My dog has hairless patches on her legs and body. What's wrong?

From the photos here it looks like these are patches of hair loss. We can have hair loss at points of pressure if a dog likes to lay on hard surfaces, but we also worry about things like ringworm (a fungal infection), skin mites, and bacterial infection causing patches of hair loss. I would recommend bringing your dog in to the vet to examine the area. They may recommend a fungal culture if ringworm is suspected or a cytology of the skin to check for bacteria or a skin scrape to check for mites.

Your description has me concerned about possible ringworm. I would recommend having her examined by your veterinarian. In the meantime please be cautious and use good hygiene. If it is ring worm then it can be contagious to people as well. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Poor girl. I would highly recommend having her tested for demodexx mites, hypothyroidism, and a fungal infection. Either of these can cause these symptoms, but they can also all be treated with relatively good success. Best of luck to you at the vet. Best wishes and take care.

I am assuming that this is a dog? The areas of hair loss on the skin could be caused my a multitude of problems, but most common would be something called demodex. Demodex is a mite that is present mostly in very young dogs or dogs with immune suppression from other conditions. I would encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian soon. They may recommend a skin scrape to look for mites. Sometimes even if they aren’t found a trial therapy is still recommended. Best of luck and I hope they resolve quickly. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hello, Chico's nose appears to have been slightly rubbed raw. This can happen when dogs are rubbing their noses against a surface frequently and generally heals on its own. I do worry that the patch of circular hair loss on his leg may be associated with a skin infection. I'd recommend taking him to see a veterinarian to have it checked. They can guide you best after a physical exam. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello and thank you for your post! A patch of hair loss could indicate multiple things. I am assuming that she is quite Young since you are calling her a puppy. If she is very young, she might have a patch of hair loss due to skin mites called Demodex. This patch could also be infectious, bacterial or fungal. I would suggest getting her seen by her veterinarian to have diagnostic tests performed to see what the primary cause of this patch of hair loss is. Your veterinarian will likely scrape the skin in that affected area as an initial test. Depending on the cause, that will be able to prescribe the most appropriate treatments for this. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any other concerns that you may have. I am also available via text or phone consultation.

Poor Dappie! Hair loss, itching and skin irritation can be due to a number of issues, such as allergies, ringworm or mange. Any of these conditions can also lead to the onset of a bacterial skin infection, particularly since Dappie and your other dogs have been licking her skin lesions. Dappie should take a trip to her vet for further evaluation of her skin to determine the most appropriate treatment. Until you can get to the vet, be sure that she is receiving a high quality flea and tick preventative (such as Nexgard, Bravecto, or K9 Advantix II) regularly because fleas could exacerbate any underlying skin issue. You can also try putting an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent her from causing further skin irritation. A bath in an antimicrobial shampoo may be helpful, but her vet will be able to prescribe more effective medications. I hope that all goes well!