Red Rash - Help!

[Mike & Laura]

Just noticed that Josie has a red rash on the underside of her hind quarters and possibly in one of her ears (maybe a birth mark) which is worrying us. Will take her to the vet first thing but wondered if anyone has seen anything like this before? (hope the link works)

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Reassurances/experience greatly appreciated. Have read on the internet that it might be hives and that children's Benadryl might do the trick but don't want to give her medication until the vet says it's ok.

(worried) Mike & Laura

[suethejam]

Is she scratching it at all?

I wouldn't give her human medicines unless the vet tells you it's ok. Our emergency vet is happy to deal with queries over the phone, so you could try giving your emergency vet a ring and ask whether it's appropriate to give an anti-histamine before you get to the vet tomorrow.

If she's not scratching and doesn't seem to have any other symptoms I wouldn't worry too much - things that would make me take her to the vet tonight are panting, restlessness, difficulty breathing (which might indicate a worsening allergic reaction).

I hope that helps - these hounds so know how to worry us!

[Mike & Laura]

Thanks Sue, she doesn't seem to be in any distress (it's just us!). Will see what the rash does in the morning and assess the need for a trip to the vet accordingly.

Thanks for your help.

[rachael]

If she is not bothered by it then I really wouldn't worry. Simon had a similar rash several months ago and Pat advised that I bathed him using Exmarid (which they sell at Pets at Home), after I bathed him it took a couple of days to disappear.

Rachael

[sueb]

Hi Mike and Laura

I'm be no means an expert but it doesn't look very much like mange, which they can get from the foxes and is incredibly itchy.
I can remember Pat saying you can use Sudocrem on sore skin, but I've never used it on the dogs.
Let us know how Josie is.

[yvonned]

Casss gets places like that on her. I think it might be a plant that starts it off, maybe nettles, and then they lick it. A bit like us scratching a gnat bite. I use sudocrem on her spots and grazes and they soon clear up.

[Mike & Laura]

Thanks all for your replies. She doesn't seem herself today and is off her food so am taking her to the vets this afternoon to be sure. I think it could be a nettle rash perhaps but in conjunction with the lack of desire to eat then best to be on the safe side. I'll let you know how we get on.

Mike

[Mike & Laura]

The vet thinks that Josie is unwell too and has a slight temp but we can't determine exactly what the cause is at the moment so has given her a course of antibiotics and anti inflammatories. Hopefully she should perk up in the next 48 hours. Fingers crossed!

[sueb]

Hopefully the antibiotics will quickly claer any infection and she'll be back to her old self again in no time.
Bless, they do make you worry, don't they?

[suethejam]

Thank heavens for antibiotics - I've lost count of the number of times our hounds have been under the weather and antibiotics and painkillers have perked them up even though we never got to the bottom of what was actually infected!

Hope that Josie feels better soon - I though Lou was a goner a few weeks ago but within 10 days she was back to her old self - panic over :-)

[pat]

Hi Mike and Laura
sorry i was not around to advise you on this, glad she has been sorted and hopefully will feel better by tomorrow
pat