Dog Skin Rash Around Mouth and Lips

by Jason
(San Mateo, CA)

Gettys Dog Skin Rash Mouth

Gettys Dog Skin Rash Mouth

Hi,


My female Labrador is just under 2 years old. She has developed a strange rash around her lips and mouth. She has been chewing a lot lately, but I thought maybe that was due to her being in heat.

Last night I had a chance to get a real good look at her lips and I am worried now. There has been a change in dog food from Eukanuba to Merick. The other dogs in the house seem fine and unaffected.

Also she is a field dog and a water dog. She loves the water. She was reverting geese 2 weeks ago, at which time I can not recall if her mouth was or wasn't like this.

Editor Suggestion Dog Skin Rash around mouth and Dog Lips

Dear Jason,

It is a little difficult to tell from your pictures, but it looks like your Lab also has some skin issues on the rest of her body, not just around her mouth.

To know exactly what is going on, you would need to take her to your veterinarian for some diagnostic testing: probably a skin scraping to look for mites, a fungal culture for ringworm and cytology to look for bacterial and or yeast infection to begin with.

Sometimes it is cheaper in the long run to get a definitive diagnosis as soon as possible.

That said, there are a few things you could try at home first as long as she is doing well otherwise. First, since her skin problems coincided with a change in diet, I’d switch her back to her old food, just in case she is allergic to something in the new food.

Next, bathe her with a dog shampoo containing chlorhexidine (such as Duoxo) twice a week for the next couple of weeks. This could help control yeast and bacteria on her skin as well as remove allergens from her coat.

Finally, if she is current on heartworm testing and your vet is willing to prescribe Revolution, I’d give her that to kill and fleas and sarcoptic mange mites.

Good luck,

Jennifer Coates, DVM

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Jul 21, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		Rash on the bottom snout under the nose
by: Anonymous

My female dog has a redness around her mouth snout and lips and belly.

Editor Comment:

There are several potential causes for this type of skin reaction:

1. Allergies:
Your dog might be allergic to something she's eaten, or to something in her environment, such as grass, pollen, or certain cleaning products.

2. Dermatitis:
This is inflammation of the skin that can occur from various causes, including contact with certain materials, excessive licking, or bacterial infections.

3. Skin Infections:
Bacterial or fungal infections can cause redness and inflammation.

4. Insect Bites or Parasites:
Redness can be a reaction to bites or the presence of parasites like mites or fleas.

You can start by observing if the redness is accompanied by other symptoms such as scratching, pawing at the face, swelling, discharge, changes in behavior, or changes in eating or drinking habits. These clues can help your vet determine what's causing the problem.

In the meantime, keep your dog comfortable and avoid possible irritants. Do not attempt to treat the symptoms with human medicines without a vet's guidance, as some can be harmful to dogs.

Finally, take her to a veterinarian as soon as possible. They might need to conduct certain tests to identify the cause and propose the right treatment plan.

Please remember that while waiting for your appointment, it's important not to panic. Many skin conditions in dogs are easily treatable with the right care and medication.
Mar 26, 2015
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starstarstarstarstar 		rash around lower lip
by: Louella

Could changing her to trifexes from confortis and the brown heart worm pill thay she has been on since a puppy cause the rash, such as an allergy?

Just this month on the 19th I decided to try it. Also, be advised I tried this product when she was much younger and she scratched a lot from itching. I put her back on the confortis and heart worm pill she stopped scratching.

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