Can dog food cause belly rash

Dog belly rash? Heres how to soothe it

Dogs get belly rashes for a variety of reasons. Without pinpointing the exact cause, treatment can be ineffective and leave your pup still scratching and chewingso its essential to find the underlying cause. When your vet examines your dog, theyll be searching for signs of certain causes as the culprit for their belly rash.

Skin infections

Skin infections are one of the most common causes of belly rashes in dogs. These infections can be caused by multiple pathogens, like bacteria or yeast. A common type of bacterial skin infection is pyodermaTrusted SourceVCA HospitalsCommunity of veterinarians with up-to-date veterinary information.Go to source or impetigo. It can cause pimple-like, pus-filled lesions, and crusty, dry, flaky skin.

A pyoderma infection, on the other hand, is often caused by the staph species of bacteria, which usually occurs because of bacterial infiltration that stems from the skins surface. If the skin has been traumatized, such as through a cut, licking, or chewing, bacteria can multiply.

Fungal skin infections

Fungal infections, like ringworm and yeast infections, are also common. Ringworm is characterized by circular lesions that are usually hairless. These spots can appear red and scabby and generally dont cause itching, but that isnt always the case.

Keep in mind that ringworm is contagious and can be passed from your pup to you and other pets in your household.

Yeast dermatitis, caused by the fungus Malassezia pachydermatis, can appear as thickened, scaly, or flaky skin. Changes in skin pigmentation, a musty smell, itching, and redness are also common. Youll probably need antifungal medication from your vet to fully resolve this type of issue.

Excessive heat

Like people, dogs can also develop heat rashes. Often caused by the Staphylococcus bacteria, heat rashes can flare up in hot, humid weather. Heat rashes most commonly pop up in areas where the skin rubs, like under the tail, the neck, and the ears. Typically, a heat rash will start as mild skin irritation (or hot spot), which leads to excessive scratching. With time, it can progress to pimples or scabs that have a foul odor.

To soothe the heat rash, soak a washcloth in cool or room temperature water and apply it to the affected area as it may provide temporary relief from any inflammation.

Dont apply ice packs directly to your pets skin. Instead, wrap packs in a dry towel or washcloth to create a cold compress.

Allergies

A belly rash is a common sign of allergies in dogs. Pets who are allergic to certain fabrics, shampoos, cleaners, fertilizers, and other chemicals can develop itchy, red skin and pimple-like bumps on their stomach.

Seasonal allergies can also cause belly rashes on your pup. If your dog has an allergic reaction to grass, pollen, weeds, or trees, they may develop a belly rash after playing in the yard.

Parasites

Parasites, like fleas, ticks, and mites, can cause your pup to break out in a belly rash. Bug bites and stings from ants, bees, and wasps can also lead to irritated skin, and mites in particular can lead to painful conditions like sarcoptic mange. In the cases of bites or bug-related irritation, youll likely notice hair loss, hot spots, scabs, or a rash on your dogs lower back, hind legs, and tail base.

Keep in mind that fleas like to hang out on your dogs hind end, though, so they may not cause an abdominal rash.

Rashes on Dogs

A rash (pyoderma) is usually a temporary outbreak of scaly, patchy, and sometimes swollen or bumpy skin that is often red and may be itchy.

A rash can occur on any part of your dogs body, but it pops up most often on the belly. A rash by itself is usually minor and often goes away on its own, but it can be a sign of a more serious situation. The cause of rashes on a dog can range from parasites to diabetes.

Heres what you should know about rashes on dogs, from what to look for to possible causes and their treatments.

What to Check For if Your Dog Has a Rash

If your dogs rash gets worse or does not go away after a week, take your dog to the vet to be examined.

With rashes on dogs, you may see:

Causes of Rashes on Dogs

A rash can occur anywhere on a dogs body. The location of the rash can provide some clues as to what health issue may have caused it:

• Belly rash or underarm rash: A belly rash on a dog is one of the more common reasons pet parents take their dogs to the vet. Rashes also often appear in a dogs underarms, more accurately, the point where a dogs front and hind legs meet the chest or abdomen. These rashes have many causes:

• Groin-area rash: Like a belly rash, a rash in your dogs groin area is often due to:

• Paw rash: Known as pododermatitis, this is inflammation of the paws that can include a rash. Causes can include:

Diagnosing Rashes on Dogs

Your vet will give your dog a physical exam and ask questions about your dogs diet, current health issues, home environment, and other factors. To diagnose a rash, your veterinarian will perform a number of tests, depending on the suspected cause, including:

• Allergy tests if an allergen is suspected. This may include a food elimination diet or intradermal allergy testing.

• Skin scraping to look for mites, bacteria, fungus, or other potential causes.

• Skin biopsy, where a piece of skin is examined at a pathology laboratory (done in cases of recurring infection or rash).

• Blood profile to check for diseases such as thyroid issues (hypothyroidism) or Cushings disease

Treatment for Rashes on Dogs

To eliminate the rash and make sure it doesnt come back, your vet will need to find and treat any underlying medical condition thats causing it.

They may also recommend several treatments for the rash and related symptoms. These may include:

• Grooming (such as brushing or cutting away hair)

• Oatmeal baths

• Medicated dog shampoo (containing antifungal or antibacterial ingredients)

• Anti-itch and anti-inflammatory medications

• Elizabethan collar or e-collar to prevent a dog from irritating hot spots by licking or biting

Epsom salt foot soaks if your dogs paws are inflamed. Follow your veterinarians instructions, as these can dry out the skin if used inappropriately. Do not allow your dog to drink the solution, which has high sodium levels.

Featured image: iStock.com/SeventyFour

Rashes on Dogs FAQs

What can I put on my dogs skin rash?

