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Dog Rash

Causes of Dog Rash and Treatments

Dog rash is collective term for several skin diseases that can occur in our beloved pets. The reasons for rash are many, just like in humans. Thus, the cause may be a sudden outbreak of eczema or an infection accompanied with skin rash. Very often a dog rash appears on the pet's tummy, legs or the inner thighs. Rash can also be caused by lice or other pest that attack dogs, or it could be a fungal infection. Very common causes are also allergies to specific foods, fabrics or substances. Before a treatment can be introduced, the cause for the dog rash must be analyzed.

If your dog is constantly scratching and biting itself, it could be a sign for an allergy. Just like humans, dogs can develop a hyper sensibility to everyday things- even toys and food. Some types of dog are more vulnerable than others when it comes to allergies and you should always inform yourself about your dog's needs and diseases that may occur.

Your dog can develop an allergy to dust, fungus, and can even suffer from hay fever. The symptoms of dog rash are often the same in every dog: The skin becomes red, itches and even starts peeling off. Naturally your dog will start to scratch and bite those areas which results in injuries and infections. Some dogs develop a problem with their digestion and experience stomach pain which occurs mostly when an allergy for food is present.

To identify the cause of dog rash you should visit a vet who will then do a blood or skin test. This is to determine what kind of allergy the dog is suffering from and it this type of rash is usually cured with a shampoo or cream.

A food allergy is much harder to diagnose and all you can do is test different types of food to see which one causes an allergic reaction. Unfortunately, neither blood nor skin tests can identify a food allergy. But what to do when your dog is suffering from a rash?

Here are some tips for various types of rash:

Prevention: When you take your dog for a walk, avoid places with a high concentration of pollen. Brush your dog's fur thoroughly to remove any pollen that may have attached themselves to your dog as this will cause rash. Remove all carpets that become very dusty and remove any dust from the entire house regularly.

Medication: Antihistamines are ideal to reduce the symptoms. Cortisone is also very helpful but not in cases where the reaction is chronic. Cyclosporine A has the same effect but without the invasive side effects of Cortisone. The only disadvantage of it is that it is very pricy.

If dog rash is caused by flees or lice, only a single bite is enough to trigger a hazardous infection.
Prevention: Regular anti-flee treatments to prevent anything from biting your dog.
Medication: There are various types of shampoo, drops, powders and collars you can try.

Some dogs are intolerant towards certain types of food, and often enough a dog rash is caused by proteins.

Therapy: Feed your dog with hypo allergic food which is a medically approved type of food and does not cause any allergies. You may add certain other types of food to determine what is triggering the rash, i.e. you may add a little red meat and observe whether your dog can digest and handle it. If not, your dog may be allergic to red meat and you should avoid that type of food. Many pet owners have found that exotic types of meat such as horse, lamb or ostrich are causing allergies and dog rash.