What's this red ring on my dog's skin? Is it a bug bite or infection?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Duke. This could be ringworm or a sign of lyme disease, but yes it could also be a black fly bite. Black fly bites do not need any treatment. I honestly cannot make a diagnosis from a picture (and neither can a vet student), so I would have him seen by a vet. The vet can diagnose what is causing it and what treatment, if any, is needed. I hope this helps!

It looks like she has a pyoderma which is a skin infection. She should be examined and treated by your vet as she may need an antibiotic to treat the condition. In the meantime, you could bathe her with a medicated shampoo, like Douxo Chlorhexidine shampoo.

It's possible for it to be ticks. It's also possible that this is lice. Besides those and fleas, there are not other parasites that tend to be visible and in high numbers on a dog. If it's possible to send a picture, then that would be helpful for identification. If not, then it's a good idea to have her seen by a vet, because they can identify the problem and prescribe the necessary treatment. I hope that helps and all is well with Daisy.

The most common reason that we see red circular rashes in dogs are actually bacterial skin infection. Tick bites rarely cause red circular rashes in dogs (it's more common in people). Ringworm certainly can cause a circular rash, but they often aren't red in dogs. I would recommend having your vet examine Chance and determine what they think is going on. They may be able to tell by looking at it, or they may need to do some special skin tests like skin scrapings or skin cytology in order to determine the best treatment for Chance. I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, thank you for your question about Buddy. Based on the photos that you have attached I think that it is very possible that this lesion could be a bug/spider bite. It is also possible that Buddy was exposed to something irritating to his skin. If he is not bothered at the area and it does not seem very painful I would recommend continuing to monitor him. If the lesion progresses or he develops any additional symptoms I would have Buddy evaluated by your veterinarian. Hope this helps, good luck!

Most often when we see a lesion like this on the skin it is the result of an insect bite, in particular a biting fly such as a black fly. If your dog is acting normally then I would just monitor the area. If the lesion grows in size, becomes raised or oozes a discharge, or your dog develops many more lesions, becomes lethargic or very itchy a vet exam is recommended.

It is possible, though it looks more like it could be a bacterial infection. Ideally, take her in to the vet for an exam so that the proper treatment can be determined. If you want to try something at home, you can try this product: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-plus-wound-and-skin-care-for-dogs However, if it is not improving within a few days, please get her in to see your vet. Thanks for asking PetCoach!