My dog has concerning hair-filled spots on his elbows. What are they?

Hello, sorry to hear about Butters. I think those are his elbows?? If so, this can be the early development of a callus, commonly seen in dogs as they age because of the pressure point at the skin of the elbow that is created especially when dogs are laying down. Alternatively, this could be comedones that can be seen with skin allergies or local skin irritation. If Butters does not seem to be bothered by them, is not licking them, scratching, or lozing hair then you can monitor the area for any of those signs. If he is showing signs, then he could be having allergies and you should consider having your veterinarian examine the areas to see if he needs to be further evaluated for allergies and determine if he needs to be treated for these. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Hello. Based on your pictures, it does look like Boo has developed an elbow callus. These happen when there is too much pressure when lying on a hard surface. Try to encourage Boo to rest on more padded surfaces, but generally require little more to treat. But I do recommend letting your veterinarian take a look at Boo's elbow at your earliest convenience just in case something else is amiss that would only become apparent after a hands on examination. Hopefully, all will be well with her & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to see well on these pictures but these look like calluses at the elbow. These are just basically the result of pressure on bony protuberances like the elbow. These are very common in large breed dogs like Labrador Retrievers. You can add more bedding for her to lay down. Otherwise, if no discharge or inflammation occur, it is ok to just monitor this. Good luck and have a good day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely just a callus which happens commonly at the elbow joint given it is a pressure point due to the presence of a bone in that region. I would not be too concerned about this. However, if you ever notice any discharge or open wound in this region, have him evaluated by a veterinarian as that can be an infection. Best of luck!

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!

I would recommend that you have Cooper examined by a vet. Areas of hair loss like this can be caused by demodex mites. Other possible causes include bacterial or fungal infection or other parasites. The vet will likely do a skin scraping to look for the mites under a microscope. Then they can get Cooper started on an appropriate treatment plan.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be a skin infection. You can try to use a medicated shampoo containing chlorhexidine twice weekly for 2 weeks. If there is no improvement or in the meantime this appears to be getting worse, have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!