My Bichon's neck is irritated and he's scratching until it bleeds. Why?

BJ needs to be examined by the veterinarian. Very itchy rashes can be due to conditions like scabies (which humans can get), bacteria infections or severe allergies. The veterinarian will preform a thorough medical exam and collect a medical history. BJ may get an easy test called a skin scraping to check for mites. When pets itch til they bled, they can be miserable. The doctor can provide medication to stop the itching quickly and make them feel better. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Ouch, poor Bobby's skin looks so irritated! If you are sure he doesn't have fleas, then other causes of this incessant bleeding include allergies, mites, or ringworm. Without seeing him in person, I can't say for certain what is causing this itching, but he should see a vet for it in the morning. The vet can diagnose the cause of his itching so he can be treated. I would also be concerned he has a secondary bacterial infection due to the trauma to his skin, and that needs to be treated as well by the vet.

Considering the signs you described and the pics, this presentation is likely to be due to an allergy, although skin infections or mites could be responsible for it as well. First, to rule out skin parasites, I would recommend to ask your vet to prescribe a good quality flea treatment and perform some skin tests to rule out infections and mites. If all the tests are negative, allergies can be considered and treated.

This could be a focal area of a bacterial infection, a possible insect bite wound, or an open sore that just got infected. You need to keep this area clean and dry and prevent Candy from rubbing or pawing at it. I recommend your veterinarian do an exam as this looks like it will likely need antibiotics and possibly a prescription strength topical medication to heal.

The lesions that you are seeing on the back of Bruce's neck could be a result of a skin infection from his excessive scratching (possibly related to allergies to fleas, food or environmental factors), but could also be associated with ringworm, mange or benign or malignant cancerous processes. Bruce should go to his vet for evaluation because he likely needs a course of antibiotics to treat any infection present. Until you can get to the vet, keep an e-collar (cone) on him to prevent further scratching and skin damage. Also be sure that he is receiving a high quality flea preventative (such as Nexgard, Bravecto or K9 Advantix II) regularly. Baths in an antibacterial shampoo (here is one example: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27982) may be beneficial until his vet appointment. I hope that all goes well!

Oh no, poor Hookie sounds very itchy! This itching could be caused by fleas, mites, ringworm, or allergies. If he isn't up to date on his flea treatment, he will need a spot on treatment such as Advantage or Revolution. You will need to disinfect the environment as well. Even if he's up to date on his flea medications, he should see a vet. The vet can do blood tests, skin scrapings, and use a Wood's lamp to diagnose allergies, mites, and ringworm if he is up to date on his flea treatments. he will also need his raw skin treated, and it may be infected from all the scratching. Once the cause of the itching is found, the vet can prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Simply dry skin shouldn’t be that itchy. I would recommend that you have Ricky examined by the vet to check for mange, fleas, allergies, or skin infection which could be causing the itch. Depending on the cause of the itch, there are lots of treatment options, ranging from medicated shampoos or mousses to oral antibiotics-inflammatories or antibiotics. Make sure you change the bandage daily. I don’t like air impermeable dressings like cling wrap, because most wounds need oxygen to prevent moisture from getting trapped underneath and causing additional skin issues.