Why does my dog have a red, scabby rash on his stomach and groin?

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!

Thank you for posting the pictures of Cabot, it is really helpful. Those lesions look suspicious for a bacterial infection, pyoderma. However, other possible causes would be fungal infection or immune mediated issues. I do think it would be a good idea to have him seen by your veterinarian in the next few days, but unless it starts looking a lot worse or he starts acting sick then I don’t think it is an emergency. They may recommend oral antibiotics and/ or medicated shampoo. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hi. It looks like Jack has a bit of pyoderma or skin infection on his belly. It may be a hypersensitivity reaction to insect bites or contact allergy or he may have a mild bacterial infection. Dogs that swim a lot in ponds or creeks may get this. If this is his only sign and he is not painful or itchy then bathing with a mild antibacterial shampoo may clear it up. If it's bothering him or seems to spread or get worse I recommend taking him into the vet.

Oh ouch! That looks like it is uncomfortable. This looks like it could be a skin infection, which could be bacterial or yeast, or a combination. I would encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian soon. In the meantime you may want to consider bathing him in a shampoo that contains chlorhexidine or salicylic acid. These can be found in the human shampoo aisle in the dandruff area. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a skin infection. This may be due to an underlying allergy. 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!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Phene appears to have either ringworm or bacterial folliculitis. To determine for sure, she will need to be examined by your veterinarian and have the appropriate therapy prescribed. This could be other things, but given what you are describing and the appearance from the picture, these two are most likely. As ringworm is a possibility, you should take caution as it is a zoonotic (transmissible to humans) disease, so wash after handling Phene, and please see your physician if you notice any skin lesions on yourself. Often, if it is one of these diseases, frequent bathing with medicated shampoo will be prescribed along with topical creams or ointments, and in some cases, oral medications are needed to clear the disease. These will be at the discretion of the veterinarian following assessment. Hope this helps!

Hi! It looks like Riley may have a skin infection- they commonly occur on the stomach area. Typically they're caused by bacteria or yeast, and can be secondary to allergies, so that would explain the itchiness. I'd take him to your vet, they may want to examine his skin to figure out what kind of infection, and recommend medications for the infection and the itching.