Hi all, my 2yr old has a really bad red rash on her chest and just under the front legs, I think it's possibly due to her walking in the woods and maybe going through nettles, but, it only appears in the summer and its very fiery looking when she's been running about the woods then comes back, I use fish4dogs salmon oil which I thought might help because it says it's good for itchy skin although, she doesn't itch, I have used the oil since she was a puppy though but just wondered if anyone had any suggestions which may help or reduce this rash? thanks Kimm

antihistamine, and keep her out of nettles ;).

Sorry, I just realised I put this post in wrong thread, tried deleting it but it wont let me.

Thanks for that and trying to keep her out of nettles is never ever going to be possible unless I keep her leaded which, I may add, would drive her bonkers.

if you know she is likely to encounter them you could use a dog t-shirt. (plenty around if you google, think equafleece do one which I know some people use to help with grass allergies)

That sounds a good idea, or use a baby vest (depends on dogs size)

it only appears in the summer

You wrote that as if its happened other summers,it sounds like an allergic reaction to some fauna or other, its not uncommon with alleregic reactions that they only manifest of the dogs in certain places & dont happen in some others and very often they only manifest for the short period the particular is at a specific state of bloom -

Anyway, I agree with Brainless, an antihistomin usually solves it, I use tescos's Piriteze, exactly the same as Piritone - my vet approves it, she gets hives for around 2/3 weeks in year & its only certain places she gets a reaction.
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When my dog got this, I found just hosing him down with cold water made the rash disappear.

just wanted to say thanks to all that responded, dog still has the rash, vet said it's due to all the nettles etc she runs through when out, vet also agreed the antihisime could help but because it didn't cause her to itch could maybe just use a cream, it seems to be something that just flares up in summer, so other than keeping her in there's not much we can do about it, thanks again all.