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Why does my dog have dry skin, red bumps, and hair loss on his back?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Pug | Male | neutered | 6 years and 8 months old | 27 lbs

Hi. My dog has very dry skin and red bumps all over his back. It has caused significant hair loss. He has always had skin issues but recently we discovered he has a sensitivity to protein and switched him to Royal Canin Ultramino. I have never had this issue with him before, he doesnt seem to be itchy at all, but when I touch or rub the spots on his back he doesnt like it at all. I have also given him oatmeal/aloe baths. Pug. 6 years old. ~27lbs

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on October 25th, 2018

Hello. It looks like Sam has some pretty significant dermatitis going on, most likely caused by a staph infection in his skin. But allergies, auto-immune disease & even some hormonal imbalances/diseases can cause skin symptoms like this. He really needs to be seen by a veterinarian, preferably one with a specialty in dermatology, if possible. In the meantime, I would be bathing him in an antibacterial shampoo, one with benzoyl peroxide, or 2-4% chlorhexidine. Most pet retailers carry something. Soap him up for 10 minutes before sensing thoroughly, & repeat the bath every few days, or at least twice a week. It may take 4-6 weeks to see results, but if you can have this looked at first hand, that would be best. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Lauren Jones VMD
Veterinarian
Published on May 5th, 2017
Oh dear! Your dog's hair loss is quite profound as is the lesion on his abdomen. Some of the most common causes of hair loss are related either to endocrine/metabolic conditions (such as Cushing's disease or hypothyroidism) or infectious conditions (such as ringworm or mites/mange). The red bumps (papules and pustules) visible in the photos also are concerning for the presence of a skin infection. The black dots may indicate essentially an oil clogged pore (comedone). At this point, I recommend taking your dog to the vet as he may need blood and skin testing to get to the bottom of the situation. Oral antibiotics may also be needed to treat a skin infection. I hope that he's feeling better soon!
7Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By C. Rathjens, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on April 12th, 2019
That sounds like a superficial skin infection, although it could also be a parasite. Skin infections are caused by overgrowth of normal bacteria and/or yeast on the skin, which can happen because the skin is wet for too long, a dog is itchy and licking at it, or allergies to flea, food or something in the environment. There are definitely other less likely causes (like an issue with the way the skin is forming) but I would start with a vet visit to see if he has an infection. He would likely be treated with antibiotics, a medicated shampoo, and possibly medications to help with itching. Good luck!
3Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Jenny, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on February 26th, 2018
This may be due from a scratch or wound or allergy induced or a form of the mange. They do appear to have an infection, either bacterial or yeast. It is best to see your vet to have the area checked for mange and see what medications can be used to treat it and prevent further occurrences.
In the mean time you can give a good bath to scrub the areas. You can keep antibiotic cream in them such as neosporin to help until you can get to a vet
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Jessica Desrosiers
Veterinary Technician
Published on May 18th, 2017
Twice a week is WAY too many baths for a dog and likely stripping the skin and coat of their natural oils. Dogs shouldn't be bathed more often than once every three weeks or so to help keep the skin healthy. A balanced diet can help improve the skin and coat as well as using an aloe or oatmeal based shampoo to prevent irritation. As there are some raised lumps and irritation as well as the dry skin, it is also a good idea to schedule a vet visit for Charlie to make sure there isn't an underlying issue causing his skin to appear that way. Possible causes can be anything from allergies, to tumors or infections and should get checked out in person.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Related Questions

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My dog has red bumps on his back. What's causing this skin issue?

Chronic skin problems could be several things including allergies to fleas, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the lesions should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Simba wear an elizabethan collar at all times to prevent licking if needed. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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My dog has skin bumps, spots, and flaky skin. How can I treat it?

Hello. While I cannot diagnose your pet, it does appear that we have a case of bacterial seborrhea here. There may be an undiagnosed underlying cause, such as hypothyroidism or he has developed an allergic response/sensitivity to something, so I would make an appointment to see your vet as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can bathe your pet in a medicated antibacterial shampoo if you can find one. One that contains chlorhexidine ( 2-4% ) or benzoyl peroxide should work well. You can bathe your pet 2-3 times a week. I would also start an Omega-3 fatty acid supplement such as Bayer's Freeform snip tips. Hopefully, this will help to clear things up, but try to see your vet soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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My dog is losing hair and has bumps. What's wrong with his skin?

Scrappy needs to go to your veterinarian for an exam and skin scraping to determine the cause of this skin condition. It looks like a bacterial infection but he also could have mites, a fungal infection or it could be an autoimmune disease or tumors. If it's a severe bacterial infection with antibiotics and medicated baths this should improve. The longer he has these lesions the more likely the skin can become damaged and his fur may not grow back in. In addition to the skin scraping they may recommend a thyroid level test and perhaps a blood panel to check for other underlying disease. Scrappy will feel better once they get a diagnosis and the proper treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Scrappy.

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My dog has itchy skin, rashes, lumps, and hair loss. What to do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like it could be skin allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his 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! There is really nothing specific you can try at home other than bathing him with a medicated shampoo you can get at your local pet store. This shampoo should contain chlorehexidine. In reality though, this is unlikely to resolve this issue completely. Good luck and have a good day!

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My dog has dry bumpy patches and hair loss on neck/back. What to use?

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Flea-free dog still itchy with skin bumps & dry patches. What's wrong?

Skin problems in dogs are usually secondary to allergies. Due to the her having dry skin on her backside, and the history of fleas, I think that Samantha has a flea allergy. Flea allergies tend to make dogs lose hair and become very itchy on the back 1/3 of their body. The key to getting rid of fleas is to make sure that you treat the environment where Samantha is as well as her. The fleas that you can see are only the tip of the iceberg. Most of the flea life cycle is in the carpet , bedding inside and grass outside. There is a stage of the life cycle that can not be killed with pesticides. So- it is important to treat the dog and environment and then repeat it in 3-4 weeks. If your dog has a flea allergy, it is important to keep them on a monthly flea prevention because even one flea bite will make them itch. If your fleas are truly gone and you have Samantha on a regular flea prevention, she could have another allergy like an inhalant allergy. I would recommend a visit to the veterinarian to figure out what is going on with her abdomen. Bumps could be a sign of a bacterial infection. Your vet may be able prescribe a treatment to get her feeling better. The thing to remember about allergies and skin problems in dogs is that there is not one magic treatment that works on all dogs. It will require team work between you and your vet to determine what works best for Samantha. Don't get frustrated if the first thing doesn't work, go back in for a recheck and try the next treatment.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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