Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Spots on belly of Golden Retriever.

Species: Dog
Breed: GOLDEN RETRIEVER
Age: 2-5 years
my dog recently had dirty brown spots on her stomach when i touch them or wash them they peel off i think its part of her skin she recently began swimming in our chloranted pool could this be the problem or is there some other source causing this


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

While I can't say for sure without examining your dog, what you are describing sounds like it could be a bacterial skin infection. Golden Retrievers seem to get more skin infections than other breeds for some reason.

The peeling skin you are mentioning may be something called a collarette which is what tells us there is bacteria there.

If there is a bacterial infection, they almost always need a 2-8 week course of oral antibiotics prescribed by your vet in order to clear up. Creams and other topical medicines do not seem to work.

You may also want to ask your vet about the possibility of underlying hypothyroidism as this can be common in Goldens as well.

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


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

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Safe fruits and vegetables for dogs. Hi Dr. Marie, I have a young cat who likes to eat certain fruit and vegetables,... (26762 views)

Hill's k/d for bladder stones Nigel developed kidney stones and had surgery to removed them and re-route the... (11168 views)

Meowing and growling cat. I am having problems with my 15 year old neutered cat. She has always been... (15548 views)

Regular anal gland expression. Hello, I am trying to get some answers about my puppy's anal gland problem. I... (9574 views)

FIV positive and diarrhea. Hi Dr. Marie - I took in a semi feral cat about six weeks ago. He is FIV+. He has... (26538 views)

Not eating, losing weight. My cat has lost a lot of weight in the past 3 weeks. She cries for food but then... (11726 views)

Bloated and leaking urine. This past week my 12 year old german shepard has been wetting herself and last night... (25411 views)

Brown spots on belly. Hello, I have a five year old Pomeranian mix (25lbs). Within the last few weeks I... (24079 views)

Cerenia and buprenorphine My 18 year old cat was given a shot of cerenia and then 12 hours later I gave her... (15014 views)

Hypothermic dog. Two days ago my black lab pup fell threw some ice, he was in the water for about 5... (11990 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.