My German Shepherd has black skin and recurring wounds. What's wrong?

There are a number of things that could cause excessive itching with hair loss and blackened skin. The most common possibilities would include allergies, fleas, a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). If she's also acting weak, I would be concerned that she may also have some type of systemic illness like liver or kidney disease, anemia, hypothyroidism, or Cushing's disease. It would be best to have her examined by a vet as soon as possible - he/she can do some simple skin tests as well as blood work or other testing if needed to help determine what's wrong and get her started on appropriate treatment.

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.

It sounds like Tyson likely has an underlying condition that is causing his body to react and thus you are not seeing improvement in the skin. The four main things that will cause persistent skin issues are flea allergy, environmental allergy, food allergy and hypothyroidism. I recommend to start ruling each one out. German Shepherds are notoriously sensitive dogs and you can’t know which one is causing it without checking each one out. I recommend to rule out fleas first with an oral flea prevention like Nexgard or Simparica. Even just a few fleas can cause a big problem. Then food would likely be next. I recommend a specific diet called Ultamino. Environmental allergies are more difficult to rule out and thyroid problems would be uncommon (but not impossible) in a dog Tyson’s age. If your veterinarian is not good with skin conditions, find one who is. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Marshal needs to have this area shaved and scrubbed. Depending on what it looks like after would depend on if just antibiotics are needed and maybe a biopsy if the medications have not worked in the past. I would recommend a visit to another veterinarian. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi and thanks for your post! It is hard to say exactly what the cause of Ben's skin lesions may be due to without examining Ben first, but some possibilities may include a fungal infection, bacterial infection, mites, a food or environmental allergy, or evidence of an underlying endocrine disorder such as Cushing's disease or a thyroid problem. Your veterinarian can diagnose these potential conditions with a fungal culture, skin scraping, and some blood work. I would recommend Ben visit another veterinarian or perhaps a board certified veterinary dermatologist soon to have the possibilities above ruled out and a definitive diagnosis made so he can get the most appropriate treatment. Best to you and Ben and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello. Willow may have a bit of dermatitis going on. I would recommend bathing her in a Benzoyl Peroxide based shampoo which you can find at most pet retailers & online. Follow the directions by making sure you leave the lather on for 10 minutes before rinsing. Repeat twice a week until the skin heals ( which may take several weeks of bathing ). If the skin does not seem to be healing, she may have allergies or require antibiotics, but a medicated shampoo often will clear up these minor issues. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Those spots on Ruby could be several things including skin mites, bacterial infection or ringworm (which humans can get). I recommend to have her examined and tested for these conditions. Especially with the concern for ringworm, it's best to get this figured out quickly. Protect the area from trauma by having your pup wear an elizabethan collar at all times. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.