My dog has an odd, changing, itchy hair patch. What should I do?

The picture makes it difficult to see. It's possible it may be a scab trying to heal, a minorly infected area of skin, or a wart/growth forming. It would be best to keep the area clean and dry and keep Belle from licking or chewing at the spot. If the area continues to change in appearance, is bothersome to Belle is hot to the touch, painful, or oozing debris, or doesn't seem to be healing, it is best to seek veterinary care in person. Your vet can take a look at and sample of the spot as needed and provide more tailored treatments depending on the cause.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I do recommend all abnormal growths be evaluated by a veterinarian to determine if they are benign (non-cancerous) or not. Skin growths can be due to a variety of reasons, including allergies, infection, allergies, warts, or true tumors. What type of growth it is typically can be evaluated by a needle sample by your veterinarian, and then a treatment plan can be made, if needed. Good luck!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From the picture, I can see a small, flat, brown area that is slightly irregular. Though I cannot diagnose Mindy without seeing her in person, I would be happy to share some possible causes and advice on next steps. This could be a benign growth, similar to a mole or freckle on a person or a malignant growth (cancer). Several types of cancer can affect the skin, particularly lighter areas that have less hair. The area does not seem to be infected, as there is no discharge, redness, or swelling, but a bacterial or fungal infection is a possibility. You can have Mindy evaluated by a veterinarian who can take a small piece, or biopsy of the area to definitively diagnose the growth. This may require light sedation or general anesthesia to completely remove it. You can continue to monitor the area for an increase in size, margins, change in color, or additional discharge. If you notice any change in Mindy, you should definitely have her examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These could potentially represent nodules or masses that have become ulcerated. They could also be just focal patches of dermatitis. I recommend that you have Bella evaluated by your veterinarian. This is most of the time differentiated with a test called a fine needle aspirate which is easy, cheap and pain-free. Sometimes, a biopsy is required for a diagnosis. Have Bella evaluated by your veterinarian to have this test performed to try to sort out what the diagnosis is so that the best course of action can be determined. If it does not appear to be a mass on examination, they can at least do cytology of the superficial aspect and see if infected and prescribe antibiotics for it. Keeping my fingers crossed that it is something benign!

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Even if your veterinarian has determined that this is a benign growth, you could consider removal from a palliative standpoint just to avoid further self-trauma of it. You could consider removal of any of the nodules that seem to be bothering Patch. Good luck!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Based on what you are describing, and the pictures, I suspect that Willow may have an infection with ectoparasites, such as mites or fleas, that are causing her to be itchy. Your veterinarian can perform a skin scrape and evaluate the cells under a microscope to look for evidence of infectious agents. Please ensure that Willow is on a monthly topical flea and tick preventative that you purchase from your veterinarian; NOT one that can be purchased from a pet or grocery store, as these are not regulated and can be very toxic to pets. Willow could also have allergic skin disease, secondary to food or environmental agents. You can talk to your veterinarian about trying a diet trial to determine if Willow's itchy skin resolves on a particular novel protein diet. The thickened ears can be due to chronic ear infections, so your veterinarian will be able to examine the waxy debris under a microscope and prescribe the appropriate medication based on whether they see bacteria and/or yeast in Willow's ears. I hope this is helpful!

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach. Unfortunately, something like this is difficult to diagnose with just a photo and still even difficult in person. If all the "normal" things have been tried for common problems, then next step is a biopsy of the skin. Since I am not sure what the other vets gave you for topical treatment it is hard for me to say what you should try. It is good that it is not bothering her but I do think biopsy is a good idea. You must understand that not everything is a quick fix. In the meantime I would use this specific medicated shampoo. Be sure to lather it and let it sit on her for 15 min before rinsing. Use every 3 days. https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198943_Home.pml?productId=142634 And then I would use this topical ointment. I will authorize the Rx if needed but only for this specific website. https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198943_Home.pml?productId=116555 Hope this helps. Best wishes.