What are the blisters on my dog s belly

Dog belly rash? Heres how to soothe it

Dogs get belly rashes for a variety of reasons. Without pinpointing the exact cause, treatment can be ineffective and leave your pup still scratching and chewingso its essential to find the underlying cause. When your vet examines your dog, theyll be searching for signs of certain causes as the culprit for their belly rash.

Skin infections

Skin infections are one of the most common causes of belly rashes in dogs. These infections can be caused by multiple pathogens, like bacteria or yeast. A common type of bacterial skin infection is pyodermaTrusted SourceVCA HospitalsCommunity of veterinarians with up-to-date veterinary information.Go to source or impetigo. It can cause pimple-like, pus-filled lesions, and crusty, dry, flaky skin.

A pyoderma infection, on the other hand, is often caused by the staph species of bacteria, which usually occurs because of bacterial infiltration that stems from the skins surface. If the skin has been traumatized, such as through a cut, licking, or chewing, bacteria can multiply.

Fungal skin infections

Fungal infections, like ringworm and yeast infections, are also common. Ringworm is characterized by circular lesions that are usually hairless. These spots can appear red and scabby and generally dont cause itching, but that isnt always the case.

Keep in mind that ringworm is contagious and can be passed from your pup to you and other pets in your household.

Yeast dermatitis, caused by the fungus Malassezia pachydermatis, can appear as thickened, scaly, or flaky skin. Changes in skin pigmentation, a musty smell, itching, and redness are also common. Youll probably need antifungal medication from your vet to fully resolve this type of issue.

Excessive heat

Like people, dogs can also develop heat rashes. Often caused by the Staphylococcus bacteria, heat rashes can flare up in hot, humid weather. Heat rashes most commonly pop up in areas where the skin rubs, like under the tail, the neck, and the ears. Typically, a heat rash will start as mild skin irritation (or hot spot), which leads to excessive scratching. With time, it can progress to pimples or scabs that have a foul odor.

To soothe the heat rash, soak a washcloth in cool or room temperature water and apply it to the affected area as it may provide temporary relief from any inflammation.

Dont apply ice packs directly to your pets skin. Instead, wrap packs in a dry towel or washcloth to create a cold compress.

Allergies

A belly rash is a common sign of allergies in dogs. Pets who are allergic to certain fabrics, shampoos, cleaners, fertilizers, and other chemicals can develop itchy, red skin and pimple-like bumps on their stomach.

Seasonal allergies can also cause belly rashes on your pup. If your dog has an allergic reaction to grass, pollen, weeds, or trees, they may develop a belly rash after playing in the yard.

Parasites

Parasites, like fleas, ticks, and mites, can cause your pup to break out in a belly rash. Bug bites and stings from ants, bees, and wasps can also lead to irritated skin, and mites in particular can lead to painful conditions like sarcoptic mange. In the cases of bites or bug-related irritation, youll likely notice hair loss, hot spots, scabs, or a rash on your dogs lower back, hind legs, and tail base.

Keep in mind that fleas like to hang out on your dogs hind end, though, so they may not cause an abdominal rash.

Skin Blisters (Vesiculopustular Dermatoses) in Dogs

Vesiculopustular Dermatoses in Dogs

A vesicle, or blister, is a small, defined elevation of the outer layer of the skin (known as the epidermis). It is filled with serum, the clear watery fluid that separates from the blood. A pustule is also a small, defined elevation of the outer layer of the skin (epidermis), but is filled with pus -- a mixture of serum, white blood cells, cellular debris and dead tissue.

Vesiculo refers to vesicles; this prefixed form is attached to the diseased condition that is concurrent with the cause of the blister. Pustular refers to an organism that is covered in pustules. Dermatoses is the plural form of dermatosis, which is used to describe any abnormality or disorder of the skin.

Symptoms and Types

One or more of the following signs may be present:

• Hair loss
• Reddened skin
• Vesicles or blisters: small elevations of the outer layer of the skin filled with clear fluid
• Pustules: small elevations of the outer layer of the skin filled with pus
• Loss of pigment of the skin and/or hair

Causes

Vesicles

• Systemic lupus erythematosus - SLE; an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks its own skin and possibly other organs
• Discoid lupus erythematosus - DLE; an autoimmune disease involving the skin only, usually the face
• Bullous pemphigoid - an autoimmune disease with ulceration of the skin and/or moist tissues of the body
• Pemphigus vulgaris - severe autoimmune disease with ulceration of the mouth, and in the junction between the moist tissues and skin
• Dermatomyositis - inflammatory disorder that affects the skin and muscles in collies and Shetland sheepdogs

