My adopted dog has red, bald spots. Could it be ringworm or mites?

It’s uncommon for older dogs to get ringworm, and when they do it’s generally on the face. This area may have started to itch and she got it red and irritated from licking. I would clean the area with a medicated shampoo that kills both bacteria and yeast. Then apply a thin film of antibacterial ointment on it. In addition use a cone if she’s licking the area. If you wash your hands well after touching her you shouldn’t get anything. If it’s not healing or there are other areas then please take her in for an exam and skin tests to determine if it’s ringworm or infection. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your dog.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If Penelope has had treatment for mites and the other lesions resolved but not this one, this could be a separate problem such as ringworm, different mite or a benign tumor. I would recommend having the veterinarian look at this to help determine what the cause could be. Different medication would be needed for ringworm and if it is a tumor, it is likely what we call a histiocytoma, which is common in young dogs and resolves on its own. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

I would have this checked by a vet. It sounds very much like ringworm. Although the name suggests otherwise, ringworm is not caused by a worm at all-but a fungus. This highly contagious infection can lead to patchy areas of hair loss on a pet, and can spread to other animals-and to humans, too. Classic symptoms of ringworm include lesions that typically appear on a pet’s head, ears, paws and forelimbs. These lesions can cause patchy, crusted circular “bald spots” that sometimes look red in the center. In mild cases of ringworm, there may be just a few broken hairs, while bad cases of ringworm can spread over most of a pet’s body. It’s also possible for a pet to carry the fungus and not show any symptoms whatsoever. Treatment of ringworm depends on the severity of the infection. A veterinarian may prescribe a medicated shampoo or ointment that contains miconazole or a dip such as lime sulfur to kill the fungus. In some cases, oral medications are necessary to cure ringworm. In severe cases, it may be necessary to use a topical and oral treatment, in addition to clipping away the fur. Once treatment begins, lesions should begin to heal in about one to three weeks. Please note, it is important to treat your pet for as long as recommended by your veterinarian. Even though the skin lesions may have cleared up, this doesn’t mean your pet is cured or can’t infect another animal or person. Certain diagnostic tests may need to be repeated in order to ensure cure. And unfortunately, there is no guarantee that reinfection won’t occur!

Without seeing it in person, I can't say if it's mange or ringworm for sure. Ringworm is typically a circular lesion that is red in color. Mange can be demodex or sarcoptic, but again without seeing him in person, I don't know which type it is. At the vet, they will likely use a Wood's lamp to see if the spot is ringworm, as infected hairs can fluoresce under the ultraviolet light. Not all cases of ringworm will do this, so a fungal culture may be needed. To diagnose mange, the vet takes skin scrapings, and looks at the sample under a microscope. The demodex mite is typically easily seen with a skin scraping, while it can take several skin scrapings to find the sarcoptic mite. Once the cause is found, the vet can discuss treatment with you. Good luck at the vet's tomorrow!

Hello! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! First off, you're doing a great job by keeping fleas off the mother dog and combing the pups regularly. Looking at the spots of hair loss on the head, my top suspicions would be ringworm, demodectic mange, or a bacterial skin infection. I would recommend you take her into a vet to find out what the problem is. Ringworm is a skin fungus that can be transmitted to people, but it is treated fairly easily if it is caught early. The vet will likely recommend a DTM culture to test for fungal infections, and a skin scraping and impression smear to find the root of the problem. I hope that helps!

It is hard to say for sure, but based on your description these red scabby areas could be either a ringworm infection (itchy) or mites (not itchy). Your local veterinarian can do a simple skin scrape test + fungal culture to determine the underlying cause for sure, so that the appropriate treatment is recommended to resolve these reddish bald areas on Snappy's skin. You also have the option of sharing pictures of these suspicious areas via private consultation through Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with any expert, if you need further advice.

Ringworm can take up to 3 months to go away. I think this article will explain more. ( https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/ringworm-1/ ) Was she tested for ringworm or is your vet just guessing that is the problem? The reason I ask is because it actually looks more like mange lesions to me. If you are not seeing much improvement after another 7-10 days and your vet did not actually test for ringworm, then I suggest you have her back to your vet to talk about actually testing for ringworm and testing for mange to get this figured out. ( https://www.marshallspetzone.com/blog/identify-mange-dogs-treatment-care/ )