My dog has skin allergies and new spots on his belly. Is it serious?

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!

Hello. I’m sorry but it does not appear that any photos were successfully attached to your post. Please try to post and upload the photos again. It would be helpful to see them. These may be hotspots or some other type of infected skin lesion.

Thanks for using PetCoach! The pictures didn’t come out very well on my end for some reason but these could be pyodermas small skin infections). This is usually due to underlying allergies. Allergies commonly appear at age 2-4 but can develope at any time. If that is the case, they are usually environmental but if you’ve switched food or added a new treat in the last few weeks, that could be a cause too. Finally, new shampoo, change in laundry soap, etc can also cause this to flare up. Treatment is topical (including medicated shampoo) or oral antibiotics and addressing underlying allergies of needed. It is also possible that these spots are mites or ringworm, insect bites, or other. Try Benedryl (see link below) and a medicated shampoo like Duoxo Calm first if you like. Bathe twice weekly during a flare up, then every 1-2 weeks for maintenance. If no improvement in a week (or worsening at any time) it’s time to see the vet for a better diagnosis and treatment. https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl Best of luck to you and Oliver!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m sorry to hear Toby is having skin issues. Skin lesions like you are describing can have multiple causes, including an infection, skin parasites, allergies, or another underlying issue. As you are seeing discharge, he may need antibiotics. I would recommend he be evaluated by his regular veterinarian to determine the underlying cause for his skin lesions, have any necessary testing done, and start any treatment that he may need to resolve it. Good luck!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. What you are describing could be secondary to an allergy or skin infection. Without pictures it is difficult to say for sure what this is. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine Pluto so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. If you are unable to get to a veterinarian right away, I would recommend using Well and Good Hydrocortisone spray, which can be found at your local Petco.

It may be a little skin infection. It is common and easily can happen. They can also make it worse themselves. I would recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian to have them evaluate it since it may require antibiotics. Without seeing it though I cannot say for sure. Remember you can always upload up to 3 pictures when submitting a question. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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!