How can I treat my dogs heat rash at home

Heat Rash On Dogs Belly: What Should IDo?

Being a dog owner means investing a lot of time, from learning how to bathe your dog to understanding which medical conditions you need to keep an eye out for and how to treat them. Protecting your dog during the heat of summer is one of the most important things you can do because dogs cant tell you when theyre too hot or dehydrated. Instead, its up to you to recognize the signs of dehydration in dogs, that way you can get your dog crucial treatment right when they need it.

A dog heat rash is a somewhat common condition that dogs may experience during hot weather. These heat rashes commonly appear on the stomach of dogs, and theyre a sign that you need to help your dog cool down a bit. When a dog panting heavily is no longer enough to get rid of excess heat, that heat can leave a rash on their skin.

While a dog heat rash may not seem like a big deal, it can lead to discomfort and other problems for your dog. A heat rash can also be an early warning sign that your dog is spending too much time in the sun and needs to take a moment to cool off. If your dog has a heat rash and youre not sure what to do, heres what you need to know.

Signs & Symptoms Of Heat Rash On Dogs

As a dog owner, its important to recognize the signs and symptoms of heat rash on dogs, that way you know when its time to give your dog a break from the sun and help them cool off. Left untreated, a heat rash can cause further irritation to your dogs skin that can lead to discomfort.

Some of the signs and symptoms of dog heat rash include:

• Redness
• Itchy skin
• Tender skin
• Scabs
• Sores
• Scratching and licking of the affected area
• Boils, bumps, and pimples
• Foul skin odor
• Bleeding

As is the case with many medical conditions your dog may experience, the symptoms of heat rash may also present with other conditions. If your dog is experiencing these symptoms along with heavy panting and its hot outside, theres a good chance youre dealing with a dog heat rash.

What Causes A Heat Rash On Dogs?

Heat rash is a condition that dogs may experience as a result of very hot weather. Unlike humans, dogs dont sweat to get rid of excess heat, they pant. This means that its not as easy for dogs to cool their skin down, and that excess heat can lead to a dog heat rash.

Heat rash in dogs is caused by overexposure to heat or direct sunlight. Dogs have a lot of tender skin thats not covered well by their coat, and those areas are especially susceptible to heat rash. Heat rash may not be as dangerous as dog seizures, but it can still cause serious problems.

When you take your dog outside on hot days, make sure they have a shady spot to relax and dont leave them outside for too long. If you spot signs of heat rash, you should bring your dog inside and give them some time to cool down and relax in the shade.

Diagnosing Heat Rash In Dogs

If your dog has suddenly developed a rash after spending an extended period of time in the sun, you should take them to the vet for a diagnosis. Getting a diagnosis before you treat dog heat rash is important because you dont want to make your dogs heat rash worse.

Your vet will perform a physical exam to determine if your dog has heat rash. This physical exam involves looking at the area where the rash is forming to determine whether its caused by heat, an allergic reaction, or something else. Your vet will also determine the severity of your dogs heat rash, which is an important part of deciding on treatment.

When you take your vet in for a heat rash diagnosis, your vet may also look at a smear of the rash under a microscope to see if its infected. If there are a lot of white blood cells in the affected area, your dog may have a heat rash infection.

What Does A Heat Rash On Dogs Look Like?

Recognizing heat rash on dogs is important during the summer, so every dog owner should have a basic understanding of what heat rash looks like. Its easy to confuse heat rash with other types of rashes your dog may have, so its always best to get a diagnosis from a vet whos dealt with heat rash before.

Heat rash on dogs starts as a fairly normal rash, causing redness and itchiness in the affected area. As heat rash gets worse, it may eventually cause boils, pimples, and scabs in the area of the rash, and you may even notice a foul odor coming from your dogs skin.

Heat rash can also lead to a secondary infection as a result of your dog scratching their rash. If your dog has heat rash, make sure you get it diagnosed by a vet and take steps to stop scratching and other potentially harmful behavior.

How To Treat Heat Rash In Dogs

The good news when it comes to heat rash in dogs is that there are steps you can take to prevent and treat heat rash. As a dog owner, this starts with keeping an eye on your dog during hot weather and looking out for heat rash on your dogs tummy.

Your vet may recommend a few different treatment options for heat rash in dogs, including hydrocortisone cream, aloe vera, and a cold towel. The goal of treatment is to reduce skin irritation and inflammation while helping your dog get relief from the heat.

