My dog has a red bumpy skin rash. How can I soothe it until the vet?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I can see that Bristol has some redness and crusting on her abdomen. While this can be caused by food allergy, the redness and crusting is an indication of a skin infection. You can bathe Bristol with an antibacterial shampoo formulated for dogs, which can be found in pet stores to begin getting the itching and infection under control. I also recommend getting her an E-collar or "cone" to prevent her from licking/chewing the area and making it worse. If you think that certain foods may cause the signs to get worse, I recommend feeding Bristol only her dog food, with no human food or treats for the next few days. I hope this helps and that all is well with Bristol!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Jules. I recommend bathing him with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner such as an oatmeal or fatty acid based formula to help soothe his skin. If this does not improve the red areas, then he will need to see his veterinarian. In the meantime, do not allow him to lick the area. He should wear an E-collar if he is trying to do so. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ruka. He appears to have small red areas on his belly. This can indicate a skin infection. While there are many causes of skin irritations, allergies are common this time of year. Humans inhale allergens such as grasses, weeds, pollens and molds. This results in watery eyes, runny nose, etc. This can happens in dogs, but more commonly dogs walk through the grass. This will result in irritation of the underside and paws of the dog. This could be the case with Ruka. The veterinarian will examine him and ask detailed questions about his lifestyle, diet and medication. Skin tests may be recommended. Based on these results, treatment can be started if needed. In the meantime, you can try bathing him with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner such as an oatmeal or fatty acid based formula to soothe the skin. I hope this information helps!

Those spots on Riley 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 his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesions with soap once a day and rinse well (don't wash his whole body, just those spots). Protect the areas from licking or scratching and he may need to wear and Elizabethan collar at all times. Since he is still licking the lesions, it's hard to know if the changes to the lesions are a sign of recovery or a worsening. You MUST stop the licking. If the lesions don't start looking better within about a week or if they get worse, have him examined again by the veterinarian who may prescribe additional medications. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Poor Poseidon! It's probably not related to heat rash. It sounds like Poseidon probably has an allergy causing itching and possibly secondary bacterial skin infection. Allergies can be related to food or environmental allergens. It is also possible that he has mites, fleas, or ringworm. You should make sure Poseidon is on a quality flea preventative like Frontline Plus, Bravecto, Nexguard, or Advantix. You can try bathing Poseidon in a gentle oatmeal shampoo or Douxo Calm shampoo to see if this helps. If Poseidon is very incomfortable he will likely have to be examined by a veterinarian. Skin samples can be obtained to make sure he doesn't have an infection and medication can be used to help with itching. Newer medications like Cytopoint tend to be very effective for dogs with allergies. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Poseidon is feeling more comfortable soon!

Those spots on Lucky could be related to a contact allergy but several things including allergies, skin mites, flea bites, ringworm (which humans can get) or a bacterial infection will look the same. 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 his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesions with soap once a day (regular soap) and rinse well (don't wash his whole body, just those spots). Protect the areas from licking or scratching. If they don't start looking better within about a week or if they get worse, have him examined by the veterinarian who may prescribe medications. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Jax. I would start by bathing him with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner such as an oatmeal or fatty acid based formula. This will help to cleanse and soothe the skin. If this does not resolve the issue, then he will need to see his veterinarian as antibiotics will likely be needed. You can also discuss why this may have happened based on his exams findings. This will help the rash from recurring in the future. I hope this information helps!