Why does my stray dog have swollen breasts and itchy black skin?

Oh dear, poor Sadie! Her skin issues coupled with the redness and swelling of her anus and vulva could be due to underlying allergies to fleas, food or the environment. I see that she has not been spayed, so it is also possible that her vulva is red and swollen if she is going into heat. The anus can be red and irritated from parasites or anal gland issues, as well. At this point, I recommend assuring that Sadie is receiving a high quality flea preventative (such as Nexgard, Bravecto or K9 Advantix II). You can try bathing her in a gentle oatmeal shampoo or antimicrobial shampoo, but she will likely need to go to her vet for an exam. The vet will be able to assess her changes and determine if a skin infection is present as a result of her ongoing itching. She may need to have a course of antibiotics and anti-itch medications to help resolve this issue. I hope that all goes well!

A common cause of darkened skin in these areas is from chronic inflammation, which could be caused by fleas, flea allergies, food allergies, bacterial or yeast infections, etc. I would recommend starting Cookie on a monthly flea preventative if she isn't already, and checking in with your vet to see what could be going on.

Poor girl. This looks suspicious for either ringworm or mites. Please have your vet do a skin test on Cookie to determine which is the underlying cause so that this is properly treated. Until you can get Cookie seen, its best to keep her away from other pets, young children and the elderly, in case this is contagious. I do hope that Cookie's skin condition improves soon! Best wishes and take care. : )

I am very sorry that Cookie is swollen and uncomfortable. I would advise separating her and the kitten for a while until this behavior ends, and Cookie's mammary gland heals. Use a cool compress to help with the swelling as well. A few times day, for 5 minutes. Also make sure that Cookie is not self-nursing, and if she does place an e-collar on her. Watch for signs of mastitis or mammary gland inflammation/ infection; discharge swelling (which is worsening) pain foul odor redness If you believe that Cookie could have mastitis I would advise taking her to a veterinarian for pain relief, anti-inflammatory medication and possibly antibiotics. Best of luck and please post any further questions you may have. We are here to help!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding the dog. Skin disease is frustrating as many conditions can appear similar. If the dog is very itchy, then I worry about fleas, mites or allergic skin disease causing the issue. If this is not the case, then a hormonal issue such as a thyroid or an adrenal gland disorder can cause the skin to look like your picture. Unfortunately, you will need to see a veterinarian to know for sure. Good luck!

I'm sorry to hear that Misty has to manage allergies since I understand how challenging this issue can be to manage. The lesion on her abdomen pictured looks most like a black fly bite (also called black fly strike). Even though these bites look pretty scary, they generally resolve on their own without any treatment within 2 weeks. As long as she doesn't seem particularly bothered by this lesion, I would recommend continuing to monitor it for the time being. If the lesion gets worse at any point or is still there in 2 weeks, then it should be assessed by her vet. Regardless, if Misty is still scratching her neck a lot, she should be examined by her vet for this issue. Excessive scratching can damage the outermost protective skin layer, which can lead to the onset of skin infections. These infections typically require prescription antibiotics to treat, so it's best to catch them before they become too severe. I hope that everything goes well!

Poor cookie, this looks very uncomfortable and appears to be causing weight loss also. It is likely this is a skin infection or allergy and your vet may wish to run some tests to identify the type of infection prior to prescribing the most appropriate treatment