My German Shepherd has a long bald spot on his back. What is it?

This may be a so-called hot spot, i.e. a spot where Nerys is constantly licking , first because it may have itched or hurt, then because it became a habit. The constant licking prevents it from healing. You will need to take Nerys to your vet for an exam. Your vet may inject some steroid under the lesion and put Nerys on a long course of antibiotics and she will need to wear an e-collar to keep her from licking. It is important that she be kept busy with walks, playing etc, as boredom makes it worse.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on the picture, it is difficult to see where this lesion is at on the body. It appears to be a callus or a scab. I would keep an eye on this area for the next 7 days and if it changes (gets bigger, becomes swollen, is painful, discharge is evident) then I would recommend having a veterinarian examine this so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

This is likely a pysiological alopecia, especially if it is in front of both ears and about the same size. If the are a expands, then there is a skin problem that needs to be investigated by your vet. However, if the skin looks healthy, and the area stays the same, then there is nothing to worry about. If Mila tries to scratch the area, then you should have her ears checked by the vet for an infection or mites.

Hi there. Mites are microscopic, so you can't see them with the naked eye. The scab could be due to a wound or skin condition of some kind. If this has been a recurring issue and the scab isn't going away, I would recommend taking Cy to the vet to have it checked.

Hi there and thanks for posting this question. Certainly there can be many causes for this, but young dogs commonly will have a mite called demodex mite. I suspect by the age and description that this may be the problem. I would recommend that he be seen by a veterinarian. They will likely do a skin scraping to look for mites. If positive they will discuss treatment options. I hope this helps and thanks for using Pet Coach!

That looks like a deep infection and I recommend to have Lori examined by the veterinarian. Sometimes these infections are related to a bacteria or yeast infection. They can also be related to skin mites or an autoimmune condition. Generally deep infection require antibiotics. It’s very important to make sure you protect the area from any licking or scratching as this will make it worse. The doctor may recommend a few simple diagnostics to determine the cause of the infection and then provide appropriate treatment. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hair loss can be caused by bacterial, parasitic or fungal infection, dietary or environmental allergies or sensitivities, immune system disorders, or a combination of the above. In dogs like your puppy in the picture with severe hair loss, one common cause can be infection by mites that can live in the hair follicles and lead to hair loss, and secondary bacterial and fungal infections that can develop. I recommend making an appointment to have the affected puppies seen by your veterinarian to help determine the cause of the hair loss as soon as you can. The vet will likely want to look at a sample from the area (taken by a procedure known as a skin scraping) and examined under the microscope to determine what kind(s) of infection may be present and to figure out what medication is appropriate for treatment. Good luck!