My dog has crusty scabs and hair loss. Is it ringworm or bite?

Ringworm can form a crust around it, so I wouldn't rule that out as a possible cause based on the presence of a scab. There are other infections (bacterial, fungal and parasitic) that can cause lesions that look like this as well. One thing that I would want to know is if a topical medication medication for fleas/ticks was applied to this area. I have seen some skin reactions to these products before. The only way to really identify the cause of this is to have Artimus evaluated by a veterinarian. We can do the necessary tests to identify the cause of this and ensure that the most effective treatment is given. I hope that helps and all is well with Artimus.

Hello there. Thank you for using PetCoach and thank you for including photos. My best guess is that this is ringworm. It does not look like a bite. I suggest you get Molekin' to your vet for an exam and to get a proper diagnosis for two reasons. Number one, ringworm is contagious to people and number two, an adult dog that gets ringworm usually has an underlying problem with their immune system. An adult dog should not get it. This is much more common in puppies. Remember, it is impossible for me to diagnose over the internet with just a photo. I am just giving my best guess. Many skin diseases look similar to the naked eye so that is why testing is important. Here is a link to an article about ringworm: ( https://www.petcoach.co/article/ringworm-in-dogs/ ) If you wanted to try something at home first you can buy over the counter athletes foot cream which is an antifungal and apply that twice daily. It may take 2+ months for it to clear completely up but you should start noticing a difference in a .couple weeks. If you don't have any improvement in 2 weeks or it worsens then you definitely need to get him to the vet. Wash your hands thoroughly after touching this spot just in case it is ringworm, you don't want to get it! ( https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lamisil-Cream-0-42-Oz/10294288 ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

If it was a wound then it may take several days before you see hair starting to regrow. However, if it is ringworm or something else then it may take weeks to see improvement. I think it is always a good idea to have it looked at. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

From the picture you provided, it doesn't appear to be ringworm, but as you said I can't say for sure without seeing him. It could be a bit of dry skin, or a scab from a previous injury. I'd just keep an eye on it for now. If it becomes red, gets larger, and/or doesn't go away, then I would have him seen by a vet. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

This could be due to a bacterial or fungal infection. They can both look like this. It could also be due to something that is irritating the skin like mites, fleas, or allergies. It does not appear like ringworm, but it's impossible to know for sure without testing it. The species of fungus involved in toenail infections is different than ringworm and toenail fungus is not very contagious to dogs. This looks rather mild right now. The best thing to do is have the lesion evaluated by a veterinarian to help identify the cause. However, it would be fine to give a bath with a medicated dog shampoo (can find this at the pet store) in the meantime. If that's helpful, this can be repeated weekly until the problem resolves. I hope that helps and Lu gets better soon.

I am sorry to hear about your concern for Oscar. It is a bit difficult to see the lesions in these photos as they are slightly blurry and there is fur covering the areas, but these could be epidermal collarettes, which are the result of bacterial infection of the skin, often the result of allergies, or potentially ringworm (a fungus) lesions. I would recommend bringing Oscar in to the vet to examine the areas. They may recommend testing by collecting some of the lesion and looking at it under the microscope to see if bacteria or yeast are present, or recommend fungal culture if they feel the lesions are suspicious for ringworm in person.

There is no way to diagnose this via a photo, I am afraid. Only a hands-on exam in combination with a brush sample or a swab can help identify whether this is a fungal or bacterial lesion or a sting or bite. I would observe it over the weekend, and should it increase in size, start to ooze or change in appearance other than fade, you should have a veterinarian examine this lesion. there is no one treatment for all these causes. Do not put any ointment on it , just observe it.