My dog has a red rash with pustules on his mouth and paws, what is it?

Question

My dog has a rash on his mouth that has gotten worse with him scratching. The rash has now spread to his paws. His mouth and paws are red with some pustule around his mouth. what could this be? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 2 years and 11 months old | 70 lbs

Ricardo Fernandez, DVM · Accepted Answer

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are medications such as Apoquel or prednisone which may help with the itch.    There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies.   Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market).   If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests.   Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

My dog has a red rash with pustules on his mouth and paws, what is it?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

Why is my mouse's eye swollen, cloudy, and has pus?

What fish dog food helps dry skin if my dog eats Science Diet?

My pet is breathing hard, not eating, and lethargic. What's wrong?

My pet has red spots all over. What's causing them and what to do?

My pet keeps scratching its ear. What's causing this problem?

My small pet is limping and can't bear weight. Should I see a vet?

Share