My rescue chihuahua puppy has dry, bumpy skin. Is it mange?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Bella. This looks like puppy pyoderma, which is a skin infection that can be common in puppies. This is because their skin is extra sensitive. I would take her the vet. The vet can confirm she does have puppy pyoderma, and can prescribe medication to treat it. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. Given her young age, I would suspect that if that is the case it could be due to flea allergies. Another possibility is something like mange. This is something your veterinarian would check with a physical examination and basic diagnostics like a skin scrape and cytology. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Poor Paco! It sounds like he is quite itchy, and the white specs could be due to dry flaky skin. This scratching can be caused by fleas, mites, ringworm, or allergies. If he isn't up to date on his flea treatment, he will need a spot on treatment such as Advantage or Revolution. You will need to disinfect the environment as well. If he is up to date on his flea treatment, I recommend taking him into the vet for an exam 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. Until Paco sees a vet, trying giving him an oatmeal or Epsom salt bath, which can temporarily help soothe his itchy skin.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Mochi! I am glad you will be bringing him to the Vet! I would worry about mites, either demodex or scabies, ring worm or a bad skin infection. If it is a skin infection the Vet will likely prescribe a medicated shampoo and antibiotics. If he has mites they will prescribe medications. As of now I would just wait for the exam, I would say bathe him but it would be ideal for the Vet to see his skin as is. Try to feed him some boiled chicken or watered down canned puppy food. Good luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Marlo. His belly looks very inflamed and is likely itchy. It is always a good idea to take a new puppy to a veterinarian when you first obtain him. He will need to be examined, started on his vaccinations and deworming. The rash can be addressed as well. It could be a mild allergic reaction, impetigo or even an overgrowth of a mite known as Demodex. The veterinarian will guide you as far as any testing or treatment needed. In the meantime, I recommend bathing him with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner such as an oatmeal or fatty acid based formula for puppies to soothe the skin. I hope this information helps!

Hello. Your puppy may have mange, but this sounds a bit more like something we call puppy pyoderma, a staph infection in the skin. Seen often in puppies, it is from a puppy having a weak & immature immune system. I would see your veterinarian about this because it requires skin scrapes to rule out mange, & cytology to confirm the presence of the skin bacteria that causes the lesions. Whatever the cause, your veterinarian will recommend a treatment until King gets a little older & is able to fight these situations off by himself. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Skin issues like you are describing can have a variety of causes, including skin parasites (fleas or mites), allergies, an infection, or an underlying medical issue (Cushings disease, diabetes). I would recommend he be evaluated by his regular veterinarian to determine the underlying cause for his skin lesions, have any necessary testing done (bloodwork, skin scrape, culture) and start on any treatment that he may need. Good luck!