Lifelong dog owner, develops rash 6 days after adopting new dog.
Background: I (66 year old male) have been a dog owner and/or dog-adjacent for the bulk of my life. I have had a dog for the last 3 years. I have no allergies to *anything*.
Situation: I adopted a rescue on 11/11, a Staffordshire mix (their guess). On 11/17 (six days later), I noticed a rash on my shoulders while showering. After my shower, I notice that the rash is all over my chest and back. By 11/18 the rash is essentially everywhere, but mostly on my torso, back and thighs, some on the face, hands and feet are relatively free. The rash doesn't really itch - it feels like dry-skin itch (that I get every winter). There have been no other new environmental/outside influences for weeks if not months.
I have *no* other symptoms.
My questions assuming this symptom is due to the new dog are:
How common is it for this to take six days to appear?
How common is it for the only symptom to be a rash?
Other questions:
What is the likelihood that the new dog *is* the cause of this symptom?
What is the best approach for determining the cause the rash?
Thank you!
, I'm sorry you're going through this, the guessing game of wondering, "what is this reaction" can be mentally draining. I hope your doctor comes through with a referral to an allergist soon so you can get to the bottom of it! In the meantime, this article has a section about tips for treating/managing pet allergies with a dog. It might be worth trying some of these tips in the meantime while you wait for some answers and see if they help clear up your rash at all! https://allergies.net/living/hypoallergenic-pets . Hope this helps. Let us know how it goes!
Gabby (team member)
Thanks for the post. I actually just got back from my dermatologist and he is focusing on a new medication that I had started 3 1/2 weeks earlier. So I will stop the medication (as it is not really necessary to my overall health) and see how it goes. The rash has (thankfully) subsided to my arms and thighs and is livable. I am hopeful that the medication is the culprit because my earliest access to an allergist is March 6, 2023 and Jax (the new dog) is a joy.
Again, thanks for the advice!, So glad your sweet pup doesn't seem to be the culprit! I hope the dermatologist is right. Sending positive thoughts your way!
Gabby (team member)
- Thanks for the reply. I had asked my GP for a referral for an allergist, it just hasn't happened yet. I appreciate your advice. 
- Sounds like you have had a torrid time over this last month. Sorry to hear that you are suffering. It does seem highly probable that it could be an allergic reaction from your dog - considering the timeline of your symptoms. However, we are no experts here, and as you say you normally get some dry skin during the winter months. The thing with allergies is that they can develop late on in life and so, just because one might have never had any type of allergy throughout early adulthood does not necessarily mean they will not develop later on in life. Our bodies are very complex machines and so it is very difficult to determine. If you haven't tried booking an appointment with an allergist, that might be the best thing to do if you want to rule out certain things. Here is a link to an article outlining how an allergist may be able to help you. https://allergies.net/clinical/allergists-ents. I hope you get to the bottom of your complaint asap! Pete, Moderator
