What is best for dog skin 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.

Rashes on Your Dogs Belly

Rashes on a dogs belly may look alarming and uncomfortable, but they are quite common. These dog belly rash bumps and redness you see can have a variety of causes, from a simple bacterial skin infection to a more serious underlying condition, such as Cushings disease.

If left untreated, your dogs belly rash could develop into an unpleasant skin infection that will require veterinary care and cause your dog discomfort.

Here is what you need to know about your dogs belly rash, including the causes, symptoms, and treatment options available.

What Causes Dog Belly Rashes?

Your dogs skin protects his body from the outside world, acting as a barrier between his internal organs and harmful organisms. We might think of skin as being tough and resistant, but it is actually very sensitive to changes in both your dogs body and the environment.

One of the ways the skin shows this sensitivity is through rashes.

There are several causes of rashes in dogs:

• Skin infections
• Inflammatory conditions
• Allergies (which many times are genetic)
• Parasites
• Genetic
• Hormonal imbalances and endocrine conditions
• Environmental causes (such as poison ivy or other plants)

Infections

Sometimes cuts can open the skin barrier to infections. Many of the causes of rashes in dogs are the result of bacterial, fungal, or yeast infections.

Bacterial skin infections are called pyoderma, which translates from Greek to pus and skin. Pyoderma typically causes lesions that look like pimples and can also cause crusty, dry, flaky skin. Hair loss and itchiness can also occur.

Your dog can get pyoderma as a result of trauma to the skin, like an abrasion or cut, excessive moisture, or as a secondary condition. Puppies are prone to puppy pyoderma in areas without a lot of hair, such as their underarms and groin. Hereditary factors can also play a role in skin infections for both puppies and adult dogs.

Fungal infections, such as yeast infections and ringworm, are also common. Yeast dermatitis is a skin condition caused by yeast infections. It is also known as Malassezia dermatitis and is caused by the fungus Malassezia pachydermatis. Symptoms of this condition include thickened skin; changes in skin pigmentation; a musty smell; itching; redness; scaling, crusty, flaky skin; and chronic ear infections.

Ringworm is characterized by circular lesions, which can appear red and scabbed. Hair loss is common, and while these rashes are usually not itchy, they can become inflamed, and the condition can be passed to people and other pets.

Allergies

Allergies can also cause rashes on your dogs belly. Environmental allergies, like contact dermatitis or reactions to something on the ground like fertilizer, cleaning products, poison ivy, or other irritants, flea allergy dermatitis, and food allergies, food sensitivities, and food intolerance can lead to itchy bumps and rashes. When your dog itches and scratches, he opens his skin up to infections, which can lead to a rash or complicate an existing rash.

Allergies can have a wide array of symptoms, from digestive upset to skin conditions such as itchiness, hair loss, redness, irritation, and chronic skin infections. Talk to your veterinarian if you suspect that your dog might have an allergy.

Pests and Parasites

Pests and parasites could also be the cause of your dogs rash. Fleas, mites, and ticks can cause irritation, exposing your dog to bacteria, yeast, and fungal infections. Demodex mites, walking dandruff, flea allergy dermatitis, and sarcoptic mange (caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite) can all cause rashes on your dogs skin, including her belly and groin area.

Genetic

Some dogs are more prone to rashes than others. Breeds that are predisposed to skin problems, such as Cocker Spaniels, German Shepherd Dogs, Labrador Retrievers, Bulldogs, Doberman Pinschers, and Standard Poodles, may be at an increased risk of developing rashes on their bellies and elsewhere.

Golden Retrievers, for instance, can get a rare condition called congenital ichthyosis, which causes scaling of the skin on the abdomen. Arctic breeds, for example the Samoyed, can develop zinc-responsive dermatosis, and Cocker Spaniels are prone to primary seborrhea (dandruff).

Hormonal Imbalances and Conditions (Endocrine Disorders)

Most concerning, however, is the possibility that your dogs belly rash could be a sign of an underlying condition, such as hypothyroidism or Cushings disease. These diseases cause hormonal imbalances in your dogs body, and some of the first obvious symptoms are often skin conditions, such as thinning or loss of coat and changes to the quality of the skin.

You can help your veterinarian catch these diseases early by observing your dog for any changes in coat quality, drinking and urination habits, as well as rashes, hair loss, and dry skin.

Symptoms of Belly Rash

Rashes on your dogs belly can present in a few ways. Perhaps the most common is pyoderma, which is characterized by pimple-like lesions; dry, scaly, crusty skin; hair loss; and itchiness.

