My dog has skin marks, but he's on flea/tick meds. What's wrong?

It's possible Bam Bam has developed an allergy (it could be environmental or food related) or that his thyroid is having problems. Unless you are treating him with a very good, oral flea prevention, fleas should still be on your list. This behavior of suddenly jumping up and biting is very commonly associated with flea bites. At home you can try giving him an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for pets but it may not correct the underlying cause. This can however improve over all skin health. There are two brands of food, Royal Canin and Nutro, which are aimed at skin health and they may help as well but again, they may not affect the underlying problem. If he does not improve after 2 weeks, I think your best option is to have him examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Skin issues like you are describing can have a variety of causes, including skin parasites (fleas or mites), allergies, an infection, or an underlying medical issue (Cushings disease, diabetes). I would recommend he be evaluated by his regular veterinarian to determine the underlying cause for his skin lesions, have any necessary testing done (bloodwork, skin scrape, culture) and start on any treatment that he may need. Good luck!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Without seeing Bambi I can't tell you sure sure. Fleas a very small, black in color, and very fast. They leave behind brown flecks that when rubbed under water turn reddish-brown. If you see these flecks, he has fleas, even if you can't see the fleas. Ticks are much larger and slower. They have several legs and they typically stay attached to the skin. If you are concerned, talk to your vet about a flea and tick prevention that you give every 30 days. Good luck and kisses to Bambi!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These skin lesions are likely pyoderma or superficial bacterial infection. Your veterinarian can prescribe an antibiotic and a medicated shampoo to treat them. The main thing is checking to see if there is any indication that she still have some evidence of fleas that could be causing these secondary bacterial infections in which case your veterinarian could consider something like Capstar to get rid of as many fleas as possible at once. Good thing is that these lesions are likely to resolve uneventfully. Good luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From the pictures, it appears Riley has a skin infection known as a hot spot. She will need to be seen by a veterinarian to determine the underlying cause and get treatment for the infection and itching. Hope this helps!

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!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to see the skin in your pictures but it looks like a rash or comedones. If the reddish black things on her skin flakes off or are loose, wet them on a white tissue. If they melt away to a red streak that is flea poop. Flea dips and shampoos are NOT preventatives for fleas and the fleas that hatch on the carpet will jump right back on the pet. Fleas do not lay eggs on the pet but on the carpet. Bed bugs do not live on animals. I recommend a flea preventative like oral Nexgard, Simparica, Bravecto or topical Advantix ii or the Seresto collar. If there are no live fleas or flea dirt then she likely has a secondary skin infection or rash from an allergic reaction the the fleas. I would have her seen by your Vet so she can be provided relief. Also it looks like she has a paw infection which could be from environmental or food allergies. Good luck!