My dog has scabs and bald spots. Is it serious or just irritation?

If it really is just a scab, then I would leave it alone, since pulling it off will hurt and may cause bleeding. Scabs are there to protect the new tissue that is growing underneath. Scabs can often be confused by small moles, ticks, small papillomas or warts, or even a tumor. When Sven is calm and sitting near you, look and see if it looks like a scab (usually flat) or something else. If it is something else, then you should have it checked out by a vet.

I would recommend doing testing on the ears to find out what is causing the scabs. If your pet is outside a lot, then flea bites are possible and it is recommended to purchase flea bite repellent at your local pet store to start, followed by topical triple antibiotic to get the scabs to heal. If your pet is kept mostly indoors, two common causes of this are demodexx mites or a yeast infection. Also another condition called ear margin vasculitis could be the cause. Ear margin vasculitis is a spontaneous condition where the vessels at the ear tip margin become inflamed creating a scabby appearance to the skin. Since all 3 of these look very similar it is important to get testing done in the form of a skin scrape/cytology and/or skin biopsy because each is treated so differently and it takes out a lot of the guess-work. Therefore scheduling an appointment with your vet is needed for proper diagnosis and treatment.

These scabs could be due to itching from something such as fleas, mites, ringworm, or allergies. If he isn't up to date on his flea treatment, I can give you one for him. 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. If he is up to date on his flea treatment, I recommend taking him into the vet for an exam today or tomorrow. The vet can do blood tests, skin scrapings, and use a Wood's lamp to diagnose allergies, mites, and ringworm. Once the cause of the itching is found, the vet can prescribe the appropriate treatment. I hope this helps!

These small scabs, or crusts, could be due to an injury like a fight/bite wound or could be due to an allergy. Allergies can cause a dog to be very itchy and can lead to a skin infection that can look very much like the pictures you have shared. If the spots are widespread throughout the coat I would recommend taking Magic in to your vet to be examined. If there are just a few spots, then you can try treating them topically with some antibiotic ointment to get them to clear up. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck!

This appears to be some sort of topical dermatitis. It can be caused by an underlying allergy, a bacterial infection or a fungal infection. You will most likely need to put a topical medication on the sores to help them clear up. You can try some triple antibiotic ointment at home and see if that helps. If not, you will need to take Chico to see your veterinarian. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria or fungal). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics or antifungal meds (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection can possibly be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar is useful as well to avoid any scratching (as you have used). 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.

As I said in your previous post, it could be fleas, mites, allergies, or ringworm causing Toby's scabs. You can try giving him an oatmeal bath to see if that helps, but ultimately, he will need to see a vet. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Carefree Credit online. http://www.carefreecredit.co.uk https://www.rspca.org.uk/whatwedo/vetcare http://www.easipetcare.com I hope one of these resources helps you.