What causes a puppy's belly rash and constant scratching/licking?

Question

Hi my 4 month old black Labrador has a rash on his belly which he keeps scratching and licking, do you know what this could be? He doesn’t seem to be in pain just irritated. Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Male | unneutered | 3 months and 22 days old | 39 lbs

David Darvishian · Accepted Answer

Hello and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!! Great picture by the way. Nelson is suffering from what we call puppy pyoderma or a staph bacterial infection. This is a very common condition in puppies due to their immature immune system. This is a normal bacteria that lives on their skin but can cause problems. The lesions are called papules or pustules. They can be red bumps or bumps filled with pus. This condition can be itchy and very irritating but in other cases, no clinical signs are seen other than the lesions. This condition can be caused by other things like external parasites (fleas, ticks), allergies, and other things. I would advise getting Nelson seen by your veterinarian and see if treatment is indicated. Various forms of treatment exist including topical treatments or oral antibiotics if severe enough. Your vet may want to perform some skin tests if it looks like something else is causing the bacterial infection. So I would advise a check-up by your vet. Hope this helps. This is not contagious to people or other dogs if it is just a staph infection. Good luck with Nelson.

What causes a puppy's belly rash and constant scratching/licking?

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