Why is my dog suddenly scratching and has a bald spot on her shoulder?

Although I can't tell for sure, the area in the picture appears to be a hotspot. A hotspot occurs when an animal scratches or chews at an area to the point of causing trauma to the skin. Often times these areas are moist and very irritated but a large scab can form after some time has passed. Given the location of the lesion, I would be concerned that Lola has been scratching at her ear. I would monitor her for shaking of the head, discharge or redness in the ears or scratching at that area. If you notice any of these signs, she may have an ear infection. Other potential causes for the lesion other than a hot spot would be trauma, mange or an auto-immune issue. If the lesion is not resolving or seems to be getting worse, I would recommend that you have Lola seen by your veterinarian. They may recommend a skin scraping or cytology to better determine what is going on.

This looks like a focal area of infection, commonly referred to a hot spot. I would recommend taking Sophie to the vet to have the area clipped and cleaned. Sophie will probably need to be on antibiotics to help the skin heal properly.

It looks like Luna likely has a bacterial infection like a hotspot. The area needs to be protected from scratching and the hair needs to be shaved. Typically antibiotics and anti-inflammatories will clear this right up. Take her in to see her vet.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Based on what you are describing, and the pictures, I suspect that Willow may have an infection with ectoparasites, such as mites or fleas, that are causing her to be itchy. Your veterinarian can perform a skin scrape and evaluate the cells under a microscope to look for evidence of infectious agents. Please ensure that Willow is on a monthly topical flea and tick preventative that you purchase from your veterinarian; NOT one that can be purchased from a pet or grocery store, as these are not regulated and can be very toxic to pets. Willow could also have allergic skin disease, secondary to food or environmental agents. You can talk to your veterinarian about trying a diet trial to determine if Willow's itchy skin resolves on a particular novel protein diet. The thickened ears can be due to chronic ear infections, so your veterinarian will be able to examine the waxy debris under a microscope and prescribe the appropriate medication based on whether they see bacteria and/or yeast in Willow's ears. I hope this is helpful!

Petra is very cute! I would recommend taking her to a vet for a skin scrape. This will make sure she does not have skin mites like demodex. IT is possible a small allergy,fungal disease, skin infection or even vasculitis from a rabies vaccine cause the hair loss. However due to breed I would make sure she does not have skin mites.

This looks like a hot spot on Lucky's leg. This usually occurs from excessive licking of the area and an infection that is present in the skin. Lucky will need antibiotics to help clear up the infection. He may also need some allergy medication to prevent the area from coming back. The bumps behind the ears are probably due to allergies as well. I would recommend a trip to your vet to get some antibiotics for the leg and possibly some allergy medication if indicated. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

That looks bad! This scratching can be caused by fleas, mites, ringworm, or allergies. If Lola isn't up to date on her flea treatment, I can give you one for her. First, I would give her 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 her 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 she is up to date on her flea treatment, I recommend taking her 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.