Red itchy rash on our dog's belly and crease of his legs

by Inna
(Morris Plains, NJ, USA)

Our 4.5 y.o. bichon/yorkie mix (13.8 lb. weight) developed some kind of red rash; few on his belly and on the creases of his front legs. The red rash appears to be with out any puss on his belly but does have some raise to it on his legs.

We first saw it yesterday evening but he started to scratch it this morning. I gave him 1 tsp.of Benadryl this morning.

Our dog is not on any dry food, but we were recommended by one of the holistic vets in the area to switch him to raw food and we switched him to it about 6 months ago. We mix turkey meat and chicken gizzards with some vegetables. The last few days it was carrot and cabbage (cabbage was the first time we mixed in).

He does refuse to eat it absolutely raw, so we sear it a little bit. We add 1/4 tsp.of “flying basset digestive enzyme” & 1 tsp. “nutrigest powder” to his food (he eats once a day).

We usually don’t give him any treats, but some blueberries some times instead. For the last few days I had given him “dogswell vitality chicken breast with flaxseed & vitamins” treat once a day.
Yesterday it was raining so he was not outside that much.

Comments for Red itchy rash on our dog’s belly and crease of his legs

Oct 06, 2010

My Online Vet Response for Red itchy rash on our dog’s belly and crease of his legs
by: Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Hi Inna,
It is difficult to see exactly what part of his body the photo was taken, but the rash is very apparent. Benadryl will probably suppress the itching and make the symptoms go away. But when you stop it, it may come back.

The best treatment would be for the holistic veterinarian to ‘take the case’ and treat him homeopathically. That is, to find the particular symptoms that make your dog unique, that is to discover his ‘constitution’ and it is that which will fit the homeopathic remedy that would be needed to cure him.

There are homeopathic remedies for red itchy skin, there are remedies for lesions that appear in skin creases, remedies that are useful for reactions from a change in diet, etc. His diet sounds good, but you should consider feeding him two times daily.

I am not familiar with the ‘flying basset digestive enzymes’ nor the “nutrigest powder” supplement. He does need a source of Calcium in his diet. Make sure he is receiving enough calcium to make a 2:1 ration of calcium to phosphorus. Meat contains a lot of phosphorus, it is the bone that contains calcium.

He may also need to have some Omega 3 fish oil for dogs for his skin and hair coat. For his size you could supplement with 100-200 mg 2 times daily in his food. You can also shampoo him with an oatmeal shampoo 1-2 times per week to make him feel more comfortable.

Did this skin eruption start after receiving a vaccination?? There are many factors that need to be examined in taking a case. See our page on Alternative Medicine for Dogs.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

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Red itchy rash on our dog’s belly and crease of his legs

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