My dog has a red spot on his lower body. Is it an injury or infection?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a severe focal infection. I recommend you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment as this will likely require local therapy with cleaning of the site, pain control medications and antibiotics. Also, your veterinarian could check for a possible underlying cause like allergies, mites or a foreign body reaction. Good luck!

Bo's lesion looks most suspicious for a bacterial skin infection, but could also be due to ringworm, mange, or bruising. Since it does not seem to be bothering him, you can monitor the lesion for the time being to see if it changes colors, grows, becomes itchy, or spreads elsewhere. You can also try bathing him with an antimicrobial shampoo (here is one example: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27982 ). However, if the lesion worsens or seems to be causing discomfort, it is worth taking a trip to the vet for evaluation. I hope that all goes well!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Judging from the picture, I suspect this is a small wound from a bug bite or a skin infection. It looks as though there was a pustule there previously that potentially ruptured. I would monitor this for now and if it worsens or does not resolve, I would recommend having Cooper examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Riley. It could be from an injury. I would keep an eye on it for now. If it gets bigger, you see signs of infection, or it starts bothering him, then I would be concerned and have him seen by a vet. I hope this helps!

It looks like the skin in this area has become infected. It could have started as a simple wound, like you said, and then progressively became infected. To help the area heal, keep the wound clean and dry. Wash it 2x a day with a gentle antibacterial soap. You can apply some triple antibiotic ointment to it as well. You will need to keep Boomer from licking the area as best as you can. The best way to do this is by placing an E-collar on him. If this does not help the area heal in 3-5 days or if the area around the wound is swollen at all, I would recommend taking Boomer to the vet to have it evaluated. He may need oral antibiotics to get it cleared up. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This lesion could potentially be something like an abscess for example based on its appearance and your description. However, other things are possible. I recommend that you have Candy evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. If an abscess was noted, further local therapy with drainage and antibiotics would be recommended. Good luck and best wishes!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a small focus of infection. It could be due to allergies or even just secondary to minor trauma. You can try to shave around it and clean it. If it continues to look superficial (as it looks on the picture), you can consider applying a thin film of triple antibiotic on it in case it is just a mild infection. If it does not resolve within 1 week of starting such treatment, have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!