# red spots on dogs stomach



## travistrout

I have a chocolate lab that is one year old and I noticed a lot of red spots on her stomach today. She has been in the water a lot lately and I was wondering if any body knew if dogs could ger swimmers itch. If any one has any advice please let me know I am trying to avoid a trip to that vet. Also she is not licking straching at her stomach. 

Thanks


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## Rudi's Dad

My dog got pretty scratched up last fall and was swimming in swampy tannin water. Came down with little pimples all over the belly. About half came to a head, and didnt get worse or better.
Staph infection, and $60 for antibiotics. 
I understand not really uncommon, but as with all non life threatening things, I would wait a few days and see if it gets better before going to the vet.


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## travistrout

Thanks for responding I will keep a close eye on it. How do dog get staph infections?


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## Tecumseh

There is a good chance your dog is just having a mild allergic reaction to the weeds and grasses around the water it was swimming in or a reaction to chemicals or things in the water. I have had my dogs break out after swimming and a quick dose of benedryl cleared everything up. Gently clean the area so if there is something aggravating the skin it is removed and make sure you wash your hands after in case it is something you are allergic to. Hope it works out for you and that is all it turns out to be.


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## FindTheBird

My pointer swims nearly every day during the summer and I've noticed a rash on at least a few occasions. I've never consulted a vet on this because every time it's cleared-up within a day or so without treatment.


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## TUCKER

My dog gets round red spots on his belly skin from gnat bites. They are the size of nickels or sometimes even quarters and near perfectly round with a little bite mark in the center. If you let your dog lolly gag outside for extended periods of time I would guess that biting insects are the culprit.


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## Rudi's Dad

TUCKER said:


> My dog gets round red spots on his belly skin from gnat bites. They are the size of nickels or sometimes even quarters and near perfectly round with a little bite mark in the center. If you let your dog lolly gag outside for extended periods of time I would guess that biting insects are the culprit.


Forgot the bugs may be out, not here yet, but soon.

Staph infection thru scratches and contaminated water ?? I dont know, but it does happen. After a week or oral antibiotics pimples went away. These looked like true pimples.. small defined raised red jobs. Many came to a white head..
I waited a week, and nothing got better.. so she went to doggie Dr..


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## travistrout

The red spots seem to be going away at this time. Thanks for all the advice. Without I would have ran to the vet for no reason.


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## Tecumseh

TUCKER said:


> My dog gets round red spots on his belly skin from gnat bites. They are the size of nickels or sometimes even quarters and near perfectly round with a little bite mark in the center. If you let your dog lolly gag outside for extended periods of time I would guess that biting insects are the culprit.


 
Yeah, those things look painful. I thought for sure my dog caught something the first time he got them.


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## Corona

My GSP/Lab gets those bumps, she's allergic to grass. I first noticed them the first few times I let her into the feild and I was so worried...but they went away. Then one day I mowed the lawn (mulched it) and those bumps came back! After the bumps went away I took a hand full of grass clippings and rubbed them all over her belly again and by the end of the day the bumps were back again!


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## WHViz

Are the flat, not raised? bright red? size of a dime? not itchy? My dogs get some that look like that,in fact I found yesterday they have them now. In my guys case, I think its those little red ants that are found in the lawn as they seem to get them when they spend time lounging outside in the grass. They always seem to resolve on their own, so its never been any problem. ( although first time I saw them last year though, I was alarmed at first)


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## PLUMMER47

All 4 of my V's have the red circular spots on their bellies. And most are in the exact same spot on each dog. It has happened the last 3 weekends. It last for 2 days maybe 3 then clears right up. Each time they had been in the Ausable and the beaver ponds training. Also I myself had been bitin by knats both weekends. The hatches are really going on.
The pimples would make me concerned more about egg laying bugs, but not a staph infection. If the dog did have a staph it would really take alot out of him ( energy, lack of appetite) lots of sleeping. I haven't seen a staph cause pimples, just growing redness and sore to the infection site. Watch for multipling in one area. But if they just show up and clear then it could be anything. lie eating unfamiliar items in the woods. I know mine took an interest to morels.


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## Tecumseh

PLUMMER47 said:


> I haven't seen a staph cause pimples, just growing redness and sore to the infection site.


 
I have seen staph infections causing pimple-like things. For example, puppy acne is really a staph infection. I hope you are keeping your dogs on leashes. If you go to the Au Sable near where you told me you usually went, there is a CO who has a pretty strict interpretation of the "quiet time" laws that patrols that area.


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## just ducky

WHViz said:


> Are the flat, not raised? bright red? size of a dime? not itchy? My dogs get some that look like that,in fact I found yesterday they have them now. In my guys case, I think its those little red ants that are found in the lawn as they seem to get them when they spend time lounging outside in the grass. They always seem to resolve on their own, so its never been any problem. ( although first time I saw them last year though, I was alarmed at first)


My setter used to get spots after lazing around in the grass in the summer. Not sure if it was the grass, or the little ants, but something got him every time. But I'd bring him in and a day later they would be gone. Never got to be a real problem with him.


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## BradU20

just ducky said:


> My setter used to get spots after lazing around in the grass in the summer. Not sure if it was the grass, or the little ants, but something got him every time. But I'd bring him in and a day later they would be gone. Never got to be a real problem with him.


Kinda crazy, I had both my two lounging in the yard today and I just was checking out one and noticed the red spots (dime size, bright red, not itching). Checked the other, yup, there too. Then I thought, hey wasn't there a thread on the MS site about red spots??? Sure enough, appears to be a pretty common issue.


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## Pork Chop

Dogs do get swimmer's itch. What causes swimmer's itch is an avian (duck and geese) form of parasite that is very common in Michigan. It's an interesting life cycle, the mature parasite lives in birds. The parasite lays eggs which are deposited the the bird craps. Snails eat the bird droppings, and the eggs hatch and form cercaria, which is a freeswimming stage. They look like sperm, they have a tail and a head wich burrows into your skin.

When the cercaria burrow into another bird, they develop into an adult and the cycle continues. However they aren't the smartest creatures, they will burrow into whatever they bump into, like you and me and your dog. Since our body chemistry (and your dogs) is different from a bird's, our bodies detect the foreign invader, and react to it with the swellings.

There are human forms of this same parasie that live in Southeast Asia and places like Egypt. Places where people tend to spend time wading (and crapping) in the water, think places like rice patties. It's a very devestaing disease. Like any good parasite, it won't necessarily kill you, but it will make you wish you were dead.


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