My husky has recurring skin sores. Is it zinc deficiency or allergy?

Yes this could be zinc deficiency or it could be discoid lupus. I would bring him in for an exam. For a difinitive diagnosis you will need to have a biopsy done. I have a malamute with discoid lupus and am able to manage it without medication although initially I treated her for it and then weaned her onto supplements. I would be happy to help with holistic supplements when you have a diagnosis.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The zinc/methionine are not likely causing this. This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. Other possibilities such as mange need to also be considered and a physical examination and basic diagnostics should help sort that out. 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!

Its possible this is a skin infection versus the typical lesions Pheobe gets with her allergies. It could be related to her allergies (they can get worse over time) but they can also be more common in thick coated breeds like huskies. I recommend to call your veterinarian. They may want to examine her again or they may recommend a medicated shampoo or other topical therapy. Then again, since she has thick hair, they may also recommend systemic medications. Ask your vet about any additional supplements, diet changes or antihistamines which may also help. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Oh my, poor Storm! His skin certainly looks irritated and uncomfortable. Since his skin lesions have not responded to several different antibiotics, either this is unlikely to be a bacterial driven skin infection or it is a highly antibiotic resistant infection. Consider asking your vet if diagnostic testing has been performed to rule out contagious causes of hair loss, itching and scaling, such as ringworm or mange. If these possibilities have been ruled out, bigger concerns at this time would be a zinc-responsive dermatosis (most prevalent in Siberian Huskies), immune system skin disorders (such as pemphigus foliaceous), or cutaneous lymphoma. Consider discussing either a skin biopsy with Storm's vet or referral to a veterinary dermatologist as some of the next diagnostic steps. I hope this helps and that he is on the mend soon!

I don't recommend to start this supplement on your pup without speaking with your veterinarian. Yes, arctic breeds can get zinc responsive dermatitis but the condition is rare. More common causes of lip dermatitis are allergies to something in the environment or food. I recommend to explore these options first. Speak with your veterinarian about what to look for first. I hope this helps.

That spot on Briggs could be several things including skin mites, ringworm (which humans can get), allergies to something in the environment, food allergy, Zinc responsive dermatosis or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Mites and ringworm are diagnosed by a few easy skin testes. Zinc issues may need a blood test. I recommend to have him examined to get the treatment process started. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they are unlikely to address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Briggs wear an elizabethan collar at all times. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

A lot of things can cause skin lesions on the face, from allergies to mange, so it's difficult to necessarily pin it on the diet. Zinc deficiency is very uncommon, but is genetic in huskies. It's not the diet that causes it, but rather a problem in how they metabolize zinc. It usually appears in young dogs (1-3 years old). The only way to diagnose it is via biopsy, which is a test your vet can do. If Tonka was doing well on the same diet previously and the only thing that has changed is the amount he's getting I would be surprised that it would cause this, especially if it's a balanced diet. Please do not supplement zinc without talking to your veterinarian, as zinc toxicity can be very dangerous.