Depending on the cause and location of the rash (and accompanying symptoms), a veterinarian may recommend oatmeal baths, medicated dog shampoos, or medication to reduce itching and inflammation. Do not give your dog any medications without a veterinarians recommendation and guidance.

What does a rash look like on a dog?

Rashes can appear red, bumpy, inflamed, or like welts. There might be hair loss or hot spots, areas of skin that are inflamed and oozing.

What can cause skin rashes on dogs?

Causes of rash in dogs are numerous and range from allergies and insect bites, which are most common, to thyroid conditions and cancer.

References

1. Smith, John. American Heartworm Society. Heartworm Basics. January 2020.
2. Veterinary Partner. Pruritus Diagnostics in Dogs and Cats. October 2003.
3. Brooks, Wendy. Veterinary Partner. Itch Relief for Dogs and Cats. January 2001.
4. White, S.D. Merck Veterinary Manual. Hives and Rashes (Urticaria) in Dogs. June 2018.

Skin Disease Due to Food Allergies in Dogs

Dermatologic Food Reactions in Dogs

Dermatologic food reactions are non-seasonal reactions which occur following ingestion of one or more allergy causing substances in an animals food. The physical reaction is frequently excessive itchiness, with resultant excessive scratching at the skin.

While the pathogenesis of these reactions is not fully understood, immediate reactions and delayed reactions to food are thought to be due to a hypersensitive immune response. On the other hand, food intolerance is a non-immunologic idiosyncratic reaction due to the metabolic, toxic or pharmacologic effects of the offending ingredients. Since it is not easy to distinguish between immunologic and idiosyncratic reactions, any negative response to food is generally referred to as an adverse food reaction.

Symptoms and Types

• Non-seasonal itchiness of any body location
• Poor response to anti-inflammatory doses of glucocorticoids generally suggests food hypersensitivity
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Excessive gut sounds, passing of gas, and frequent bowel movements
• Malassezia dermatitis (fungal skin infections), pyoderma (bacterial skin infections), and otitis externa (inflammation of the outer ear)
• Skin plaques broad, raised flat areas on the skin
• Pustules pus-containing raised skin inflammations
• Erythema redness of the skin
• Crusts dried serum or pus on the surface of a ruptured blister or pustule
• Scale flakes or plates of dead skin on the skin's surface
• Self-induced baldness due to scratching
• Abrasions/sores on the skin due to scratching
• Leathery, thick, bark-like skin
• Hyperpigmentation darkening of the skin
• Hives swollen or inflamed bumps on the skin
• Giant wheals (elongated marks) on the skin
• Pyotraumatic dermatitis infection of the skin wounds due to scratching excessively, and bacteria entering the wounds

Causes

• Immune-mediated reactions result of the ingestion and subsequent presentation of one or more glycoproteins (allergens) either before or after digestion; sensitization may occur as the food passes into the intestine, after the substance is absorbed, or both
• Non-immune (food intolerance) reactions result of ingestion of foods with high levels of histamine (an antigen known to cause immune hypersensitivity) or substances that induce histamine either directly or through histamine-releasing factors
• It is speculated that in juvenile animals, intestinal parasites or intestinal infections may cause damage to the intestinal mucosa, resulting in the abnormal absorption of allergens and subsequent sensitization to some ingredients

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian will perform a complete physical exam on your dog, including a dermatological exam. Non-food causes of dermatologic disease should be ruled out. Your veterinarian will order a blood chemical profile, a complete blood count, a urinalysis and an electrolyte panel to rule out other causes of disease. You will need to give a thorough history of your dog's health, onset of symptoms, and possible incidents that might have preceded this condition, especially regarding any changes in diet, and any new foods added to your dog's diet, even if temporary.

Food elimination diets are advised for dogs thought to be suffering from adverse food reactions. These diets typically include one protein source and one carbohydrate source to which the dog has had limited or no previous exposure to. A clinical improvement may be seen as soon as four weeks into the new diet, and maximum alleviation of clinical signs may be seen as late as thirteen weeks into the food elimination diet.

If your dog improves on the elimination diet, a challenge should be performed to confirm that the original diet was the cause of disease and to determine what ingredient in the original diet triggered the adverse reaction.

Challenge: feed your dog with the original diet. A return of the signs confirms that something in the diet is causing the signs. The challenge period should last until the signs return but no longer than ten days.

If the challenge confirms the presence of an adverse food reaction, the next step is to perform a provocation diet trial: going back to the elimination diet, begin by adding a single ingredient to the diet. After waiting a sufficient amount of time for the ingredient to prove either agreeable or adverse, if there is no physical reaction, move on to adding the next ingredient to your dog's diet. The provocation period for each new ingredient should last up to ten days, less if signs develop sooner (dogs usually develop signs within 12 days). Should symptoms of an adverse reaction develop, discontinue the last added ingredient and wait for the symptoms to subside before moving forward to the next ingredient.

The test ingredients for the provocation trials should include a full range of meats (beef, chicken, fish, pork, and lamb), a full range of grains (corn, wheat, soybean, and rice), eggs, and dairy products. The results of these trials will guide your selection of commercial foods, based on those that do not contain the offending substance(s).

[video]

Treatment

Avoid any food substances that caused the clinical signs to return during the provocation phase of the diagnosis. Antibiotics or antifungal medications may be prescribed by your veterinarian if secondary pyodermas or Malassezia infections are taking place.

Living and Management

Treats, chewable toys, vitamins, and other chewable medications (e.g., heartworm preventive) that may contain ingredients from your dog's previous diet must be eliminated. Make sure to read all ingredient labels carefully. If your dog spends time outdoors you will need to create a confined area to prevent foraging and hunting, which can alter the test diet. All family members will need to be made aware of the test protocol and must help keep the test diet clean and free of any other food sources. Cooperation is essential to successful treatment of this disorder.