If your vet recommends a specific treatment option for heat rash in dogs, make sure you follow through with treatment until your dog is all better. Its important to get rid of heat rash infections completely before you stop treating the affected area.

How Long Does It Take Heat Rash To Go Away?

From dog heat rash to signs of dog anxiety, nobody wants to see their dog suffer for longer than they have to. Your pup may be in a lot of discomfort as a result of heat rash, so how long does it take for that heat rash to go away?

The good news about heat rash in dogs is the fact that it typically goes away in a relatively short time period once youve started treatment. Once you start applying the cream or aloe vera that your vet recommends you use to treat heat rash, that heat rash may go away in as little as 3-7 days. Keep in mind that the duration of heat rash may depend on the severity of your dogs rash as well as how quickly you begin treatment.

How To Prevent Heat Rash In Dogs

You dont want your dog getting heat rash, so its important to know how to keep your dog cool during the summer and how to prevent heat rash.

Start by making sure your dog stays cool when theyre outside. You should have a shady area in your yard where your dog can go to relax. If your dog is exhibiting any signs of being too hot, you can spritz them with water or wipe them off with a cold towel to cool them down. You should also avoid letting your dog spend too much time in direct sunlight.

When your dog is spending a lot of time outside, keep an eye on them. Watch out for symptoms of your dog overheating or a heat rash developing. The sooner you spot heat rash, the easier it is to treat.

Final Notes

During the summer, its important to make sure your dog is staying cool so they dont develop heat rash. While dog heat rash is a fairly common condition, working to prevent heat rash and treating it early on is important.

If your dog has heat rash as a result of spending too much time in the sun, you need to get a diagnosis from your vet. With Dutch, connecting with vets in your area is easy. You can even get treatment delivered to your door. Try Dutch today to make taking care of your dog a breeze.

Dog Heat Rash: What It Looks Like (with Pics) & How to Treat

This article was updated on December 6th, 2022

Heat rash is an issue I encounter fairly regularly in my practice, especially in the summer months. Many owners like to get outdoors with their canine companions when the sun is beaming down. However, many owners dont take into account the effects that extreme heat can have on dogs and, as a result, many dogs are rushed to their veterinarians for emergency treatment after they overheat.

Unfortunately, this is still an issue that many owners are oblivious to, but this article aims to educate owners and will go into detail on how to know if your dog has heat rash and what you can do at home to help your dog.

What is Dog Heat Rash?

Prolonged exposure to very hot temperatures results in irritation to the skin and changes in the skins appearance. Dogs dont sweat in the same way humans do and instead regulate their body temperature through panting; their thick coats can leave them susceptible to the effects of overheating.The main cause of heat rash in dogs is overexposure to heat or direct sunlight.

Below are the most common symptoms seen with heat rash:

• Red inflamed skin
• Itchy skin persistent scratching and licking
• Ulceration, pimples and/or pustules on the skin
• Scabbing of the skin
• Bleeding
• Smelly skin

The effect of extreme heat can also have a negative impact on your dog as a whole, resulting in:

• Lethargy and feeling unwell
• Dehydration.

Damage to the skin can also result in secondary bacterial or fungal infections, further exacerbating the issue.

Heat rash affects dogs of all shapes and sizes, but overweight dogs or dogs with very wrinkly skin are particularly vulnerable. Dogs with more skin folds such as shar peis, bulldogs and pugs are often at a higher risk of developing heat rash.

What Does Dog Heat Rash Look Like? (With Pictures)

Heat rash can take various forms depending on the severity and area of the body affected. The general appearance is that of red, inflamed and sometimes raised skin such as that shown in the photos below:

1. Mild Heat rash slight redness to the skin and blotchy appearance. Mild cases of heat rash may be of little concern. If your dogs skin is only mildly reddened and they are only scratching at themselves occasionally then the problem will likely resolve itself within a few days, especially if you implement some of the home remedies we will cover later in this article.

2. Moderate heat rash more red appearance, irregular and uneven skin surface, as seen on the picture below:

3. Severe heat rash bright red, ulcerated skin often with hair loss and signs of secondary bacterial infection.

If your dog has very red, ulcerated skin and they are frantically scratching at themselves then this poses a concern and they should be taken to the veterinarian immediately. Signs of infected skin such as pustules or a foul smell are also a reason to seek veterinary intervention.

