My puppy has orange red skin patches. Is it fleas? What to do?

Poor Biscuit! I'm sorry to hear that he's having this problem. Patches of hair loss, redness, and crusty skin can be caused by a number of different things. Some common possibilities would include allergies (food allergies, or an allergy to something in the environment), fleas, a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). Treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is, so it's important to get a diagnosis first. I would recommend taking Biscuit to the vet tomorrow for an exam - he/she can do some simple skin tests to help determine what is causing his skin issues and get him started on appropriate treatment. In the meantime, you can try bathing him in an aloe and oatmeal dog shampoo if you want to. This will not treat the underlying problem, but should soothe his skin and help to remove some of the crusty spots to help make him a bit more comfortable until you are able to see the vet.

Poor puppy! You need to see the veterinarian. Over the counter products are highly unlikely to kill the mites. Additionally, if he has Scabies, this will infest humans for a temporary time period. Additionally, ringworm can also look like this (which humans can also get). The veterinarian needs to do a skin scrape which will detect if mites are present. Treatment will be based upon results of diagnostics. He will likely get a special shampoo and antibiotics as well as medications to treat to primary cause. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I am sorry to hear about Freckles. The black crusts could be flea dirt, which is digested blood left behind by the fleas (if you place it on a paper towel and wet the black debris and it turns a rust color then it is likely flea dirt). We can also get skin infections resulting in crust and debris in dogs. I would recommend an examination by his vet if he is very itchy. He may need oral medications, or a topical treatment such as a medicated shampoo like Duoxo Chlorhexidine may be needed.

Ouch, poor Hike! That rash look really uncomfortable to him. It could be due to contact allergies, a skin infection, or a flea allergy. I'm not sure where you heard that flea and tick medication causes cancer because it doesn't. While any medication can have side effects, it is safe to use on dogs and is recommended highly for his health. At the end of my answer, I can give you a flea treatment program for him. As for the rash, I would have Hike seen by a vet for it. The vet can diagnose what is causing the rash and can treat him for it. Flea treatment program: First, I would give him Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, such as Advantage or Revolution. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash his bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear the Grench is having these skin issues. He most likely has an infection with fleas and/or other mites such as Demodex, and also likely has a secondary bacterial infection causing his skin to be scaling and red. Topical flea and tick preventatives that are not purchased from a veterinarian are NOT safe or effective in preventing fleas. I recommend bringing Grench to your veterinarian would can do an exam and perform a skin scrape to see what types of infections are present. Grench would likely benefit from a medication such as Bravecto or Nexgard, which help treat and prevent flea and mite infestations. I hope this is helpful!

It looks like your dog has a skin infection so he should be examined and treated by a vet. He, likely, needs an oral antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory that your vet can prescribe. If the meantime, you can bathe him with a medicated shampoo, like Douxo Chlorhexidine. You could also spray the lesion with Vetericyn wound and skin care spray.

Oh dear, poor Peanut! Some dogs are allergic to fleas and can actually develop bacterial skin infections as a result of ongoing scratching and licking. The first two photos look most suspicious for signs of a skin infection, but the third photo looks more suspicious for a raised benign or malignant mass. I'm glad that you're planning on taking Peanut to his vet when it is financially feasible for you. In the meantime, make sure that all pets in your house have been treated with a high quality flea preventative, such as Nexgard, Bravecto, or K9 Advantix II (or Advantage, Revolution, or Bravecto for cats if you also have cats in the house). You can also give your dogs a dose of oral Capstar ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=10902 ) to rapidly kill adult fleas in addition to the flea preventatives mentioned previously. Be sure to use these flea preventatives regularly without missing doses to break the flea life cycle! For Peanut's irritated skin, you can try bathing him in a medicated antimicrobial/anti-itch shampoo ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27981 ). Hydrogen peroxide can actually delay skin healing, so I would avoid further use since it is likely to cause more irritation. I hope this helps and that all goes well!