My puppy is biting fur, not eating, and has white specks. Is he sick?

Hello. It is not uncommon for puppies to have minor skin infections due to their developing immune systems. Most just heal on their own, or often we may recommend a medicated shampoo. But if Sorullo has not eaten, is weak & skinny, there is something much more serious going on. He really needs to see a veterinarian at your earliest convenience. I hope he is feeling better soon & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

When you say he hasn’t eaten in 2 days I am not clear if you mean he hadn’t eaten in the days before you got him, or if he hasn’t eaten with you the last 2 days. Puppies want to eat. If he is being offered food but not eating then I would be very concerned and recommend that he be evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. The hairless spots on the skin can be multiple problems, but most common would be a mite called demodex. It is usually seen when the immune system is weak. If there are just a few spots often they will resolve as the puppy grows and gets stronger. But if there are many areas or large areas there is a treatment available. I am more concerned about the eating than the skin at this point. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Mochi! I am glad you will be bringing him to the Vet! I would worry about mites, either demodex or scabies, ring worm or a bad skin infection. If it is a skin infection the Vet will likely prescribe a medicated shampoo and antibiotics. If he has mites they will prescribe medications. As of now I would just wait for the exam, I would say bathe him but it would be ideal for the Vet to see his skin as is. Try to feed him some boiled chicken or watered down canned puppy food. Good luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Jaguar. Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach is meant to give you general veterinary advice. As veterinarians, we cannot diagnose or treat pets that we have not examined in person. So I am happy to guide you, but I cannot legally prescribe any medication for Jaguar. From your pictures, his skin does have the appearance of an infection. This can be due to an allergy to something in his diet (more likely if he has vomiting and diarrhea as well) or the environment. Mites can also cause this appearance as can a fungal infection known as ringworm. His veterinarian will need to examine him and may recommend skin testing. In the meantime, you can bathe him with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner such as an oatmeal or fatty acid based formula to soothe the skin. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely either due to mites or allergies. I highly recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to diagnose this so that therapy can be started. Best of luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely due to mange which is contagious. However, other skin conditions such as allergies cannot be ruled out. It is concerning that he is not eating. Loss of appetite can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Yoyo evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Hunny and your other dog. Fleas can be difficult to find but the easiest way is to get them to roll onto their backs and look in the thinner haired areas of the body. You can also purchase a flea comb which can trap flea dirt (small pieces of flea poop/digested blood) that looks like pepper or it traps adult fleas and other stages if present. Another method is brushing or petting the hair in the opposite direction of hair growth and look right down onto the skin level. Fleas like to hang out around the rear part of the dog near the tail and rump. Examine those areas closely. If you find some black pepper looking objects, place those on a paper towel and wet it. If the spots turn reddish than that is flea dirt. I haven't seen cases of lice in dogs but cats tend to have more lice especially ones that are wild or community cats. Dogs can also get ticks and mites which your veterinarian can help to identify. I would go to your vet and let them evaluate Hunny and make recommendations based on the physical exam. Flea/tick products vary widely depending on what the owner likes, geography, what your veterinarian likes, etc. They can direct you to the best products. Also, we are in a high allergy season in late summer with weed pollens. Dogs like people can be allergic but if both dogs are itching, they leads one to assume external parasites like you mentioned and I discussed. Good luck with Hunny.