Skin Rashes in Dogs

When your dog has a skin rash, it will scratch, bite or rub its body against objects. A closer look at the skin will reveal small red or pink bumps. This is a skin rash, and it is common in dogs.

  1. Features

    • Rashes are irritations to the skin that can have internal or external causes. A skin rash may be in one area or all over your dog. Untreated rashes can become open sores, hot spots and infections.

    Causes

    • Skin rashes appear for a myriad of reasons. Many rashes are triggered by parasites, allergies, chemical exposure or drug reaction. Rashes may also appear due to skin cancer and other diseases.

    Home Diagnosis

    • Inspect your dog for fleas, belly dirt and sticky hair. Wash the dog with a mild dog shampoo. A bath eases dermatitis rash from outside contaminants like lawn or carpet chemicals, or plant sap.

    Vet Diagnosis

    • A veterinarian's diagnosis helps find causes of serious dog rashes. Skin scrapings and blood tests isolate tiny parasites, infection or disease sources.

    Treatment

    • The treatment is guided by the cause. Your dog may require a simple medicated bath, change in diet, flea preventative, over-the-counter antihistamine, or a series of injections and prescription medications.

    Considerations

    • Treat the dog promptly. If fleas or poison ivy cause the rash, the irritants will spread quickly to other animals and people.