This approach works best for developing long-term comfort for you pet, but it will take time to figure out the right combination of lifestyle changes. In addition, your vet may prescribe a change in your dog’s diet or suggest using a hypoallergenic shampoo weekly. You can start by using different detergents or watching where your dog is playing outside to make sure he isn’t getting near poisonous plants or eating things from your garden. This would be similar to an elimination diet for humans and takes a bit of trial and error to determine just what is causing the irritation. The first approach you can take to getting rid of the symptoms of contact dermatitis would be to remove potential allergens and irritants from your dog’s environment. But you can effectively manage their exposure and likelihood of irritation. Although, just like human allergies, dogs cannot be completely cured of allergies. These symptoms are going to cause a decent amount of discomfort for your dog so you want to make sure you follow the right course of treatment to bring him back to a healthy state.

Pink or red rash on dog’s belly, paws, chin and other areas.

Signs and Symptoms of Contact Dermatitis in Dogs Essentially, your dog can carry the same allergies as you and have similar signs and symptoms. In addition, your dog could have come in contact with poison ivy, or may simply have an irritation to certain household detergents, carpets, road salts, or hay. This could be outdoor allergies such as mold, pollen, insects, or something more dietary such as pet food ingredients.

Contact Dermatitis or Allergies in DogsĬontact Dermatitis is really just the scientific way of saying that your dog is having an allergic reaction to something that he ate, inhaled, or rubbed against. It may take a trip to the vet to identify the right course of action, but hopefully the rashes discussed below and their signs and symptoms will allow you to better identify what is going on with your dog’s skin. While some skin rashes will need to be treated with medication, most of the time you can actually get rid of these rashes through home remedies and dietary changes. However, you definitely want to treat them as soon as you notice the irritation to keep your dog comfortable, well groomed, and most importantly, healthy. Rashes usually do not cause long-term health problems and thus, should not something to be losing sleep over.

The good news is that dog rashes are typically not too difficult to alleviate once they have been identified. Sound familiar? Dog skin rashes and irritations are actually incredibly common for all dog breeds.

Dog road rash