My dog has red dots on his belly after grass. Is it an allergic reaction?

Hi there, Yes, it does sound like Ronald is having an allergic reaction to the grass. Sometimes bathing with an aloe/oatmeal shampoo can help alleviate what's going on and decrease the rash, but often dogs need a small dose of steroid to stop their body from having such a reaction. I would recommend having Ronald seen by a vet to see what they advise. I hope that helps and thanks for using Pet Coach!

It sounds as if your dog has a skin infection, most commonly caused by an allergy, a skin mite (Demodex) or fleas. 

The allergy could be a due to a protein in your dog’s food or an environmental allergy like to dust, pollens, grasses, etc. 

The allergy causes your dog to itch and chew at the skin which breaks down the skin barrier. This then leads to infection. Skin infections are typically characterized by large areas of hair loss, redness, crusting, flaking, and pustules. A thorough skin examination by your veterinarian should be able to determine the cause of the itch so it can be treated appropriately. Your dog will most likely need antibiotics to help clear up the infection and possibly an allergy/anti-itch medication like Apoquel, Atopica, or Cytopoint to give some relief while the infection clears up. A medicated shampoo may be beneficial as well. I would also recommend he be on a good flea control routinely too. Once the infection has resolved a long term allergy medication (like Apoquel or Cytopoint) can be given on a regular basis to prevent any future problems. I would avoid putting anything on the skin until the infection is under control. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. There seems to be two different types of 'spots' on Baxter. The pinky raised ones look like an allergic reaction, and the type that is usually caused by a bug bite. This would also make his ears swell and maybe his face including his muzzle/jowels and around his eyes. This will go away with time, and you can give him Benedryl as well, at a dose of 2mg/kg (which is about 50mg for a dog of Baxter's size). Please make sure the only active ingredient is Diphenhydramine, and that you don't get a 'non-drowsy' version as these have other drugs that are VERY toxic to dogs . The other spots that are only on his left side, under his left arm and down his left side, look like bruising on the picture, and more of a scratch, almost like road rash. If this is new as well then I would recommend getting Baxter seen right away, especially if he has no history of a big trauma. The bruising is especially worrying if he hasn't had a big hit/accident, as it is worrying for a clotting disorder. Best of luck with Baxter.

Hi and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Harley Quinn looks as if she may be pretty uncomfortable-there are a few possible causes of her irritation. A rash or irritation can come from a contact dermatitis (ie contact with the grass, something the grass was treated with, etc), inhaled allergens (ie seasonal allergies), food allergies (ie protein source in food-chicken or beef usually) or sometimes even flea allergies (although usually those are seen on the back of the neck and rump region). Unfortunately there are not many over the counter options, although you can start with an oatmeal based shampoo to remove any contact allergens from her abdomen (although I would bathe her entire body). Since her rash appears to be widespread on her abdomen I would recommend a physical exam by a veterinarian to start treatment and give her some relief. Good luck with Harley!

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!

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!

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!