My adopted dog has a rash on her belly. Could it be blackheads?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. From what you are describing these sound like comedones, or clogged pores. A comedone is similar to a pimple, in that it is a collection of oily material in a pore. It is black because of exposure to oxygen and accumulation of debris. Comedones may be a sign of a skin issue such as mites, or over-secretion of oils, but they can also be signs of an underlying hormonal disease such as Cushing's disease. As long as they are not irritating to your dog, there is no need to try to get rid of them. Comedones may be reduced by use of benzoyl peroxide shampoos, which have “follicular flushing action,” the ability to go down inside pores and hair follicles and remove foreign material. I recommend contacting your regular veterinarian who may recommend a medicated shampoo, and/or may recommend that your dog be seen for an exam and bloodwork to evaluate for any underlying diseases that may be related to his/her comedones. I hope this is helpful!

Hi and thanks for posting! Thank you for sending along a picture as well. From your picture, it looks to me like comedones or otherwise known as blackheads which occur when the hair follicle becomes clogged. Usually these can be treated with certain medicated shampoos that contain benzoyl peroxide in them to help flush out the follicle. Be sure to purchase these shampoos from your veterinarian as dogs can be especially sensitive to human shampoos and other human hygiene products. I hope this helps!

That looks quite uncomfortable. I'm surprised that she isn't super itchy. I don't see any obvious causes in the picture - such areas that make me suspicious of a bacterial or yeast infection. My top guesses be allergies (flea, food, environment, or even a contact allergy such as being allergic to your laundry detergent), with skin parasites or a superficial infection definitely possible. Since it's such a large area, it's going to be hard to apply an ointment - if you have a medicated bath for another dog (one that is for superficial infections) that may help. Wiping the area with witch hazel could calm in down. A mild (1%) hydrocortisone cream could also calm down the area. I would definitely recommend getting her to the vet as soon as possible. They are likely to need to do an exam saying she's in good health before she can be added to the insurance, and she's not going to qualify until her skin is better.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Judging from the pictures I suspect what you are seeing are blackheads. I would recommend using a shampoo called Dermabenz to help remove these. You can find this shampoo online quite easily and bathe twice weekly until resooved. If the condition does not improve or it worsens then I would recommend having a veterinarian examine her so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello. These are comedones, essentially black heads, & they are commonly associated with dogs that have allergies. You can try bathing CJ in a benzoyl peroxide product ( shampoo or gel ) for its follicle flushing properties. Bathe weekly & make sure you leave the shampoo on for at least 10 minutes before rinsing. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Comedones, or blackheads, are common in certain breeds. Usually, minor cases can be treated topically at home using a shampoo containing benzoyl peroxide. Cleansing the area daily with witch hazel can help as well. If they persist or worsen, you may need to have Sandy examined by her veterinarian to diagnose bacterial infection, endocrine imbalances or other medical conditions that may be predisposing her to developing blackheads.

Dogs can get blocked pores and blackheads, or what we medically call comedones These typically can be treated with a benzoyl peroxide based shampoo (i.e. Duoxo shampoos). In most situations these are benign, but it is always a good idea to have your vet do a general health exam on your pet to ensure no other underlying disease processes are occurring as well. Pets with hypothyroidism can be prone to this condition. Your vet can also provide an appropriate shampoo to help keep pores healthy. Adding an omega 3 fatty acid for pets can also help improve skin health. Best of luck.