Why is my pit bull's skin black, crusty, itchy, and losing hair?

This dog needs oral antibiotics and steroids to treat the skin at this point. You need to take her to the vet. This treatment (antibiotics/steroids) is only treating these symptoms though, not the underlying cause. I suspect allergies are the underlying problem but it could also be mange. Both are VERY common in this breed. The scratching, hair loss and infection are secondary conditions. Allergy testing is needed to find out what she is allergic to and a skin scraping to check for mange mites is warranted. Most clients say "I went to the vet and got no answers" but they also declined all testing the vet recommended. Vets don't have crystal ball so they need to do testing to find out what the problem is. Please get her to the vet so her skin can be treated appropriately to get her feeling better and then after the treatment is done get her allergy tested. They can't be tested while on medication. You can try this home allergy test kit as a cursory screening and then go over the results with your vet to get a treatment plan in place but honestly, skin patch testing is a better diagnostic tool. ( https://www.chewy.com/dna-my-dog-test-my-pet-dog-allergy/dp/205062 )

This is probably due to a severe allergy, although it could also be fleas or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat Cheyenne with a high quality flea treatment (e.g. advantage), then get her to the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try discovering the cause of the allergy. Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). simultaneously you should start her on a prescription hypoallergenic diet for at least 2 months. Hopefully you will see some results after all this, if not you and your vet should consider putting her on a long term allergy treatment (Atopica or Apoquel).

Hello, I am sorry to hear about Casey. The lesions in the photos look similar to a pustule, which is an infected area of skin. They can form secondary to a variety of diseases. Based on the other signs you are describing (dandruff and itching) it is possible that Casey may be experiencing allergies. Allergies can occur due to the environment, food, or medications. Bathing can help to reduce the dandruff. Antibiotics are the treatment of choice if her skin is infected. I would suggest having her rechecked by your veterinarian if the lesions persist so that you can consider performing an allergy workup. Alternatively, the could perform a skin scrape or impression smear to look at the skin cells under the microscope. Hope this helps, good luck!

This looks like it is most likely an infection in the skin. It is very common to start out red and crusty like this. The black spots are usually a reaction to irritation and the skin gets more pigment. Most of the time, infections in the skin are secondary to allergies or anything else that causes inflammation in the skin. I would recommend an evaluation by a veterinarian and a skin scraping. The skin scraping will look for mites, yeast and bacteria. This way, the veterinarian can choose the right type of treatment. Often, these infections need to be treated with oral medication. I hope this helps and that Chappie gets better soon!

It's possible your pet is experiencing symptoms of a bacterial infection due to mange mite infestation. You'll want to be sure to visit your local Veterinarian as soon as possible and request a skin scraping examination. This will allow your doctor to identify the underlying cause of your pets discomfort. You're doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to help stop the infection and mite/mange treatment if needed.

This is probably due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Poor Axle! I'm sorry to hear that he's having skin problems. There are a number of different things that can cause hair loss with itching in dogs - some common possibilities would include allergies (food allergies, or an allergy to something in the environment), a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). Treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is, so I would really recommend having Axle examined by a vet to get a diagnosis first. He/she can do some simple skin tests if needed to help determine what is causing the hair loss, and will prescribe appropriate medication to treat the problem depending on what is found. In the meantime, you could try bathing him in an aloe and oatmeal dog shampoo to help soothe his skin - this will not treat the underlying problem, but may temporarily relieve his symptoms and make him a bit more comfortable until you can see the vet.