My Siberian Husky has a skin spot. Is it allergies or infection?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Phoebe. I do recommend that she sees her veterinarian. Her skin appears like it might be infected. In this case, she would need antibiotics and possibly a medicated shampoo to help her heal. This time of year allergies are common. Huskies as a breed though are prone to skin disease duc to a zinc deficiency. It is worth having her seen so that the cause can be identified and proper treatment started. I hope this is helps!

This is probably due to a severe allergy, although it could also be fleas or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat Koda with a high quality flea treatment (e.g. advantage), then get him to the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try discovering the cause of the allergy. Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). simultaneously you should start him on a prescription hypoallergenic diet for at least 2 months. Hopefully you will see some results after all this, if not you and your vet should consider putting him on a long term allergy treatment (Atopica or Apoquel).

Those spots on Pedro could be several things including allergies, skin mites, flea bites, ringworm (which humans can get) or a bacterial infection. 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. You can wash the lesions with soap once a day and rinse well (don't wash his whole body, just those spots). Protect the areas from licking or scratching. If they don't start looking better within about a week or if they get worse, have him examined by the veterinarian who may prescribe medications. You may also try treating him for fleas to see if that helps. You may not always be able to find fleas. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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.

Oh goodness! That does look uncomfortable! It could be just infection, but if it keeps returning then I agree there could likely be an underlying problem such as thyroid disorder, zinc deficiency, pemphigus, or lupus. If I were in charge of his care I would check a thyroid panel and if that came back normal then I would do straight to a skin biopsy. This is the fastest route to a diagnosis. Best of luck and I hope you find an answer and a resolution soon! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

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!

Yes, I recommend to call your normal veterinarian and ask about either having Roxy examined or send the vet the photos as a starting point. I suspect the black spots represent a bacterial infection, a yeast infection or ringworm (which people can get). Since she is immune suppressed (due to her autoimmune condition) an infection is more likely and she may not be able to fight the infection as normal. Until she is examined, protect the area form rubbing and she may need to wear an elizabethan collar at all times. Also, try to keep her skin in optimal health. You can add in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. I hope this helps!