What causes my old dog's recurring oily, black, crusty skin scabs?

That appears to be a sebaceous adenoma - a benign skin growth. These are not concerning but can sometimes bleed or become infected. In that instance, it should be removed if it is causing constant issues.

This looks like it could be an adenoma, or benign growth originating from the glands in the skin. Sometimes adenomas can produce oils that collect at the surface and can be dark brown or black. There are many other skin masses that could look similar, and some might be more serious so I would recommend having your veterinarian take a look in person.

These areas do look like a type of skin infection. If Lily is having recurrent ones or they never seem to completely resolve, I think it is time to look for an underlying problem that could be contributing. In an older dog, the best place to start is actually with a blood panel. This panel should include a thyroid hormone level check . Hypothyroidism or under active thyroid is a very common cause for chronic skin problems. This blood panel can also screen for Cushing's Disease which is an adrenal gland disorder that can also cause chronic skin problems. If the bloodwork is all normal, ask your veterinarian about doing a skin biopsy. This cDNA be done with light sedation and will give the best information.

This is most likely a sebaceous cyst and the black stuff is lanolin. These will often reoccur after squeezing them, so it's not necessary to do this and you can make it more prone to infection by doing this. They can often be left alone and will regress on their own; or will need surgical removal in order to cure it. It's always best to have your vet examine it, because I cannot tell you for sure what this is and the best course of treatment without seeing it. Below is a link to more information about the suspected cyst. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/cysts I hope that helps and all is well with Snickers.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Judging from the photis, this appears to have a raised area in the center. This could be a sebaceous cyst that ruptured and is now secondarily infected or has an open wound on it that won't heal. I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at this and have some additional testing performed on it to determine what it could be. With more information on what this could be, the most appropriate treatment can then be started. If you are unable to get to your vet right now, I would recommend using an ointment called zymox topical ointment to apply to the area. If the ointment does not help aftwr 5-7 days or it worsens during that time, I would get kane to the vet for an exam. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

I would guess that these are sebaceous adenomas or benign skin growths that are common in older dogs. There are some other skin tumors that could look similar however and it would be best to have your veterinarian examine Linguine in person to be 100% sure.

They could be sebaceous adenomas that have ulcerated and become infected. These growths are typically benign and common in older dogs. If this is the case, they should be surgically removed. This may not prevent them from developing elsewhere.