My Black Lab puppy has a sore leg with hair loss. What should I do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely either due to mites or allergies. I highly recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to diagnose this so that therapy can be started. Best of luck!

Hi there. From your photos, it appears that Pepper has some mild infection of her skin. This can be caused by an allergy to something, or allergy to food. Bacteria likes to invade skin that is inflamed and a small infection will develop. I would recommend taking Pepper to you vet for an exam and skin testing. They can identify what is going on and get Pepper the treatment she needs. I hope that helps! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi, thanks for using Petcpach! It's hard to say what the exact cause of Pepper's skin issues are based on the picture, but possible causes are: bacterial or yeast skin infection, ring worm (fungal infection) or demodex (non-contagious mite). It is best to get her to your Vet for proper diagnosis. Skin infections are treated with antibiotics or antifungals, ring worm requires a culture but is treated with antifunglas and demodex requires a skin scrape in order to be diagnosed. I've attached a link to a medicated shampoo you can try to help relieve her until you can get her to a Veterinarian. Bathe 2-3 times per week and allow the soap to sit on her skin for 10 mins before rinsing. I hope Pepper feeds better soon! https://www.chewy.com/malaseb-medicated-shampoo-dogs-cats/dp/119232?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Malaseb&utm_term=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIx72bnoXy1QIVSDqBCh3tPAcuEAQYASABEgIKuPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Hello. This is very possibly related to Pepper's allergies. I would pick up a skin antiseptic like Hibiclens, available at all pharmacies, & gently clean these areas twice a day. Mild skin infections often flare in allergic dogs, but if caught & managed early, rarely turn into anything serious. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This looks like a benign skin growth that got scraped. It is now irritated and bloody from the injury. I’m glad you took a photo. I would measure it also and then check it weekly to see if it’s enlarging or appears more irritated. If it changes it should be surgically removed and biopsied. It looks like it’s only in the skin so it should be easy to remove as there is plenty of loose skin in the area to close the incision. You can clean it with hydrogen peroxide and then apply a thin film of antibacterial ointment on it to prevent infection. From the photo it doesn’t look like anything to be overly concerned about. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Chloe.

Poor Emmitt! The lesions on his leg and muzzle could be due a bacterial skin infection (often from underlying allergies), ringworm, or mange. Make sure that he is receiving a high quality flea preventative regularly, such as Nexgard, Bravecto, or K9 Advantix II since flea allergies can lead to itching and subsequent skin infections. You can also try bathing Emmitt in an antimicrobial shampoo ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27982 ), but use caution around his face and be sure to rinse and dry well. Also consider switching to stainless steel bowls rather than plastic or ceramic bowls if you aren't already using them in case the lesions on his face are related to an "acne-like" condition. Stainless steel is less porous than the other materials and tends to harbor less bacteria. If these skin lesions persist or worsen, Emmitt will need to take a trip to his vet for further evaluation. I hope that all goes well!

Treatment will greatly depend on the cause, however that looks like a hot spot. It should be seen by your vet, so they can clean it and provide you with some antibiotics and pain meds as needed. Until you can get to your vet, placing an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Hector to stop him from licking and worsening it, and keeping the area clean and dry can help, however if it continues to worsen it needs to be seen right away.