My dog has red spots. Are they signs of infection or low platelets?

Hello. Platelets are needed for blood to clot, so if platelets are low you will see actual bruising ( black & blue spots ) or discrete blood spots in the skin or on the mucous membranes. A simple CBC ( complete blood count ) will report the number of platelets *& tell you if there is a problem or not. What you are describing with the redness & inflammation sounds more like an allergic reaction, something that can affect the skin in this area very commonly. If you are worried about platelets, consider having the blood work done. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, sorry to hear about Danny. It does not immediately look like echymosis or petechia which would be consistent with low platelets. It also does not appear that this is life threatening. This looks like a potential area of ring worm or a bacterial infection which may indeed need medicine to treat this. Ointments and oral medications are available to treat both infections, however they need to be differentiated with skin sampling (cytology or hair follicles culture). This can be done through your veterinarian so that you may get the adequate medications for the specific disease. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Murphy. Allergies are common causes of skin disease this time of year. Humans inhale environmental allergens such as grasses, weeds, pollens and molds. This results in watery eyes and a runny nose. Dogs can experience this, but they walk through and lay in the grass. Therefore, red and possibly itchy skin tends to occur on the belly and paws. Dog can also develop red spots from insect bites. Rarely a bleeding disorder can occur. In this case, small area of bruising are seen on the dog. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian. He will be examined and detailed questions asked regarding his lifestyle and diet. Testing may be recommended. Based on these results treatment can be started if necessary. If he is acting ill or the spots look like bruising (your pictures are a but blurry), then he needs to see an emergency veterinarian today. I hope this information helps!

It looks like there may be a small skin infection (called pyoderma). You can use a medicated shampoo like Dechra Malacetic Ultra Otic, but if it doesn't look better in 72 hours, your pup may need oral antibiotics to clear the infection.

Red blotchy skin is almost always a sign of a dermatitis, which could be caused by bacteria, a fungus or an allergy or a combination thereof. These can be itchy and irritating and cause the dog to lick the area spreading the problem. The location is also typical for a flea allergic dermatitis, so if you have not been doing flea prevention, then now is the time to do so. I see a yellow pustule on the photo which points to a bacterial infection as well which will need to be treated with prescription antibiotics, either topical or systemical. You will need to take Zeus to your vet for an exam, preferably before the weekend.

The pictures aren't very good quality and I can't really make out any discoloration. Here is some general advice for splotchy skin. Splotchy skin or red patches can be due to several things including allergies, a reaction to the shampoo, parasites or just a one time bacterial infection. 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 her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Protect the areas from licking or scratching. If they don't start looking better within about a week or if they get worse, have her examined by her veterinarian who may prescribe medications. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. From the pictures, it appears as though there is a solitary reddened lesion on the skin. This could be a wound or an infection. I would recommend cleaning this using a solution of diluted betadine and water (mix until a light brown color) and monitor for signs of worsening. If the area does not resolve or it worsens, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine the area so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made.