Why does my dog have a scaly, bumpy, scab-like rash on his head?

The bumps are most likely due to a bacterial skin infection based on your description. These infections usually happen due to some irritation or excessive moisture on the skin. It's best to have a veterinarian look at this, so they can determine what treatment is necessary and possibly find the inciting cause. You can help the infection right now by giving her a bath with medicated shampoo (you can find this at the pet store). Gently massage the shampoo into the skin for 15 minutes and rinse well after bathing. The bath can be repeated every day until the infection starts to clear, then can be reduced to once a week. I hope that helps and Fred gets better soon.

It is really hard to tell from a photo alone what is going on in the skin, however it is evident that something is causing inflammation of the skin. Dermatitis can be caused by many things including infection, irtitants, parasites, allergies or metabolic conditions. With you being away stress may have had a role in this. Ask your friend if they have given any new foods or used new shampoo? I would advise you to get to a vet for a skin exam in the next day or 2 as it is best to nip this sort of thing in the bud before it spreads.

Hello and thank you for your post! From what you are describing, it sounds as if Frankie may be dealing with a skin infection. There are multiple treatments for a skin infection. I would have your vet examine Frankie in order to determine which treatments are best for him. Frankie will most likely need a course of oral antibiotics and topical treatments to resolve this. This may also be a condition known as seborrheic dermatitis. This can lead to secondary skin infections as well. A different topical treatment is needed to treat this. Again, I would have your vet examine Frankie to determine what this is in order to start the most appropriate treatment. If you are unable to get to your vet to have him seen, you can at least start a shampoo called duoxo chlorhexidine PS combination and bathe him twice weekly until the infection resolves. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via consultation.

Any treatment will depend on the underlying cause. It could be a skin infection or allergic reaction or even an autoimmune condition. An exam with your veterinarian or a veterinary dermatologist would be needed for a definitive diagnosis. You can discuss allergy testing, hydrolyzed diets, food elimination trials as well as antihistamine use with your vet. In the meantime, if your dog is scratching, use an e-collar (cone) to prevent further trauma. Consider adding an essential fatty acid (EFA) supplement to the diet. EFAs can promote a healthy [skin and coat](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-vitamins/dog-skin-and-coat). Choose a good quality fish oil as a source of EFAs. Systemic or topical antibiotics or antifungals can treat bacterial or yeast infection. Allergies can be frustrating to diagnose since they have many causes. Once diagnosed, most allergies can be managed with a combination of medication and diet.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Zeus is having skin issues. It does appear from the pictures that he has open sores on the top of his head. There are a variety of causes for this, such as trauma, infection (bacterial or fungal), an immune disease or a type of skin cancer. I would recommend Zeus be evaluated by his regular veterinarian to determine the underlying cause for his skin lesions, and start any treatment (antibiotics, anti-itch medication, anti-inflammatory) that he may need to resolve it. Good luck!

This looks like a superficial skin infection that may have been caused by a small scratch or abrasion on the skin that just worsened. There is a chance this can even be a fungal infection. I would definitely take Chapo in to your vet to get this treated. The vet may have to shave the hair to get the skin to breathe well, cleanse it with an antiseptic, and then prescribe oral medication to help this resolve. I would also get Chapo on a flea preventative, if not done so already, because this is a common cause of skin lesions. Best wishes with your puppy Chapo moving forward. I hope his skin heals well soon. Take care

Poor Wyatt! I'm glad to hear that he's heading to the vet tomorrow. The scabs on his skin could be a result of a bacterial or fungal skin infection (these often occur with underlying allergies), ringworm, or mange. Any of these issues can worsen until necessary medication is started. Allergies can occur to flea bites, food, or environmental sensitivities. Make sure that Wyatt is receiving a high quality flea and tick preventative, such as Nexgard, Bravecto, or K9 Advantix II. Tomorrow, your vet will be able to perform any necessary diagnostic tests, such as a skin cytology (to look for signs of bacterial or yeast overgrowth), skin scrape (to check for mites causing mange), or a fungal culture (to check for ringworm). From there, oral and/or topical medications can be started to help resolve this issue. I hope that all goes well!