Dog hot spots & hair loss: Is it fleas, food, or Petco's advice?

This is probably due to a severe allergy, although it could also be fleas or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat Rover with a high quality flea treatment (e.g. advantage), then get him to the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try discovering the cause of the allergy. Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). simultaneously you should start him on a prescription hypoallergenic diet for at least 2 months. Hopefully you will see some results after all this, if not you and your vet should consider putting him on a long term allergy treatment (Atopica or Apoquel).

Pets can get skin lesions for many reasons. Food allergies are possible but they typically account for less than 10% of all skin issues. I think though at this time it's fair to suspect that the food is related but obviously, this could be a wrong assumption. At home you can apply a dab of coconut oil to the spots and rub it in well. Make sure to keep Odin from licking the spots by using an elizabethan collar. If the spots don't start getting better within a week or if they continue to get worse, I recommend to have him seen by the veterinarian. For general food recommendations, I like Royal Canin. Most pets who eat this diet have a nice coat and good stool quality. I hope this helps to point you in the right direction and please post again with any further questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. 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!

From the description provided, your pet may be suffering from allergies secondary to fleas, environmental allergens such as dust, pollen, grass, or even a protein source in his diet. In addition to the food trial, it is imperative to administer the flea prevention on time every month. Even one flea bite can set off a reaction that can ultimately lead to a secondary skin infection.

Poor Remington! It looks like Remington has a bit of a skin infection. The patch on his face appears to be superficial moist dermatitis (commonly called a "hot spot"). These skin infections are generally secondary to the dog scratching from something else. I would make sure you used a high product flea prevention (many over-the-counter options don't work very well). I prefer the oral options such as Bravecto and Nexgard, but there are many reputable topical products such as Advantix, Frontline, or Revolution as well. The scratching could also be due to allergies or (with the sore on his face) an ear infection, so I recommend having Remington seen by a vet to help determine what is causing the scratching in the first place, and to get him started on the appropriate treatment. He will likely need a course of antibiotics to clear up his skin. In the meantime, keep all of those areas clean and dry. You may gently clean them with warm soapy water (Dawn dish soap works well), then pat them thoroughly dry with a clean towel. Hope this helps.

Hi there! If all else has been ruled out, then the itchy skin and hair loss around the neck and face could be caused by a food allergy. Food allergies are commonly caused by an allergy to a protein in the food such as chicken or beef. I would recommend a food trail or food allergy testing. The itching can lead to a secondary bacterial infection. I would discuss with your veterinarian about conducting a food trial or doing allergy testing (requiring a blood test). Bobby Jack may need antibiotics for the skin infection as well. I hope this helps and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is very hard to tell from the pictures, however it looks like the spots might be what we call a 'hot spot' or 'pyoderma' due to the yellow debris present. Food allergies are not present at birth, and develop. 7 months is young for the development of food allergies but it is possible. Fungal disease is possible but from the images I suspect a bacterial infection is more likely. Hot Spots present when the fur gets wet, often in the summer months, and the wet fur sits on the skin and the natural bacteria on the skin multiply in the warm moisture patch. The treatment is to shave the area and keep it clean and dry, and usually oral antibiotics are required. E-collars are important to prevent licking and re-infection of the spot. I would recommend a visit to your vet, and if the spot isn't a hot spot you can have them test for fungal/bacterial infection by doing a skin scraping. Best of luck with Bear!