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My dog has raw pink patches around mouth/nose. What is it & is it contagious?

Updated on September 23, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 2 years and 3 months old | 35 lbs

Yesterday I noticed these pink blotchy patches of skin around my dog's mouth and nose. It looks raw. What is it, how do I treat it and is it contagious? Will it affect other dogs, pets (guinea pig) and humans (I have a 4 month old daughter)?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Mariya Gugel, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on January 11, 2018

Bailey is adorable! I can see the hairless red bumps under nose, around her lip. This can be caused by a common condition known as canine acne. It happens when there is a bacterial infection within the hair follicles, causing these pustules to form. The condition is not contagious to humans or other animals, but requires treatment with antibiotics or medicated wipes. I recommend trying to keep the area clean, you can use wipes available in pet stores. You can also look for sources of infection - is there a crate that Bailey always digs in? Is her bowl plastic and has scratches that can harbor bacteria? The same can be true of any toys Bailey has. Your vet can also take a small skin sample to rule out other conditions and confirm the diagnosis of canine acne, and I recommend having Bailey seen if the condition does not improve over the next few days. I hope this helps and that all is well with Bailey!

10Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on June 7, 2018
This is either an allergy or possibly puppy strangles (an infection that requires treatment with steroids), i would recommend taking Bailey to the vet the first chance you get in order to get it checked and treated.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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