Why is my dog losing hair and getting red spots on his skin?

I am sorry to hear about Jack! I would be concerned these could be a bacterial or fungal infection of the skin, and possibly a condition in cats called eosinophilic plaques or eosinophilic granuloma syndrome, which can be incited due to an allergy and usually resolves with steroid treatment. I would recommend bringing Jack in to his vet for an examination of the area.

I'm concerned that Jack may have a bacterial infection in his skin thats causing this issue. Fleas can also make the skin look this way. Ideally, take him to the vet for an exam so that appropriate treatment can be started. You can try bathing him twice a week with a moisturizing shampoo made for dogs, and make sure you are using a good flea control product, but I'm worried he may need to see a vet to get on top of the issue. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Lesions like this could be several things including allergies, skin mites, ringworm (which humans can get) or endocrine disease. 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. Protect the areas from licking or scratching and he may need to wear an Elizabethan collar at all times. If the lesions don't start looking better within about a week or if they get worse, have him examined by the veterinarian who may prescribe medications or recommend some bloodwork. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Jack. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian. Skin tests will likely need to be performed. Demodex is a mite that lives normally in the hair follicles of dogs. Puppies can experience an overgrowth. This is common in his breed. The veterinarian can diagnose this condition with a procedure known as a skin scrapes. Of course, there can be other conditions affecting his skin. In the meantime, I recommend bathing him with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner such as an oatmeal or fatty acid based formula to soothe the skin. Place an E-collar on him if he is licking or biting the areas. I hope this information helps!

There are a number of things that could cause redness and hair loss in a particular area like this. The most common possibilities would include allergies (food allergies, or an allergy to something in the environment), fleas, or a bacterial or fungal skin infection. If Jackson isn't already on a good quality monthly flea control medication like Revolution or Advantage Multi, this is the first thing that I would suggest. If you're positive that he doesn't have fleas, I would recommend having him examined by a vet when you are able to - he/she can do some simple skin tests if needed to help diagnose the problem and get him started on appropriate medication to treat it.

Thanks for the pictures. By looking at them, there seems to be a different look to some of them. The one on the nose appears raised, and has me concerned that it is skin mass. It could just be the picture angle... Hairloss in dogs is usually related to mites, or allergies. I would recommend taking Parker into a veterinarian. They can see if the lesions are related to each other. They will also do some diagnostics such as a skin scrape to check for mites, skin cytology to check for secondary infections and possibly a fungal culture. If the nose lesion is actually a mass, they will most likely do a cytology (stick a needle in it, push cells on a slide, stain slide and look at them under a microscope). If it turns out to be allergies, please realize that allergies (just like humans) can't be cured, only controlled. It may take a few different treatments to get them under control. Hope Parker feels better soon! Thanks for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi. It looks like Jack has a bit of pyoderma or skin infection on his belly. It may be a hypersensitivity reaction to insect bites or contact allergy or he may have a mild bacterial infection. Dogs that swim a lot in ponds or creeks may get this. If this is his only sign and he is not painful or itchy then bathing with a mild antibacterial shampoo may clear it up. If it's bothering him or seems to spread or get worse I recommend taking him into the vet.