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My dog has scabs, bald spots, and bleeding. Should I see a vet?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 50 lbs

i found these scabs on my dog and some bleeding which have bald spots

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Lauren Kennedy, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on September 10th, 2017

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!

2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on December 17th, 2020
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.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Rebecca, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on June 1st, 2017
There are many reasons a puppy may lose hair or break out. She should see a veterinarian as soon as possible to determine what is causing this. It could be fleas, mites, lice or ringworm. After examining her the vet can offer the best options for diagnosis and treatment of her skin condition.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on February 2nd, 2018
Hello Natasha. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I think you need to get Eboni to a vet for an exam. This looks like mange (mites) to me......very common in puppies. Other possibilities are ringworm, fleas, bacterial or fungal skin infection or autoimmune disorder just to name a few. Hairloss like this is not normal and these things are not something you can fix at home. You need to get your vet involved so that she can get better sooner!

Hope this helps. Best wishes.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA
Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer
Published on February 19th, 2018
Poor Ellie! There are a number of different things that can cause hair loss, rash, and itching in a puppy this age. Mange is one possibility, but she could also have some type of skin allergy, or a bacterial or fungal skin infection. It's good that you're planning to take her to the vet tomorrow - he/she can do some simple skin tests to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate treatment.

In the meantime, you can try bathing her in aloe and oatmeal dog shampoo to try and relieve some of the itching. You could also try a topical hydrocortisone spray labeled for dogs (available at most pet stores) to see if this helps a bit until you are able to see the vet.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Why are bloody, crusty scabs spreading on my dog's face and neck?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is difficult to know without an examination. However, this is possibly due to a severe infection or even a growth is possible. I would highly recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

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Why does my dog have a bleeding circular bald spot with a scab?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on the photo, I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at this to rule out the various possible causes. This could be a bacterial infection, fungal infection such as ringworm, etc. The veterinarian will be able to perform some additional testing and have a better look at it so that the most appropriate treatment can be recommended. I hope this helps!

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Why does my dog have painful, itchy scabs on his back and bleeding?

Thank you for your question. Patches must be pretty uncomfortable. There are several possible reasons for this type of itchiness. The first thing I recommend is make sure he has been treated for fleas. Even one little flea can trigger massive itching in a dog that is sensitive to them. Other things that can cause this type of itching are food allergies, environmental allergies, mites, and bacterial skin infections. When the skin becomes this damaged, a trip to your veterinarian is necessary. We often have to prescribe antibiotics to control local bacterial infections that can result from all the scratching. We also need to get the itching under control. Sometimes this means steroids, and sometimes we prescribe a medication specifically to control itching. A t-shirt can be used to protect the skin from further scratching while it heals. There are some over the counter anti-itch sprays you can try, but many times they are not strong enough. I hope this helps, and Patches is feeling better soon!

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My dog has a bleeding bald spot with missing fur. What should I do?

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 (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. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

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My dog has bloody, oozing spots on his back and neck. What's wrong?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

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My dog keeps scratching his bleeding neck scab. What should I do?

It looks like what we call a hot spot or moist dermatitis. These looks really painful. I would have him seen. He will most likely need some antibiotics and some topical medication to help dry this up. They can also give you something for the itching or pain relief. These usually heal pretty quickly once they stop messing with them.

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My dog has black scabs with pus. Are they from allergies or infection?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding R. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. If there is pus coming out from under the scabs, this typically indicates an infection. He will likely need to be treated with an oral antibiotic and/or a medicated shampoo. This is likely a result of his allergic skin, but can have another cause. I hope this information helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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