Pustules

• Skin infection involving the surface or top of the skin (known as a superficial skin infection), characterized by the presence of pus (pyoderma)
• Bacterial skin infection involving the areas of the body with sparse hair coat (impetigo)
• Superficial spreading pyoderma
• Superficial bacterial infection/inflammation of the hair follicles (bacterial folliculitis)
• Acne
• Pemphigus complex - autoimmune skin diseases
• Pemphigus foliaceus
• Pemphigus erythematosus
• Pemphigus vegetans
• Subcorneal pustular dermatosis (skin disease of unknown cause characterized by the presence of pustules)
• Dermatophytosis (fungal skin infection)
• Sterile eosinophilic pustulosis a skin disorder characterized by the presence of eosinophils in the pustules; eosinophils are a type of white-blood cell involved in allergic responses by the body and are active in fighting larvae of parasites
• Linear immunoglobulin A (IgA) dermatosis - a skin disorder seen only in dachshunds in which sterile pustules are located just below the surface of the skin; immunoglobulin A [IgA] is present in the lowest layer of the epidermis (known as the basement membrane); immunoglobulins are proteins produced by the cells of the immune system, and they include the antibodies, which are categorized into classes, including immunoglobulin A [IgA])

Diagnosis

You will need to give a thorough history of your dog's health, including a background history of symptoms, and possible incidents that might have precipitated this condition. Your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical exam on your dog, with a blood chemical profile, a complete blood count, an electrolyte panel and a urinalysis.

The physical exam will include a dermatologic exam during which skin biopsies for histopathology can be taken. Skin scrapings should also be examined microscopically and cultured for bacteria, mycobacteria and fungi.

Treatment

Most dogs may be treated on an outpatient basis. However, patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), pemphigus vulgaris, and bullous pemphigoid may have advanced to the point of severe illness and will require inpatient intensive care.

Living and Management

Ask your veterinarian if your dog might benefit from periodic bathing with an antimicrobial shampoo to help remove surface debris and control secondary bacterial infections. Your veterinarian will schedule follow-up appointments for your dog to check bloodwork. Initially, these follow-up appointments might be as often as every 1-2 weeks. Later, the visits may be tapered off to once every three to four months depending on how your dog responds to the medication.

Why Would a Dog Have Blood Blisters on His Belly?

If youve ever noticed some strange black blisters on the abdomen of your dog, then you might have been pretty concerned. These types of black spots are known to vets as blood blisters. Although this black spot might look cancerous and will usually get most people alarmed, is it really a reason to stress over? Lets find out what causes blood blisters on a dogs belly.

What Exactly Are Blood Blisters on a Pets Belly?

The medical term for a blood blister on the belly is hematoma. This solid swelling is caused by the clotting of the blood in a certain area. It is basically the same as a pustule, but instead of being filled with pus, it has blood content. Most of the time it wont show up only in the midsection of the dogs body. It is actually more common on other parts of the dogs body, like his ears.

You might also like my articles on what to do if your dog is stung by a bee, has diarrhea, or suffers from Cushings disease.

When located on the skin, it is actually easier to spot, because it is discolored and swells quite a bit. It can also become more visible if the dog starts to scratch it excessively, due to it being itchy. At the same time, if the blister is painful, the dog might show a sign of aversion to the touch around the area.

What is the Cause of Blood Blisters on Dogs?

Hematomas will usually show on a dogs body due to blunt trauma or injury. When located around the ears, this type of hematoma will usually be caused either by too much scratching or by too much shaking of the head. A blood blister on the belly will basically be caused by a similar factor either too much nibbling or intense scratching in the area.

A trauma of medium intensity might have caused a blood vessel to pop and the blood has nowhere to go due to the skin not piercing. What it does instead is get clogged and form a pocket right beneath the skin. Some skin conditions and even allergies can also cause these types of blisters.

Should You Go To The Vet When Noticing a Blood Blister?

Noticing a blood blister isnt enough to know if its time to go to the vet or not. The signs given by your dog are also important when making this decision. Most of the time, a simple blood blister on the dogs belly will be harmless and shouldnt warrant a visit to the veterinarian. A simple blood blister that isnt causing any pain should go away by itself after 48 hours or so. So, if you cant see signs of your dog being in pain or discomfort, like whelping or whimpering, then just keep him under observation and see if everything is better after a day or two.

On the other hand, if things are on the opposite side and the dog is clearly restless or erratic in his behavior, then you might have to take him to the vet to have the blood blister checked out. Even if it turns out that the blister wasnt something to worry about, the vet will at least give you guidance on what you should do.

Treatments for a Blood Blister?

Dont lose any time figuring out the best treatment if your dog has a blood blister that doesnt go away on its own in a few days. go to the vet instead as soon as possible for possible treatment. Depending on the exact location of the blister and its actual size, the vet might be able to drain it on the spot. Even though draining might fix the problem in the short term, the pocket might start to fill up with blood again after a short while. Depending on how severe the blister actually is, after draining it, the vet might also attach a temporary drain so that the blood can get cleared before it fills up the blister again. Surgery might also be needed in some cases where the blister is far from the skin or in more sensitive areas.

Keep in mind that a blood blister is an effect of another underlying cause, so you should address the root of the problem as well if you dont want the blister to resurface. Depending on what the vet finds out, they might prescribe medication against skin conditions or parasites, to stop the dog from creating additional traumas due to excessive scratching.

If the blisters are situated around the ear area, then your vet could either have your pet wear a dog cone or bandage his ears to prevent him from scratching too much. Try your best not to let your dog scratch when you get home and give him the medication he needs. Bathing the pet periodically will also help, as well as cleaning his ears.