Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 9/5/2005

Question
Hi I was petting my 9 week old puppy's stomach when I noticed she has all kinds of bumps covering her entire belly. I live in southern CA and I walked her earlier today so I don't know if dogs can get heat rash or if it's contact derm. She hasn't been itching anymore than usual but seems even more excited to have someone scratch her stomach. She is acting normal running around and jumping. Should I put anything on it? And if so where can I get it. Also can I give her a bath to help ease the possible itch? Thank you, Tarren.

Answer
This is most likely a bacterial infection.  If it is really itchy, it could also be something like sarcoptic mange.  You should be seeing your vet for puppy shots soon, so ask the vet about these.  You can shampoo and clean the belly to keep the amount of bacteria down.  In puppies, they need to get a little infection with bacteria so that the immune system can start fighting it off. If it gets real bad, the vet can prescribe oral antibiotics.