What's this red bald spot near my dog's tail if not fleas or ticks?

A flea bite could've caused itching and caused this, trauma from rubbing against the fence or something like that or even a bacterial infection could've caused this. This area looks pretty red and inflamed and is likely to become infected from her chewing or licking at the site. I recommend keeping it clean and dry and preventing her from lickingor chewing at the site any further. If it does not clear up within one or two days I would have your veterinarian do an exam. If Bella is not already on a strict flea control protocol I would discuss what options your veterinarian offers.

It sounds like he could have allergies. Allergies commonly cause redness of the skin and can affect pretty much any part of the body. If there is also flaking, crusting, itching or an odor, those are signs that the skin is infected. Infection can be from yeast or bacteria or sometimes a combination of the two. It could also be a parasite on the skin such as mites. I would recommend taking him to your veterinarian for a skin scraping. This is where they take a sample from the surface of the skin and look at it under the microscope. This way they can determine the cause and know how best to treat it. Until then, you can try a topical triple antibiotic ointment and some hydrocortisone to see if that will give him some relief. I hope this helps and that Bob gets feeling better soon!

I am sorry Jasmine has not been feeling well! Typically skin bumps and hair loss is secondary to allergies. The most common type of allergies are food, environmental or flea. I would recommend applying flea prevention every 30 day to help prevent fleas. IT is very typical to see hair loss at the tail base secondary to a flea bite. Also I would recommend taking Jasmine to a vet to make sure she does not need antibiotics to help her skin heal. You can try an over the counter anti histamine or medicated shampoo but it would be best to have a vet visit. I hope that helps and she feels better soon

Hi and thanks for posting! The area by Jax's tail looks red, inflamed, and infected looking. Sometimes when an area is infected, it can itch. I would recommend Jax see his veterinarian so he can get on some antibiotics. Until you can take Jax to his vet, I would recommend keeping the area clean with mild soap and water or a mild cleansing wipe a few times daily. I'd also recommend keeping Jax on a monthly flea preventative as fleas can come back even after a flea treatment and it only takes one flea to cause a severe flea allergy. Best of luck to you and Jax and I hope he is able to see his veterinarian soon!

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. About 99/100 times if a dog comes to the vet clinic with something like this they also have fleas. If you don't have him on a good flea prevention then he is likely scratching this location due to fleas. I do think I see some "flea dirt" in the photo. I strongly recommend you get him to the vet for an exam. If he has fleas you need to get a good prescription flea prevention. Also, this type of lesion almost always needs oral antibiotics and some type of oral antiinflammatory to stop the itch cycle for it to heal. As long as he keeps scratching it, it will not heal no matter what you apply topically. If you choose to try and treat it yourself at home, you can use this hot spot spray gel 3- 4 times per day. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/3-oz-3-fl-oz-hot-spot-antimicr-2877113 ) You will also need to get some dog boots to put on his back feet so if he tries to scratch the area it won't continue to traumatize the skin. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/search?query=dog%20boots ) If you do this at home for about 5-7 days and there is no improvement or it looks worse at any time then he needs to see the vet. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The smell usually indicates skin infection, so ideally you should take Jaceky to your local vets to get a course of antibiotics. Alternatively, you can first clip the wounds from the hair and use antiseptic solution ( 4% chlorhexidine would be best) and clean it twice a day. Also, make sure that your dog doesn't lick or scratch the wounds. For ticks, the most effective treatments are spot-on skin solutions that you can buy over-the-counter at pet shops or online.

That lesion on Lily could be several things including fleas, allergies, skin mites, bacterial infection, ringworm (which humans can get) 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. 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 lesion once a day (not her whole body, just the lesion). Also protect the area from trauma by having your pup wear an elizabethan collar at all times. If the lesion is not improving within a week or if it is getting worse, have her examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.