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My rescue dog has crusty nipples and belly. Why is she so itchy?

Updated on September 23, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | spayed

We adopted a dog from a rescue yesterday. She had puppies several months ago, but her nipples are still large. She looks to be really dirty with crusty dirt on her nipples and belly. Is the area sensitive, can I try to scrub it off? She keeps scratching, and I couldn't get it off with gently washing with my hand.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

Published on April 27, 2019

I don’t advise to try to scrub it off. Many times this will be corrected overtime with a diet formulated for skin health. Her teats will generally shrink up as well over time. The only exception is if she had several litters then this may not occur as much.
There are a couple diets aimed at skin health and I recommend Royal Canin and Nutro. I also recommend to add an additional omega-3 fatty acid supplement for dogs. These will take at least one month to take effect.
You can routinely bathe her with an oatmeal type of shampoo and even use a conditioner. This will help to gently exfoliate with out over drying.
Dog skin itch for many reasons. It can be related to dry skin, poor diet, fleas, allergies or infections. Make sure to keep her on a good flea prevention like Simparica. The diet and skin supplement can also help correct dry skin or poor nutrition. If she continues to itch, or develops redness or scabs to the skin have her examined by the veterinarian. Congratulations on adding Lucy to your family.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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