My pitbull cross Staffie has a rash. Does this look serious? He can't stop licking it. We have put some ointment on which the vet gave us the last time he had a rash but it's not getting better. He was recently moved to new higher protein food. Can it be that? What should I do? Should I go to the vet?
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Those spots on Butch could be several things including allergies to fleas, skin mites, ringworm, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica. Ringworm is tested with a fungal culture. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the lesions should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Butch wear an elizabethan collar at all times. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.
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