Your dogs skin may also appear red and inflamed, weepy, or scabbed. Yeast infections can result in a yeasty smell, and fungal infections like ringworm often have a distinct, circular pattern to the lesions.

Find out more about the causes of dry skin on dogs

Diagnosing Your Dogs Belly Rash

The best way to determine the cause of your dogs belly rash is to make an appointment with your veterinarian, who will perform some diagnostic tests based on your dogs age, breed, overall health, and symptoms.

Veterinarians use skin samples, blood tests to detect underlying conditions, fungal cultures, antibiotic sensitivity tests, and in some cases, allergy testing to accurately diagnose skin conditions in dogs. Your veterinarian may refer you to a dermatologist for further testing and treatment.

Treating Belly Rashes

Once your veterinarian has diagnosed the cause of your dogs belly rash, she will discuss your treatment options.

Bacterial skin infections are typically treated with a course of antibiotics. Your veterinarian may want to perform an additional test to determine the best type of antibiotic to treat your dogs rash and avoid building up antibiotic resistance, and could prescribe you with medicated shampoos or scrubs to help manage the infection.

Yeast and other fungal infections are treated with antifungal medications and shampoos.

Allergies, depending on the cause, can be more difficult to treat, and may involve treating both the allergy and any secondary skin infections that developed. Your vet may recommend a dog skin soother balm to help ease the discomfort.

Conditions such as hypothyroidism and Cushings disease, like allergies, require treatment of the condition itself and the skin rash. Your dog may require additional blood tests and follow-up monitoring.

In some cases, your dogs belly rash could be the result of a resistant infection, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). It is very important to follow your veterinarians instructions about treating resistant infections, and you will need to be patient, as it may take time for the infection to heal.

Rashes on your dogs belly are not usually serious, but they do require medical attention. As a note of caution, some rashes can be transferred to people, like poison ivy or ringworm, so be careful to avoid touching the rash yourself, and make an appointment with your veterinarian today to get an accurate diagnosis for your dogs rash and to ensure that he stays happy, healthy, and active.

Yeast Dermatitis (Malassezia) in Dogs: Signs, Symptoms, Treatments

Humans and dogs both uncomfortable when the weather gets hot and humid. That combination creates the perfect environment for yeast to grow and multiply on your dogs skin. An overgrowth of yeast can lead to a condition called yeast dermatitis in dogs or Malassezia dermatitis.

Dogs with yeast dermatitis tend to have itchy and inflamed skin, and they may be very uncomfortable. Heres what you need to know about Malassezia in dogs, including causes, symptoms, prevention, and treatment.

What Causes Yeast Dermatitis in Dogs?

Malassezia pachydermatis is a yeast (which is also a fungus). Its a normal inhabitant of a dogs skin, ears, and mucous membranes. A problem only occurs when theres too theres too much of this yeast, leading to secondary issues like a yeast infection, says Dr. Amy Attas, VMD of New York-based practice City Pets. Yeast dermatitis isnt a contagious disease, so a dog cant get Malassezia from another dog.

There are two main reasons why dogs develop yeast dermatitis: factors in the environment and factors in the patient. Being in hot and humid weather, as well as going for a walk on a rainy day, can increase the likelihood of a dog developing a yeast infection. In these circumstances, dirt and moisture can get trapped between their toes or skin folds, creating an ideal breeding ground for yeast. In addition to environmental factors, dogs may have some kind of issue that helps the yeast go from colonizing i.e., normal numbers to becoming infected, she says.

The most common cause of yeast dermatitis in dogs is allergies, including food sensitivities. Dogs with allergies tend to get a lot of yeast infections on their feet, their skin, and in their ears, she says. Another cause of yeast dermatitis in dogs may be problems with a dogs immune system. For example, if a dog has been on long-term antibiotics, their immune systems may be weaker, making the dog more prone to contracting an illness. In addition to treating harmful bacteria, antibiotics can also kill some of the ones that are keeping the Malassezia in check, Dr. Attas says. Yeast are opportunistic organisms that are going to take over if the patient has issues.

Symptoms Yeast Dermatitis in Dogs

Too much yeast in a particular area can cause the skin or tissue inside the ear to become inflamed. When this happens, dogs get uncomfortable and may seek relief by rubbing or scratching the affected area. Once a dog starts to get itchy, they can create an environment for a secondary infection in the ears or on the skin, Dr. Attas explains. Here are symptoms to look for in a dog with Malassezia:

• Itchy or inflamed skin
• Smelling like sour milk
• Coat that feels greasy to the touch
• Hair loss
• Scaly skin
• Skin turning black or become thickened if left untreated
• Dark brown, greasy discharge with a foul smell

Diagnosing Yeast Dermatitis in Dogs

Sometimes, because of the sour milk odor, a veterinarian can tell that your dog has Malassezia dermatitis just by smelling them. But before administering treatment, theyll confirm the diagnosis by collecting a sample of the dermatitis. There are several ways they can obtain a sample for testing.

