Why does my puppy have red dots on his stomach? Is it serious?

This is likely a condition known as impetigo; which is a bacterial infection of the skin. This is common in puppies and is often self-limiting (will go away on its own). You can help this along by washing the belly daily with a medicated shampoo (can find this at the pet store). Lightly scrub the area with a wash cloth for five minutes each time and repeat the bath daily until the belly appears normal again. If the belly starts to look worse, or is not clearing up after two weeks, then it's best to take Rocco to your vet for an evaluation and further treatment. I hope that helps and Rocco gets better soon.

He may have a condition called puppy pyoderma that is roughly equivalent to acne in humans. They usually will outgrow it over time but some get it worse than others and need some medications and possibly therapeutic baths to help them get over it. I suggest getting him seen by your vet to make sure that's what is going on or if he has some other kind of skin condition that may require different treatment. Your vet will do an exam, possibly collect some cells for examination under the microscope and based on these result will be better able to tell you what is going on and how best to treat it.

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to see that Finn is having this problem. I see lesions or spots like this occasionally on dogs in the same areas. Most of the time these spots resolve without treatment but most of the cases I have seen are much more mild with fewer spots. I always wonder whether these are related to some kind of insect sting/spider bites, contact irritation from something in the environment, etc. Some of these lesions or spots can resemble small areas of hemorrhage too which could indicate blood clotting disorders and those causes can be numerous. I would advise your veterinarian evaluate these since Finn has a lot of them. I think that if he is acting completely normal you could monitor this and see if they resolve. So if he acts normal, eats, drinks, uses the bathroom normally you could just see if they resolve. If anything is different, he should be evaluated immediately. I hope this helps and I hope Finn gets well soon.

Poor Nala! There are a number of things that could cause red spots on her stomach. If they are very small and look like pimples all over her belly, this is a common sign of a bacterial skin infection called pyoderma. If it's more of a flat, red rash, this is more likely to be an allergic reaction or an area of irritated skin, which could be due to sitting in urine if she does this for long periods. I would recommend having her examined by a vet when you can, to determine what is causing the spots - she may need prescription antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medication to treat the problem, depending on the diagnosis.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about your puppy. It's likely puppy pyoderma, which is a skin infection. Puppies have very sensitive skin, and can be prone to infections. I'd have her seen by a vet in the morning to have this treated. Best of luck.

I am so sorry Pretty Girl is going through this. On her belly it looks like a little skin infection but on her side it looks like hives. If this just started today I would take her to an emergency veterinarian for a possible allergic reaction. If this has been going on for a few days call your regular veterinarian tomorrow. If you wait then during the night if the bumps that look like hives get worse, her face swells or she has difficulty breathing then take her to an emergency veterinarian asap. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Skin lesions like these can be caused by bacterial, parasitic or fungal infection, dietary or environmental allergies or sensitivities, immune system disorders, or a combination of the above. Sometimes puppies like Palmer can get a type of “puppy acne” along the belly as well. If the lesions do not start to go away in the next week, or if they start getting worse, I recommend making an appointment to have Palmer seen by your veterinarian to help determine the cause of the bumps you’ve noticed and to make sure they are treated appropriately. The vet will likely want to look at a sample from the area under the microscope to determine if there is an infection and to figure out what medication is appropriate for treatment.