My dog's stubborn skin issue won't improve. When to see a vet?

These look to be burns but it could also be an autoimmune disease, fungal disease, cancer, bacterial infection, etc. There is no way for us to diagnose him over the internet just based on some photos. Obviously the home treatment is not working so it is best to have him evaluated by a veterinarian. This needs some testing and some more intensive treatment.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Buddy. He needs to see a veterinarian. It is possible that he has a bacterial skin infection, but there are other possibilities as well. He will likely need skin tests to look for ringworm and mites. Based on these results, medications can be prescribed to help him feel better. I hope this information helps!

I would have April examined by a vet. It is not easy to see what is going on from just a picture. It could be a foreign body under the skin, an infected puncture or other wound, a mass, or the start of some other skin disease. The vet will do an examination, and may take a slide impression or needle sample for examination under a microscope. Once they have a better idea as to the cause, they can decide on the best treatment.

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach! From the picture you have attached, I would suspect a bacterial skin infection, chronic wound, burn or contact dermatitis from something irritating. I would have this examined by a veterinarian in order to determine what this could be by testing this further. Pete will likely require oral antibiotics and topical treatment for appropriate therapy. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via phone or text based consultation if needed.

It is really hard to tell from a photo alone what is going on in the skin, however it is evident that something is causing inflammation of the skin. Dermatitis can be caused by many things including infection, irtitants, parasites, allergies or metabolic conditions. With you being away stress may have had a role in this. Ask your friend if they have given any new foods or used new shampoo? I would advise you to get to a vet for a skin exam in the next day or 2 as it is best to nip this sort of thing in the bud before it spreads.

There are a lot of things that could be causing this appearance to the skin, and it may not be easy or cheap to figure it out. I would recommend that you keep working with the vet. Baseline blood work, thyroid hormone, testing for Cushing's disease, skin biopsies, food trials, flea preventatives, etc may be needed.

This really needs to be examined and treated by your veterinarian. Your dog could be suffering from an allergy, parasites, a bacterial or fungal infection. each of these requires a different treatment, so it is important to find out what is causing this. Your vet will do a thorough exam and maybe a a skin scrape. He will then discuss the options with you and then prescribe medications.