Why does my dog have black spots, hair loss, and extreme itching?

There are a number of things that could cause excessive itching with hair loss and blackened skin. The most common possibilities would include allergies, fleas, a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). If she's also acting weak, I would be concerned that she may also have some type of systemic illness like liver or kidney disease, anemia, hypothyroidism, or Cushing's disease. It would be best to have her examined by a vet as soon as possible - he/she can do some simple skin tests as well as blood work or other testing if needed to help determine what's wrong and get her started on appropriate treatment.

These small black dots and missing hair could be caused by external parasites, such as fleas and mites, allergies, or illness. Itchy ears could be cause by ear mites or an ear infection. The only way to know for certain what is causing these issues in Lilly is to take her into your vet for a health check. I'd recommend taking her in to see your vet to get an exact diagnosis and correct treatment.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Memphia. Since he is only monthly flea treatments, then I suspect another cause of this scratching such as allergies. From the pictures, it appears he is really digging at himself, and has done some damage to his skin. Due to this, he needs to see a vet. The vet can diagnose what is causing this issues, and can treat him. I'd take him into a vet today or tomorrow. I hope this helps!

She could have a skin infection, mites, fleas, ringworm, allergic dermatitis, etc. Your vet can do a skin scrape, cytology, or culture to help diagnose and then prescribe medications to treat the problem. She may need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, corticosteroid, or other medications depending on the cause. Make sure to treat her with a monthly flea medication like NexGard, Frontline, Advantage, or Revolution to prevent fleas.

Skin problems can have a variety of causes, sometimes more than one. Allergies, bacterial or fungal infections, even contact with some surfaces or substances will cause itching and/or hair loss. It is important to have the problem checked by your vet to determine if there is a medical cause for your pet’s skin issues and treat accordingly. In pets of all ages, fleas, food allergies and exposure to chemical irritants such as cleaners and soaps can be a cause. Any one of these may not be enough to trigger the breakouts, depending on how sensitive your pet is, but a combination can be enough to start the itch-scratch cycle. Finding out the cause and eliminating it is the best course of action. With flea allergies, if your pet is sensitive enough, a single bite can cause them to break out scratch enough to tear their skin. Check for fleas with a flea comb. Look for fleas and/or tiny black granules, like coarse black pepper. This is flea feces, consisting of digested, dried blood. You may find tiny white particles, like salt, which are the flea eggs. Applying a good topical monthly flea treatment and aggressively treating your house and yard will help break the flea life cycle. If you use plastic bowls, this is a possible cause for hair loss, though this tends to be on the chin, where their skin touches the bowl while they eat. If you suspect this to be the culprit, try changing the bowls to glass, metal or ceramic. Food allergies are often caused by sensitivity to a protein in the food. Hill's Science Diet offers some non-prescription options for sensitive skin as well as prescription hypoallergenic foods for more severe cases. Royal Canin carries limited protein diets that may also offer some relief. Your vet can recommend a specific diet that will help. If there is no relief or not enough, consider getting your pet checked by a veterinary dermatologist and having allergy testing done.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Sally may have ear canal infection if she is scratching mainly behind the ears. Excessive itchiness can be also related to skin allergies, skin infections or parasites. Please, take Sally to your local vets to check the skin and the ears and to start treatment for her.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Ellie, and for providing the pictures. They are very helping. This licking is a sign of itchiness. This itchiness can be caused by fleas, mites, ringworm, or allergies. If she isn't up to date on her flea treatment, I can give you one for her. First, I would give her Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, such as Advantage or Revolution. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash her bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. If she is up to date on her flea treatment, I recommend taking her into the vet for an exam today or tomorrow. The vet can do blood tests, skin scrapings, and use a Wood's lamp to diagnose allergies, mites, and ringworm. Once the cause of the itching is found, the vet can prescribe the appropriate treatment. I hope this helps!