasonal allergies as well, and it's possible that Dakota has a secondary skin infection. Mites or even fungal disease could cause symptoms like this as well. I would recommend seeing your veterinarian to see if they think antibiotics or other medications may be necessary.

Reoccurring skin infections could be several things including allergies to fleas, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy or endocrine disease. Secondary infections from yeast or bacteria are common. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the lesions should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. 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. Also protect the area from trauma by having Sonny wear an elizabethan collar at all times. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Daisy. I am glad that she has an appointment with her veterinarian. She may have an infection around her lips and could require an antibiotic. She may require testing to rule out ringworm and mites. If it is determined that it is not an infection, then I would consider a food allergy or an autoimmune disease. Try to keep the area clean in the meantime. I hope this information helps!