Why does my dog have round, bleeding sores and discolored belly skin?

Poor Loki! There are four main things that will cause persistent skin issues. They are flea allergy, environmental allergy, food allergy and hypothyroidism. They are each ruled out differently. It sounds like your doctor was suspecting an environmental allergy but I can’t be sure based upon the information. I would recommend testing his thyroid and if that’s not it, put him on a food trial. Environmental allergy is not ruled out yet but it is the most difficult to figure out. Also make sure he is on a good flea prevention. I recommend Simparica or Nexgard. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I'm sorry to hear your dog is suffering from skin issues. Skin sores/lesions can have a variety of causes, such as parasites (fleas or mites), an infection (bacterial or fungal), allergies, or be a sign of an underlying condition. I would recommend she be seen by her regular veterinarian to determine the underlying cause of her skin issues and start any treatment (antibiotics, anti-itch medications) that may be necessary.

Those spots on Lulu could be several things including allergies, skin mites, flea bites, ringworm (which humans can get) or a 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. You can cleanse the lesions with a pet wipe once a day. Protect the areas from licking or scratching and she may need to wear and Elizabethan collar at all times. If the lesions don't start looking better within about a week or if they get worse, have her examined by the veterinarian who may prescribe medications. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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 her 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!

Hi there. From your photos, it appears that Pepper has some mild infection of her skin. This can be caused by an allergy to something, or allergy to food. Bacteria likes to invade skin that is inflamed and a small infection will develop. I would recommend taking Pepper to you vet for an exam and skin testing. They can identify what is going on and get Pepper the treatment she needs. I hope that helps! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

It is very difficult to tell from a photo exactly what is going on here. I am concerned if these areas could be bleeding under the skin. From the photos the areas don't appear raised which is why I am concerned they could be this type of bruisng, also called ecchymosis. If you press your finger onto the area and remove it, and there is not a white spot, then this is a sign this is ecchymosis and your dog should be seen right away because it could have a bleeding disorder. If you press against the red area and when you remove your finger it blanches (turns white) and then turns red again, then it is less concerning in terms of the urgency of being seen and is more likely an actual skin issue. If the area is raised or crusted then this could be inflammation due to infection with bacteria or yeast. We can have immune system over-reactions that can result in red inflammed areas of skin. We can also in more rare cases see cancers that can affect the skin. A vet can examine the skin and determine what testing may be indicated- this could include cytology of the skin, culture of the skin, biopsy, or bloodwork depending on their exam findings. Best of luck to you.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It appears that Lexi has pustules on her abdomen based on the pictures you provided. It appears to be superficial but I cannot see the rest of the body and if other parts of the body are affected. If this is just isolated to the abdomen and is not worsening, I would try these things first. If no improvement or the condition worsens, I would take her in to be seen by a veterinarian as she may need oral antibiotics in addition to topical therapy. I hope this helps! 1. Douxo S3 Pyo shampoo - bathe twice weekly and lather for 8-10 min prior to rinsing 2. Miconahex spray - apply this to the affected area 2-3 times daily on the days you are not bathing 3. Essential 6 spot on oil - apply as directed on the box. All of the above products can be purchased online quite easily. I hope this helps! If you can, shave away the hair at the affected area so that you can get the medications to get to the skin easier.