Why does my 6-month German Shepherd puppy have itchy skin marks?

Thank you for being such a good owner to Hachi. I really appreciate that you sent a picture as well. This looks like a picture of a pustule; like a zit. There are so many reasons that can cause pustules or itchy skin on a five month old German Shepherd. some of the most common reasons are: flea allergy dermatitis, bacterial dermatitis, external parasites like scabies, food allergies, and contact dermatitis from something they lay on and may be allergic to. One of the most common diseases that occurs on the underside of the belly is called puppy pyoderma and does need antibiotics to treat effectively. First, you can apply A topical antibacterial medication to this wound until you can be seen by your veterinarian. Second, before applying the ornament, I would bathe your dog thoroughly in her regular shampoo. Third, she needs to be on a monthly prescription flea preventative every month of the year. The best advice to get this pustule treated correctly is to be seen by a veterinarian and have a complete dermatologic examination performed. The vet and they want to do a skin scraping or skin culture so that they can begin a proper course of medications to take care of the itch and the possible infection. I appreciate you using our service. Have a great day

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.

It looks like Sam may have a bit of a skin infection. The itchiness may be from allergies, mites or some type of irritation. I would recommend bringing Sam to a veterinarian to have them fully evaluate his skin. He may need an antibiotic, shampoo and antihistamines to help. I hope Sam feels better soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I'm sorry to hear Wall-e is so itchy. Skin issues can be incredibly uncomfortable for dogs! Without looking at his skin it is difficult to tell what the underling cause is and what needs to be done next. He may have a "hot spot" or superficial moist dermatitis, which is a bacterial infection. These can be triggered by just about anything and can develop very quickly and be very itchy. Dogs can also develop seasonal, environmental, or even food allergies that can manifest as skin infections or rashes. Fleas can also cause very red itchy skin, so I would make sure that Wall-e is on good flea control. I would recommend you take Wall-e in to your vet to have his skin evaluated. He may need antibiotics and potentially anti-itch medication. Often we will add in medicated shampoos as well to help make the dog more comfortable as well and resolve the issue. Good luck!

It would be uncommon for Zeus to have allergies at this age but German Shepherds are definitely predisposed to allergies. Make sure he's on flea prevention even if your vet didn't see any. I would also be concerned about mites such as demodex or sarcoptes as those can make them very itchy. Your vet can check the skin for those and recommend appropriate treatment.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This could be due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask 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 to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

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!