Why is my dog shedding a lot, patchy, and has a red bald spot?

Hello, sorry to hear about Malik. It sounds like he could potentially have allergies based on the red bumps, bald spot, and shedding. Dogs may develop allergies to the environment, food, or even fleas. He should be seen by his veterinarian if this behavior continues, or he begins to scratch, and if he continues to lose hair. Alternatively, this could be an early signs of a respiratory or GI infection. Have Malik evaluated soon if he is not doing better of if you note any other signs to include a loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, sneezing, or coughing. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Itchy skin and hair loss is often due to the following things: 1) Allergies - this can happen suddenly and is usually due to an environmental (i.e pollen) cause. 2) External parasites - fleas, lice and mites can all cause intense itching. It's good to check him for fleas and get treatment if needed. The permethrin shampoo is only temporary, so it's possible that he is getting re- infested. He may have mites, which are microscopic and require a vet to find. 3) Over-bathing, or using the wrong product for bathing - Bathing too often can cause the skin to get dry and irritated. Dogs should normally be bathed no more than once a month with a shampoo that is labeled for dogs. If you bathe more than that, or use a shampoo or soap that is meant for people, then you could be damaging the normal protective barrier of the skin. One thing you can do for itchy skin, is give a bath with cool water using an oatmeal or aloe shampoo. You can get these shampoos at the pet store. I hope this helps you to identify the problem. If not, then it would be worth taking him to the vet. We can usually discover the cause quickly and provide the most effective treatment. Below are some links to articles that should be helpful for you: https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-tell-if-your-pet-has-allergies/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/4-great-strategies-for-relieving-your-dog-s-allergies/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/skin-allergies-vs-food-allergies/

Poor guy. I suspect this may be a demodexx mite issue. Demodexx mites live on every pets skin and are not contagious, but they can overpopulate in certain pets with a weakened immune system, causing hair loss, redness and sometimes secondary infection. I would have your vet test his skin to see if this is a mite problem. If so, it can be treated. Another possible cause is a contact dermatitis, but these areas are typically very itchy as well. Best wishes with your pet Shiro and I hope his skin clears up soon! Take care.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. 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!

Hello, sorry to hear about Sammy. Those areas are very suspicious for flea allergy dermatitis. This is an allergy to flea saliva and a single flea bite can cause an allergic reaction. It is important to know that you do not need to see fleas for Sammy to have this allergy. Sammy is likely very itchy from this and will need medications to control his itchiness and treat any secondary skin infection he could develop. You should ensure he has adequate, monthly, flea control and that other pets in the household are also protected against fleas. Make an appointment with your veterinarian and have Sammy evaluated promptly so that he can get medications for his itchiness and potentially skin infection. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Hi. For Toffee's skin looks pretty severe with redness, hair loss, and what looks like dermatitis. He most likely has an underlying allergy. This can be to the protein in the food, or environmental allergens. Other possibilities for this presentation include a deep skin infection, ectoparasites, immune mediated conditions, or low thyroid. No matter the cause, it looks like he may be pretty miserable. He will need a exam and prescription medications from your veterinarian, a long with some skin testing to try to find the cause. Good luck.

A bald spot could be caused by allergies, skin infection, mites, ringworm, etc. You could bath him with a medicated dog shampoo and see if that helps. If not, have your vet examine him to determine the cause. He may need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, corticosteroid, or other medications to help treat the problem. You could also add Free Form Snip Tips to his diet and see if that helps to keep his skin and coat healthy.