Hi everyone:)! My female 1 year old Chocolate Lab has a strange rash on her tummy. I don't think that it is poison ivy or poison oak because it doesn't seem to itch. A few days ago when we got home from a walk I noticed it looked better and less red. The next day when I went to walk her and her brother, I saw that it was REALLY red and swollen. Does anyone have any idea what this is?

Thanks
-D :)

It sounds like it could be an allergic reaction to something. Sadly, all we can do is guess. There are so many things that can cause a rash.

Your best bet is to have her checked by your vet.

A contact allergy, which is really more sensitivity than allergy, can just affect the abdomen, or whatever part that comes in contact with it, especially if it is relatively hairless area. New carpets or anything new in the dog's environment, such as a newly cleaned carpet, that she can get on may be the culprit. Other types of actual allergies usually cause itching, and once started usually last for a considerable longer time.

Keeping the offending material and the animal separated is the method of diagnosis. If that doesn't work, your vet is the best source of help.

My first guess would be contact allergies as well. Anything from floor cleaner to long grasses can cause flare ups. You mentioned you were out walking, do you have a lot of black fly's or horse fly's where you are? My female dog has allergies to foods and certain environmental factors, but when she gets but by a black fly or horse fly, she swells up like a balloon.

If it's not itching her or bothering her, then there isn't much you can do aside from offering her a Bennadryl to relieve the swelling. Of course like Alty mentioned, you should have her looked at by your vet just to rule out any deeper medical issue.

Thanks Everyone!
We took her to the vet and they said that she probably was irritated by the bed we have for her but then the rash got infected so that's why it looked so bad. They have her on a pill that we give her twice a day and we have to give her a bath twice a week. It is looking better already and it has only been about a week and a half! Thanks 2 everyone!

I love Teal! (My Dog)