Pimples around a dog's anus.

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi! I would love to see a picture! You can email pictures to *******@*********.

Thanks!


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

---

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for the great pictures Anna. I have posted them here:







I'm glad to hear that this is not bothersome to Ella!

There are a few things that can cause lesions like this. It is possible that she still has some skin infection. It may be that the previous course of antibiotics had it almost cleared up but she may have needed a longer course.

Sometimes when we have pimples around the anus it can be because of a food allergy. It is often difficult to know what food a dog is allergic to. You can ask your vet if a food allergy is a possibility. If so, they can prescribe a special hypoallergenic food. You will need to feed her this and nothing else, which means no treats! Then, if after a couple of months she is doing well you can gradually start to reintroduce some treats.

Some dogs will have an infection around the anus because of an infection in the anal sac (or gland). But from what I can see in the picture Ella doesn't seem to be inflamed in her anal sacs.

Another thing that can cause problems around the tail is an allergy to fleas. However, this is usually more prominent on the top of the tail rather than underneath.

Some dogs can get a serious problem around the anus called perianal fistulas, but what I can see in the picutres really doesn't look like that.

So, in summary, I can't say for sure what is going on but I think it's a good idea to ask your vet about the possibility of a food allergy.

Hope that helps!

Dr. Marie.

Dr. Marie replied:

Ah, having that knowledge of the ears being pink and her toes being pink then this really fits with allergies. Dogs will allergies tend to have itchy ears and feet. And then, when the bum is itchy as well I usually connect this with food allergy.

Regarding the antibiotics, your dad can't legally prescribe medicine for Ella without having a veterinary license so you may need to have your vet write another script for you.

Most skin infections in dogs need at least 2 weeks of antibiotics to clear up. Many need 4 or even 8 weeks!

It's possible that allergies caused her skin to be inflamed and then bacteria took advantage of that inflammation and caused an infection.

But, there may not actually be infection there...it could all be due to allergies.

The steroids that she was on before would have helped with the allergies. If I have a dog who has food allergies but is not able to go on the special food (usually because the owners aren't going to stick to it) then sometimes I keep them on a low dose of steroids.

Ultimately though it is best to check back in with your vet. It may not even mean another visit. You can likely call in and explain the symptoms and the vet can decide whether they need to see Ella again or if they can just dispense more medicine for you.

Dr. Marie replied:

You're very welcome!