My dog has red itchy spots & swollen ear. Is it food allergy or fleas?

Question

I recently switched my puggle from natural balance dry dog food to Purina pro plan dry dog food, I've noticed he has these red dots mainly on his stomach and under his arms and is really itchy. I also noticed his ear is swollen and red. Could this be a sign of him being allergic to the food? He has flea treatment but I have found some fleas on him. I was thinking mayby the red dots are flea bites? But the dots are swollen and some have yellow dots on top of them, like puss, or a pimple. Pet's info: Dog | Puggle | Male | neutered | 3 years and 10 months old | 25 lbs

Penelope Graben, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, I worry that it appears Shadow's ear is infected. I recommend taking him to the vet for an exam. Allergies to both food and fleas are possible for overall itchy skin. The red dots are almost certainly from fleas though. Talk to your vet about improving the flea control for him and his environment. As for food allergies, dogs are generally allergic to a specific protein in a food, such as beef or chicken. If the protein source in his food changed with the recent brand change, or he recently got table scraps of a meat he doesn't usually eat, etc this can cause food allergy flare ups as well. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

My dog has red itchy spots & swollen ear. Is it food allergy or fleas?

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