How to treat my dog's dry, bald elbow bumps and prevent calluses?

This is a developing elbow callus. Large dogs often develop these because they flop down on hard surfaces and the irritation causes a callus to develop. To prevent this from getting bigger I recommend having many soft beds available where Bruno likes to lay so he doesn’t keep irritating the area. In very large breed dogs elbow calluses can be a normal development from the amount of weight put on the elbow when they lay down. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care Bruno.

Hello, and thank you for your question. Large breed dogs commonly develop calluses on their elbows as they age. It may be that you are seeing the formation of these calluses. However, if he is scratching or licking at the elbows, or if you are noticing redness or discharge in the area, then it may be an infection that warrants a vet visit and medication. If it is only dry and flaky and Rosco is unbothered, you can try applying a barrier cream such as vaseline to protect the area from trauma, and also provide him with plenty of soft bedding to rest his elbows on when he is sleeping. This may help to prevent trauma to the elbows as they gradually form a callus. I hope this helps, and that Rosco is well!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Rocco. Tough thickened skin can develop on the dog's elbow from laying on rough or abrasive surfaces. So his lesion could be the start of a callus forming. There are, of course, other skin diseases that can have similar looks. It is best for him to see his veterinarian to determine if skin tests are needed and if the lesions are anything to worry about for him. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is a callus that has formed at a pressure point. This is very common in the elbow. This actually does not need any therapy per se. However, one way to try to prevent it from getting any worse would be making sure to have a dog bed and well padded surfaces throughout the house as this forms from laying on hard surfaces. These only need treatment if they are severe and become infected which is not the case with Oliver. I hope you find this information helpful. Good luck and have a great day!

That looks like the beginning of a callus on her elbow. Most dogs develop these on their joints like elbows and hock as they age from the pressure of lying down on them. As long as the skin continues to look healthy I wouldn't worry about it too much.

The areas you are seeing on the elbows are likely a result of lying on a hard surface. The only treatment would be to encourage Tinki to only lie on soft padded surfaces. If the elbows are developing bumps and scabs, there may also be a skin infection involved which may require antibiotics from your veterinarian. If the areas are getting worse and Tinki will not lie on soft areas, sometimes I will recommend trying Dog Leggs ( https://www.dogleggs.com/standard-length-adjustable-dogleggs/ ). Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

It is hard to say without seeing this in person but this does have the appearance of an elbow callus. Some dogs develop these if they spend a good deal of time laying on hard surfaces. I would consider getting a cytology done on the area to be sure it doesn't have a secondary bacteria or yeast overgrowth, and beign sure that she has thick bedding to lay on, or consider getting some elbow pads, high quality ones are available at https://www.dogleggs.com/front-leg-products/ . You can also try a skin soothing product like this one https://naturaldogcompany.com/product/skin-soother-tin/