What causes itchy lumps with black specs on my dog's skin and tail?

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 her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. The lump may actually be something like a cyst. 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!

It's hard to tell just from the photos because many lesions will look the same despite different causes. Those spots on Mara could be several things including fleas, allergies,superficial bacterial infection or endocrine disease. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. I do recommend to go ahead and treat for fleas just in case. 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 her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesions once a day (not her whole body, just the lesions). Also protect the area from trauma by having your pup wear an elizabethan collar at all times. If the lesions do not start improving within a week or if they are getting worse, have her examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like it could be skin allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. 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! There is really nothing specific you can try at home other than bathing him with a medicated shampoo you can get at your local pet store. This shampoo should contain chlorehexidine. In reality though, this is unlikely to resolve this issue completely. Good luck and have a good day!

Mites are just one possible cause of itching and hair loss, however they wouldn't necessarily cause "lumped up" spots on the skin. You may be seeing hives, which are due to some type of an allergic reaction. The first thing to do would be to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. Discuss allergy testing, hydrolyzed diets, food elimination trials, parasite control and antihistamine use with the vet. Any potential treatment will depend on the underlying cause. In the meantime, place an e-collar (cone) on Axel to prevent excessive licking or chewing. You can also treat for fleas using a topical preventive (Frontline, Advantix, etc.) or an oral preventive (CapStar, Comfortis, Bravecto, Credelio, etc.). Vacuum everywhere indoors and dispose of the bag or empty the canister outdoors immediately afterwards. Wash all bedding in the hottest water allowable by fabric and dry in a dryer. Use an area treatment, such as Indorex or Knockout ES, to prevent or treat any flea infestation.

Hello, that looks like a local skin infection. This could be secondary to fleas or or some prior local irritation which causes itchiness and a subsequent infection, This could respond to antibiotics if the infection is bacterial. Other kind of infections include parasites and fungal infections which are less likely. I would recommend having the area looked at by your veterinarian as it may need either topical or oral antibiotics to treat. Additionally, ensure your dog is on adequate monthly flea prevention and in the interim, you can put an e-collar on your dog to keep the area protected from the licking which could make it worse. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Lesions like those in the pictures can be caused by bacterial, parasitic or fungal infection, dietary or environmental allergies or sensitivities, immune system disorders, or a combination of the above. In dogs like yours with hair loss and itchiness, one common cause can be infection by mites that can live in the hair follicles and lead to hair loss, and secondary bacterial and fungal infections that can develop. I recommend making an appointment to have your dog seen by your veterinarian to help determine the cause of the hair loss as soon as you can. The vet will likely want to look at a sample from the area (taken by a procedure known as a skin scraping) and examined under the microscope to determine what kind(s) of infection may be present and to figure out what medication is appropriate for treatment. I hope that helps!

Itching around the base of the spine/top of tail is frequently indicative of fleas or flea allergy complicated by a skin infection. A good quality flea treatment and a soothing skin ointment suitable for use on dogs should be applied; a full vet visit is recommended if it persists beyond 7days or spreads further to rule out bacterial or fungal infection