If your dog is unwell in any other way, such as showing signs of lethargy, vomiting and dehydration then they may also have heat stroke alongside a rash. This should be treated as an emergency and you should take them to the vet immediately.Below is a picture showing a severe case of heat rash on a dog:

4. Focal heat rash sometimes heat rash can occur in a more local, specific area of skin rather than affecting the whole skin more broadly.

How to Tell if Your Dog Has a Heat Rash

While it can be difficult to say for sure if your dog has heat rash, the sudden appearance of any of the symptoms above shortly after spending time in a hot environment makes heat rash quite likely. Mild cases of heat rash may respond to applying a cool towel or soothing cream to the affected areas of your dogs skin if they improve then its likely that your dog is suffering from heat rash.

4 Steps You Can Take at Home to Help Your Dog

While severe cases of heat rash will require veterinary attention, there are a few steps you can take at home to help alleviate the symptoms of heat rash:

1. Put your dog somewhere cool. Avoid direct sunlight and heat and try to cool them down as much as possible. Placing them in a bath of cool water or directing a fan to blow cold air in their direction may help.
2. Apply a cool towel or cold compress to the affected areas. The sooner you can do this, the more effective it will be. This will help to cool down the affected areas of skin before symptoms worsen.
3. Apply aloe vera to the affected areas. This can be either directly squeezed from the plant or in the form of a soothing aloe vera cream (See this cream on Amazon). Other soothing creams may work too.
4. Call your vet: if no improvements are seen after 24-48 hours, call your vet: delaying veterinary treatment could endanger your dog and make the issue a lot worse than it is now.Even mild cases of heat rash can turn into a more complex skin infection or irritation.

Is Dog Heat Rash Serious? Is My Dog Suffering?

Mild cases of heat rash are not likely to cause your dog any more discomfort than a subtle itchy sensation, which can be treated by the remedies we will cover in this article.However, more serious cases of heat rash where the skin is very inflamed and damaged are likely to cause extreme discomfort to your dog. Itching and licking at affected areas results in more damage and a vicious cycle develops. Damage to the outer layers of the skin also allows bacterial or fungal infections to take hold.

Exposure to extreme heat can be harmful to your dog in other ways too. Aside from a rash developing on the skin, dogs can develop heat stroke. This is a serious condition in which your dog overheats, becomes dehydrated and lethargic. Therefore, its important to not only be aware of symptoms of heat rash but also heat stroke as often the two come hand in hand.

Can My Dog Recover from Dog Heat Rash Without Vet Treatment?

Your dog may be able to recover from mild cases of heat rash if you implement the steps above. However, if the symptoms are persisting more than 48 hours or are getting worse then you must take your dog to see the vet immediately as its likely that they require stronger treatment.

When to Call Your Veterinarian

If your dog has more than a moderate form of heat rash (based on the pictures above), or if you think there are signs of skin infection such as pustules or a foul smell then veterinary intervention is required. A heat rash that isnt responding to the home remedies discussed above will also require help from your vet.

Its also important to be aware of the symptoms of heat stroke as these conditions often go hand in hand with a dog that has overheated. Any signs of lethargy, dehydration, vomiting or even seizures should ring alarm bells and youll need to take your dog to see the vet straight away.

How Can the Vet Help with Dog Heat Rash? How Much Will It Cost?

For those more severe cases of heat rash that havent responded to home remedies then the vet can help out.

Vet Diagnosis

Diagnosis of heat rash is challenging because it can look very similar to other skin diseases such as allergic dermatitis and parasitic infection. The diagnosis is made by ruling out other causes and by assuming heat rash is the cause based on the information you provide the vet, such as whether your dog has spent a lot of time in warm weather recently.

Various skin tests can be performed if necessary, such as skin scrapes and hair plucks to look at the structure of the skin under the microscope and determine a cause. However, for the most part treatment can be started without too many tests being performed. The treatments of heat rash are very similar to other skin diseases.

Vet Treatment

Your vet will likely provide some sort of anti-inflammatory medication to your dog to help reduce the redness and irritation in his skin. This may be in the form of oral steroids or topical steroid creams such as hydrocortisone.

In cases where secondary bacterial or fungal infection is suspected, your vet will likely dispense antibiotics or antifungal treatments these may be in the form of topical creams or oral medications.

The cost of treatment will depend on the severity of the rash present but most topical treatments and steroids arent overly expensive. Expect a bill between $50-200 depending on how bad your dogs rash is and how well your dog responds to treatment.

