My dog has a dry hole on his head. Does he need to see a vet?

If he doesn't seem to be bothered by it, you could try to clean the area with an wound wash and see if that loosens up the scab. Shaving the hair with a pair of clippers may also help. If the scab persists and/or he has other lesions, then he should be examined and treated by a vet. He may need an antibiotic and allergy medications to help treat.

Poor Riley! I would gently clean the area with warm water and antiseptic soap. Keep the wound clean and dry, and monitor it for signs of infection. If you see redness, swelling, warmth to the touch, or pus, then it is infected and he will need to see the vet for antibiotics to treat it. I hope this helps!

It looks like she has a skin infection. You could clean it with a wound wash and see if that helps. Otherwise, have your vet examine her to determine the cause and treat. She might need an antibiotic and corticosteroid to help treat.

If this just appears to be a crusted area and is not raised, it is possible this was an insect bite that got irritated or a small scratch/wound. If the lesion is raised (I can't really tell from the appearance) then we sometimes get warty skin growths that can get traumatized and bleed/crust over. I would wash the area with a mild soap or Hibiclens (available at most drug stores) and apply a topical antibiotic like Polysporin or Neosporin a few times day. If she is scratching/rubbing at the area she may need an e-collar for a few days to stop self-trauma. If the lesions isn't improving after several days of this or it starts to get larger/other spots appear then these would be reasons to seek veterinary care.

Thanks for sending in the pictures of Oliver. It is a little difficult for me to make out the pictures, but it appears like he has a small skin growth on his head that has scabbed over. I would gently clean the scab and dried blood away with a warm wash cloth. If there is a flesh colored growth it may be a wart like mass. They are common in many dogs as they age. If he has been scratching at his head, then it could be self trauma secondary to his allergies. If it bothers him or does not resolve, then have your veterinarian evaluate him.

This looks like a superficial skin infection that may have been caused by a small scratch or abrasion on the skin that just worsened. There is a chance this can even be a fungal infection. I would definitely take Chapo in to your vet to get this treated. The vet may have to shave the hair to get the skin to breathe well, cleanse it with an antiseptic, and then prescribe oral medication to help this resolve. I would also get Chapo on a flea preventative, if not done so already, because this is a common cause of skin lesions. Best wishes with your puppy Chapo moving forward. I hope his skin heals well soon. Take care

It is good that you have Harry wearing an e-collar to prevent further damage. It looks like he may have a hot spot. They can come up very quickly. To try at-home treatment, the first step is to clip the hair away from the skin so it will dry out, is easier to clean, and so you can monitor the progression. You need to use electric clippers, not scissors or a razor, to safely remove the hair. Second is to gently cleanse and disinfect the area. You can use a chlorhexidine wound scrub to gently scrub the wound, rinse thoroughly with water. It is important to keep this out of Harry's eyes as it is unsafe. Third is the treat the skin. You can use an ointment like neosporin or a medicated wipe like Dechra MalAcetic HC Wipes which is anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory. If you do this at-home treatment for 48 hours and the skin appears worse, Harry seems painful, or there is excessive discharge, I recommend that Harry see a vet immediately. Other possible causes for his skin issue that are not a hot spot include fleas, mange, lice, infections (bacterial or yeast), ringworm, allergies, among others. Here is a good article about hot spots, including information on when at-home treatment can be tried: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2714