My dog has a dark, bumpy skin rash. How can I stop him from licking?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Goldendoodle | Male | neutered
Hi, I’m hoping someone can help out Riley. Riley went to the vet a few weeks ago to get checked for a rash. He got an allergen shot from the vet and after that didn’t do much the vet said to use athletes foot cream to help bring down the rash. The area has now become darker in color as seen in the picture and it’s a little more rough on the skin, like bumpy? I just want to know if there’s anything more we could do. He won’t stop licking and it’s been going on for about a month. Thanks in advance
4 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on November 6th, 2019
Those spots on Riley could be several things including allergies, skin mites, flea bites, ringworm (which humans can get) or a bacterial infection. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesions with soap once a day and rinse well (don't wash his whole body, just those spots). Protect the areas from licking or scratching and he may need to wear and Elizabethan collar at all times. Since he is still licking the lesions, it's hard to know if the changes to the lesions are a sign of recovery or a worsening. You MUST stop the licking. If the lesions don't start looking better within about a week or if they get worse, have him examined again by the veterinarian who may prescribe additional medications. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on November 8th, 2019
Those spots on Smokey (not the mass in the photo) could be several things including allergies, skin mites, flea bites, ringworm (which humans can get) or a bacterial infection. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesions with soap once a day and rinse well (don't wash his whole body, just those spots). Protect the areas from licking or scratching and he may need to wear and Elizabethan collar at all times. You can also try Frontline on him to see if that helps (if fleas are the cause). If the lesions don't start looking better within about a week or if they get worse, have him examined by the veterinarian who may prescribe medications. The mass on his leg is a different story. Pets can get many types of lumps and bumps. Most of these tumors will be benign but some will be malignant and you can't tell by looks. Here is a helpful link discussing the various types of skin masses in general: https://www.petcoach.co/article/lumps-and-bumps-on-your-pet/ Since you are noticing the mass changing, I do recommend to have it checked out to be safe. The doctor may recommend to aspirate the mass to examine the cells under a microscope. That is one of the best ways to know what it is and if further action is needed. Also protect the mass from licking but there's nothing you can put on it that will make it go away. If finances are a concern, you may look into financing through Care Credit or Scratch Pay. Lastly, you may call the local humane society to ask if they offer/know of any low cost solutions. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on November 29th, 2019
Those spots on Lucius could be several things including allergies, skin mites, flea bites, ringworm (which humans can get) or a bacterial infection. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesions with soap once a day and rinse well (don't wash his whole body, just those spots). Protect the areas from licking or scratching and he may need to wear an Elizabethan collar at all times. If the lesions don't start looking better within about a week or if they get worse, have him examined by the veterinarian who may prescribe medications. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on November 15th, 2019
That spot on radar could be several things including allergies, skin mites, an autoimmune condition, ringworm (which humans can get) or a bacterial infection. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can use a pet cleansing wipe on the lesion once a day. The problem with topical treatments in this area is that pets lick them off quickly. You could apply a tiny dab of organic coconut oil and rub it in well once a day but he may just lick it off. Protect the areas from licking or scratching and he may need to wear an Elizabethan collar at all times. If the lesion doesn't start looking better within about a week or if it gets worse, have him examined by the veterinarian who may prescribe medications. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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