Why is my dog Sam constantly itching and losing fur? Is it ringworm?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There is a chance that this could be ringworm and that is usually determined based on an examination and culture. 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!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I can see an area of hair loss, redness, thickening of the kin, and what appears to be a scratch. This can be caused by bacterial or fungal skin infections such as ringworm, skin mites, or autoimmune diseases. I recommend having your dog seen by a vet as ringworm can be transmitted to people. I hope this helps and that all is well!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a skin infection. Although in theory possible, ringworm seems unlikely. 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 her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good day!

That looks more like a really inflamed “hot spot” to me. Put an ecollar on him so he can’t lick at it, and take him to your vet. He may need oral antibiotics and a prescription topical treatment. If you are unable to get him to a vet, use the ecollar as I mentioned, and try this product:https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zymox-hydrocortison-cream Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Sam. This is a bizarre hair loss pattern for sure. Not sure what is causing this and I would advise that you take Sam in for a vet evaluation. Many different things can cause hair loss including external parasites (fleas, ticks, mites, etc), bacterial skin infection, allergies, endocrine/hormone problems (thyroid, etc), contact irritants, etc. Your vet can evaluate Sam and then advise some diagnostic or treatment plan for Sam. Diagnostics may include some skin tests including a skin scrape, fungal culture, blood work, etc. to try to determine what is going on. Your vet may even advise a referral to a dermatologist in your area if they cannot determine what is going on. Once a diagnosis is made, a treatment plan can be recommended to treat this condition. I will just say that this pattern of hair loss is not typical so I am very interested to know what is going on.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Izzy has one of the most frustrating dermatologic issues we face with our pets. Fungi are notorious for taking a very long time to kill or at least have managed. Unfortunately, there are multiple factors that contribute to a dog getting ringworm, and part of it is inate susceptibility that Izzy has. Inflammation of the skin will make skin infections of any kind more likely, so that should be a priority to get under control. There are shampoos available with a prescription, so ask your vet about them. Also, on rare occasion, oral antifungal therapy is warranted. This is less than 5% of cases from my experience, but if it is widespread on her body, it could be necessary. As she is susceptible, using a topical anti-fungal shampoo would be beneficial to minimize chances of recurrence once Izzy's skin has cleared-up. The itching needs to be explored further because it is what leads to skin inflammation and thus a higher chance of having an infection. Without being able to examine her, it is difficult to say whether the ringworm is under control, so continue to follow up with your vet as it can take weeks to months for it to clear up completely. Hope this helps!

Hello. It looks like Sam has some pretty significant dermatitis going on, most likely caused by a staph infection in his skin. But allergies, auto-immune disease & even some hormonal imbalances/diseases can cause skin symptoms like this. He really needs to be seen by a veterinarian, preferably one with a specialty in dermatology, if possible. In the meantime, I would be bathing him in an antibacterial shampoo, one with benzoyl peroxide, or 2-4% chlorhexidine. Most pet retailers carry something. Soap him up for 10 minutes before sensing thoroughly, & repeat the bath every few days, or at least twice a week. It may take 4-6 weeks to see results, but if you can have this looked at first hand, that would be best. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.