What you Should Know Before the Vet Visit

Theres a few questions that your vet will likely ask you should you visit for an appointment and it helps to have the answers prepared in advance. Questions they may ask include:

• Has your dog been exposed to extreme heat and/or direct sunlight recently? If so, for how long?
• How long has your dog had a rash?
• Is your dog itching or chewing at themself?
• Is your dog displaying any other symptoms? Are they well in themself?
• Have you tried any treatments at home for your dogs rash?

Prevention Methods for Dog Heat Rash

Prevention of heat rash revolves around reducing your dogs exposure to extreme heat and direct sunlight. Keep your dog well hydrated and cool, especially on very warm summer days. Only take your dog out for walks early in the morning or late in the evening when its warm outdoors and make sure they have plenty of water available.

Typical Recovery Time/Prognosis for Dog Heat Rash

Dogs with heat rash typically make a quick recovery if treatment is started early. Dogs with mild to moderate heat rash will often show a marked improvement in a few days, more severe cases of heat rash where secondary bacterial infection of the skin is present may take a couple of weeks.

Generally heat rash isnt life-threatening but the other effects of heat exposure can be. Should you notice your dog appearing unwell and lethargic then seek veterinary advice immediately as they may be suffering from heat stroke.

What Looks Like a Heat Rash, but is Not a Heat Rash

The symptoms listed above are not exclusive to heat rash and many other skin conditions can look very similar. For example:

1. Allergic dermatitis inflammation of the skin due to an allergic reaction can look very similar to heat rash; redness, pimples, scratching etc are all symptoms of allergic dermatitis and so it can be easy to confuse these conditions.

2. Hot spots. Hot spots, technically known as acute moist dermatitis, are red, inflamed areas of skin that can seem to appear overnight. These spots may occur anywhere on a dog but are most common behind and under the ear, legs, and on the hips. The area will be moist and typically have some purulent oozing. Often there is matted fur covering and hiding the hot spot. Learn more about hot spots in dogs.

While either of these conditions could be the cause of your dogs recent rash, if your dog has recently spent time outdoors in the heat then a heat rash is very likely.

Dog Heat Rash FAQs with the Vet

Where is Heat Rash Most Often Seen?

Heat rash tends to affect the areas of the skin where it is thinnest, most sensitive and hairless as well as areas when the skin is folded on itself. The most common areas include, but are not limited to:

• belly,
• groin, and
• armpits.

How Does a Heat Rash Look on a Dog?

Heat rash can take many forms depending on the severity of the condition. It often appears as a reddened, ulcerated area of skin. The skin may appear uneven on the surface or even have pustules present indicating a secondary bacterial infection.

What is the Fastest Way to Get Rid of a Dog Heat Rash?

Cool your dog down as soon as possible and apply aloe vera cream.

How Long Does a Dog Heat Rash Last For?

This depends on how severe the case of heat rash is but usually the symptoms will subside within a week or two, sooner if the correct treatment is started.

Does Vinegar Help a Dog Heat Rash?

While vinegar diluted 50/50 with water may help, I wouldnt recommend it as it could be too harsh on your dogs skin, especially if they have sensitive skin.

Does Baking Soda Help a Dog Heat Rash?

Baking soda when combined 50/50 with water to form a thick paste can have a soothing effect when applied to your dogs skin. However, this probably wont be very effective for severe cases of heat rash.

Does Benadryl Help a Dog Heat Rash?

While Benadryl may be useful in treating a rash, it will likely only be effective in cases where the rash is caused by an allergy since this medication is an antihistamine. Benadryl will likely have little effect for dogs with heat rash.

Can I Put Neosporin on My Dogs Heat Rash?

Neoporin is an antibiotic ointment that may be of some benefit in preventing bacterial infections in dogs with heat rash, however it is no substitute for proper veterinary intervention.

Should You Moisturize a Dog Heat Rash?

Yes, keeping a dogs skin moistened when they have heat rash is important in preventing any further damage to the skin.

• Alex Crow, VetMed MRCVS, is an RCVS accredited Veterinary surgeon with special interests in neurology and soft tissue surgery. Dr Crow is currently practicing at Buttercross Veterinary Center in England. He earned his degree in veterinary medicine in 2019 from the Royal Veterinary College (one of the top 3 vet schools in the world) and has more than three years of experience practicing as a small animal veterinarian (dogs and cats).

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