If theres abundant discharge in the ears or on the skin, you can use a Q-tip and make a very thin preparation on a slide, Dr. Attas says. Then you can look at it under the microscope with special staining. Another painless option is doing an acetate tape preparation, which involves taking a piece of tape, pressing it against the area that looks infected, and peeling off the tape. The vet will then place the tape on a microscopic slide for further inspection.

A third way to get a sample is with a skin scraping. The vet will take a scalpel blade and gently take off the top layer of cells, which doesnt hurt the dog. It doesnt bleed and that gives an abundant supply of organisms to check under the microscope, she says.

If necessary, your vet may conduct a diagnostic test called a punch biopsy to see if theres a lot of yeast in an area, she explains. The vet might need to examine a full layer of skin to make a proper diagnosis and come up with a treatment plan. A punch biopsy involves using a sharp cutting tool to remove a small, tube-shaped piece of skin for microscopic examination. In most cases, this test isnt necessary.

Treatments for Yeast Dermatitis in Dogs

Typically, the treatment for yeast dermatitis in dogs involves topical agents (meaning you apply them directly to the body), like medicated dog shampoo, leave-in conditioner, and mousse. If your dog has a skin infection and Malassezia is the only yeast present, your vet may recommend using an antiseptic cleanser with an ingredient like chlorhexidine or a topical cream or spray with ingredient like ketoconazole. Yeast dermatitis may take a bit longer to treat than a bacterial infection.

Depending on how bad the infection is, you may need to bathe your dog one to three times a week, Dr. Attas says. If a dog is really greasy, Dr. Attas suggests using a degreasing cleanser for dogs (with an ingredient to cut through the grease like benzoyl peroxide) in combination with an anti-yeast shampoo for dogs. Using a degreasing cleanser helps ensure that the anti-yeast shampoo is making good contact with the skin.

The decision to use topicals is made based on how much of the body is affected and where on the body it is, Dr. Attas explains. For example, you wouldnt want to use shampoo for a yeast infection around your dogs eyes. In such cases, the vet might recommend treating the infection with oral medication.

Your vet might also prescribe oral medications if your dogs infection isnt improving or if its making them very uncomfortable. These oral antifungals for dogs include ketoconazole, itraconazole, fluconazole, and terbinafine. Theyre given orally and are metabolized through the liver, she says. If a dog needs to be on them for a prolonged period of time, well need to monitor their blood work.

Yeast Dermatitis: Prognosis and Prevention

To avoid chronic Malassezia infections, your vet may recommend early treatment. They may also recommend taking steps to keep yeast in check.

Breeds Predisposed to Yeast Dermatitis

Some dog breeds, like the West Highland White Terrier, Cocker Spaniel, Poodle, and Dachshund, are predisposed to developing yeast dermatitis. Other dogs that are prone to allergies and yeast infections are those with long, floppy ears or skin folds, great places for fungus to hide. They tend to be the same breeds that are overrepresented for allergies, Dr. Attas says. Thats the key thing here, if we dont address allergies, were not going to get these dogs better.

These dogs may also recover from yeast dermatitis, then contract another infection if the cause of the underlying allergy isnt addressed. So if your dog has allergies and recurrent yeast infections, be sure to talk to your vet.

Keep Your Dog Clean and Dry

Water can get into the ear canal when your dog goes for a swim. Then, if they have a floppy ear, weve just created a warm and moist environment thats very inviting to these organisms, Dr. Attas says. After your dog has a bath or goes swimming, make sure to dry their ears. You can use a cotton ball or sprinkle on an ear-drying agent that you put in the ear, rub around, and wipe clean.

Overweight dogs may be prone to allergies and yeast infections, as will dogs with long, floppy ears and dogs with lots of skin folds. Those folds tend to get moist and warm, so keeping them clean and dry will help prevent yeast from coming back, Dr. Attas says.

Bulldogs may be at higher risk of yeast on their feet because there isnt much space between their toes. If they go for a walk in the rain or mud, be sure to clean and dry their feet afterward.

Dr. Attas reminds owners that yeast is an organism that loves humidity. So once youve dealt with allergies, yeast dermatitis and infections will tend to be less of a problem. Cleaning skin folds and drying your dogs ears will make a less welcoming environment for yeast organisms and relieve some of your dogs discomfort.