Why are my dog's red, brown thigh spots not improving with shampoo?

The rust color to Max’s hair in this area is saliva staining from licking. This could still be happening from the grooming, or could be some other source of itching such as fleas, allergies, skin infection, etc. Make sure Max is on a good monthly flea preventative! The dark spots could be clogged hair follicles or flea “dirt” (aka flea poop). You can try a cleansing shampoo that will help to clear the follicles (like this one https://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=21564 ). If Max is still licking or additional skin things pop up in the next few days, he should be examined by a vet for a diagnosis so he can get appropriate treatment.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This could be due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). The following products can be found online and can be tried as a first line approach: Douxo PS Calm shampoo, Essential 6 spot on by dermoscent, Krillex Krill oil chews. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

There are several reasons this can occur. Try washing Henry with an antibacterial dog shampoo once a week. If this doesn’t help after a couple weeks or if it gets worse, have him seen by his veterinarian to check for skin mites, fungal infections (some of which humans can get) or allergies. Of course you don’t have to wait and you can have Henry checked at any point. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

From the pictures you have provided, it appears as though there is some hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin) and erythema (redness). This may be due to allergies or from friction / chaffing in that region. I have seen this occur in dogs that are very active but on the front legs, not the back legs. I would recommend starting a shampoo such as Douxo PS with chlorhexidine shampoo and bathe twice weekly until this skin condition resolves. I would also apply a spray such as Malacetic Conditioning spray 2-3 times per day until resolved. If Muffin has been licking at this area, I would strongly recommend buying a plastic cone (elizabethan collar) to keep Muffin from licking / chewing at this area. If there is no improvement then I would suggest having Muffin's veterinarian examine this area and perform some additional testing to help determine what this could be so that the most appropriate treatment can be recommended. All of the above products can be purchased online. Please let me know if you have any other questions regarding this and I will be more than happy to help! Have a great weekend!

Many times this brownish discoloration can be related to low grade allergies, pores becoming blocked or even normal skin becoming more pigemented. Some dog shampoos will have the ability to help keep pores healthy and remove the dead skin cells and excess oil. Omega 3 fatty acids for dogs can also help keep skin at its healthiest. Ask you veterinarian for a shampoo recommendation. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely a focal infection or superficial pyoderma. 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 day!

I'm not quite sure what it is, either! It could be small amounts of dried blood in the pores, dirt, or debris from the bumps healing. I can see a few more pustules in the second picture, so it looks like Panda hasn't completely resolved the original issue. You can try a follicle flushing shampoo, like Dechra DermaBenSs Shampoo which contains benzoyl peroxide, but Panda may need oral antibiotics to clear up any infection present. Also, make sure she is on a good flea preventative as sometimes flea bites can present this way. If it isn't looking better in a couple days, Panda should definitely go to the vet for diagnosis.