Why is my dog licking hair, has red crusty skin patches on his back?

Hello, thank you for your question about Max. Based on the photos that you've attached and Max's symptoms it is possible that he has an underlying skin problem such as allergies or infection. Dogs can have underlying allergies to many things both dietary and environmental. I would recommend having him evaluated by your veterinarian so that they can examine the areas and determine the need for additional testing such as a skin scrape or impression to look for bacteria and cells. Hope this helps, good luck!

It looks to me like the areas may be related on Max's head. Based on how they look and the fact that they appear irritated I would be suspicious of either a mite infection or ringworm (which is a fungal infection that he can give to you). A veterinarian will preform a test called a skin scrape to determine if mites are present. Treatment is easy in most pets. Ringworm diagnosis requires a fungal culture and is generally easy to clear up but needs a lot of environmental clean up. Bacterial infection is likely also present and is a secondary problem. Take Max into see the veterinarian who will be able to determine the cause and get Max started on treatment. Best of luck!

Oh my . Poor Maddox. So this appears to potentially be a severe yeast infection of his skin. He needs a skin cytology through your vet to confirm this and then likely will need a short course of anti-fungal pills a topical anti-fungal shampoo /- conditioner spray. I would recommend scheduling an app with your vet soon to get this taken care of, because nothing at home will be able to treat this successfully unfortunately. However, hopefully we can get this addressed quickly and successfully. I would also consider having your vet test Maddox for thyroid disease (as an underlying factor), especially if you have noticed any recent weight gain, dull haircoat /- lack of normal energy level. Best wishes with Maddox and his skin. Take care.

The most common reason that we will see circular or semi-circular rings or crusts in a dog is a superficial bacterial skin infection. These areas typically start as a small bump which ruptures and forms a crust. That crust can spread and form a large area of hair loss with crusting around the edge. We can also see fungal infections that will have this same behavior. In order to determine what is causing the problem, your vet can so some simple skin tests and look at a sample under the microscope to make a diagnosis and determine the best treatment for Cooper. There are topical medications like wipes and shampoos that we will sometimes use or other times an oral medication is needed. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Any time we have areas of hair loss it is recommended that your dog be examined by a vet. From one photo it looks like we could either have dandruff or epidermal collarettes which are a sign of bacterial infecition of the skin. The pinpoint white areas could be pustules (from bacteria) or calcinosis cutis which can be see with some endocrine diseases. The vet will examine Max and may recommend some testing to check for bacteria or parasites or endocrine diseases. Treatment will depend on their findings.

I am sorry to hear about your concern for Luke. We can see patches of hair loss such as this from a variety of causes, ranging from allergies, bacterial infection of the skin, insect bites that got very inflammed, wounds, or a fungal infection called ringworm. I would recommend having Luke examined by a vet to make sure this isn't ringworm https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951439 as it can be passed to people. Be sure to wash your hands after touching the area just in case, until you can have him seen.

It could be a pyoderma (skin infection). See your veterinarian for an exam. He or she may diagnose bacterial or fungal skin infection and can prescribe the appropriate medication afterwards. Treatment may be topical, systemic or a combination. Consider adding an essential fatty acid supplement, such as DermCaps or EicosaCaps, to her diet to promote healthy skin and coat. Place an e-collar (cone) on your dog if she is licking or chewing excessively.