Why does my dog have a scabby, disc-shaped hip sore with hair loss?

In your picture it looks like there might be a small skin growth in the center of the ring like skin lesion, so if there is still a raised area I would recommend seeing your veterinarian. Some skin growths are benign and can be monitored while others should be removed. The areas of crusty debris could be from trauma, or potentially an infection secondary to allergies. If these areas do not improve in the next few days or if new skin lesions develop I'd also recommend seeing your vet.

It's really difficult to know what this is without seeing it. Usually these scabby patches indicate an infection. It may be worthwhile getting some medicated pet wipes from the pet store and wiping the area twice a day. Usually these infections clear-up within two weeks by keeping it clean. If the lesion is not getting better, or is getting worse in the next week, then I recommend having a vet evaluate it a bit further. There are other potential causes of this that can get much worse if not treated soon. I hope that helps and Daisy gets better soon.

I'm glad that Jaxi doesn't seem to be bothered by the lesion on her skin. Flaky areas with hair loss can be caused by a variety of conditions, including ringworm, mange and skin infections. Since these issues can only be diagnosed with microscopic evaluation and/or culture, I recommend taking Jaxi to her vet. I hope that she's on the mend soon!

Even though a picture would help to understand better the underlying cause, this presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking/scratching (if any). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

We commonly see an overgrowth of normal bacteria on the skin cause crusting and scabbing. When this happens around and in the hair follicles, the hair will easily fall out. When a dog has a thick coat, the crusting can spread under the coat and go unnoticed. From your picture, it looks like this area may be over the hip/pelvis. In older dogs, when their bones are more prominent, they will sometimes have areas like that due to lying on harder surfaces. These can become pressure sores, so be sure to keep an eye out for those. I agree that the area does not look irritated, but there is still some brown crusting left, so be sure to monitor the area closely for any spread of the crusting. If the crusting spreads or the skin appears red, be sure to have your vet evaluate the area. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This area can be either a localized demodex infection, a bacterial infection or a fungal infection (ringworm has to be considered). Thyroid disease can also be considered. If the area of hairloss and scabbing does not improve or completely resolve within 1-2 weeks, then I would recommend taking Indy to your local vet to have the skin tested. If it does not improve, then the appropriate medication (depeding on her skin test results) can be prescribed for Indy to help this resolve. Bset of luck with Indy and her skin. Take care.

Since I can't palpate the area, it's hard top tell but this looks most suspicious for an injury or perhaps an infection. Healthy pets should be able to heal without intervention. Make sure to keep Quincy from licking the area, as this can lead to infection, by having her wear an elizabethan collar at all times. Look at it every day. If it is not getting significantly better within 7 days or if it starts getting worse, I recommend to have her examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps.