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Why is my dog's skin red, flaky, and sore on his neck and belly?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Staffordshire Bull Terrier | Male | neutered | 3 years and 8 months old

My male staffy is flaking skin and red swollen sores have appeared on his neck and take also red splodges on his belly too. Is this a fungal infection or hair mites? And what would be the course of action. Thank you

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Susan England-Foster

Veterinarian

Published on September 29th, 2017

The most common reasons for red skin and abnormal lesions is allergies. Allergies can be secondary to parasites, food or even environment. I would recommend applying flea prevention every 30 days. Also you can try an over the counter anti histamine and medicated shampoo to decrease the inflammation of the skin and help stop the itchy skin. However if it is not improving I would recommend taking Bruce to a vet for a good exam. It is possible Bruce has skin mites but the proper mediations can only be prescribed by your vet. I hope that helps and Bruce feels better soon

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    Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on September 5th, 2017

    This is probably caused by an allergic reaction. first of all make sure you de-flea Whiskey regularly every month with a high quality spot on (ex. Advantage) as fleas are by far the most common reason for these reactions. If the fleas are not the problem, it could be an allergic reaction to food or an environmental factor. this is more complicated to treat and will sometimes require medications such as Steroids, anti histamines or Apoquel in order to stop the allergy.

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