Found a stray dog with skin holes and a protruding part. Is she okay?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding the stray puppy. If you plan to keep her, she will need to see a veterinarian today for skin testing. She may have mites, fleas, ringworm or another skin problem causing the scabs on her head. I would keep her in a completely separate area from your current dog as many causes of skin disease can be contagious. You will need to know if she has anything that will affect your other dog. I hope this information helps. She sure is cute!

This is suspicious of a bot infestation. This is a type of fly larva that lives under the skin and is very difficult to remove. You will need a veterinarian to surgically remove it and clean the wound, so I recommend scheduling a vet visit and let them know that you are suspicious of Cuterebra. They may want to schedule you for a drop-off appointment. Here is a link to more info about this condition: https://www.petful.com/pet-health/cuterebra-treatment/ I hope that helps and Paris gets better soon.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding the dog. Skin disease is frustrating as many conditions can appear similar. If the dog is very itchy, then I worry about fleas, mites or allergic skin disease causing the issue. If this is not the case, then a hormonal issue such as a thyroid or an adrenal gland disorder can cause the skin to look like your picture. Unfortunately, you will need to see a veterinarian to know for sure. Good luck!

This looks like mange but it could also be ringworm or a bacterial skin infection. If she is handleable I suggest you get her to a vet for an exam. There are many low cost clinics in your area including the Humane Society. It would be great if she could be spayed and vaccinated too even if you plan on just putting her back outside.

Hi there. From what I can see in the photo, it looks like your girl has a small draining hole just below and to one side of her rectum. Based on the location and overall appearance, I would be suspicious that this may be an abscessed anal sac - these are scent glands that dogs have on either side of their anus, that can sometimes become impacted or infected, and may abscess out through a hole in the skin that looks very similar to this. I would recommend taking your dog to the vet for an exam, to get a better idea of exactly what's going on. Your veterinarian can do a rectal exam to check her anal glands, and if this is the issue, she will likely need prescription medication (antibiotics +/- an anti-inflammatory such as an NSAID or steroid) to effectively treat the infection. If this continues to be a recurring problem, the gland may even need to be surgically removed.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Willow. Poor little girl, how lovely of you to pick her up from the side of the road. I wonder if that's a foreign body of some sort, like a pricker, but I can't be sure without seeing her in person. It doesn't look like a piece of bone. Do not try to pull it out, have her seen by a vet asap to get it checked out. I hope this helps!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is impossible to tell from the picture how this happened, or how deep it is, but what can be determined is that it is a severely infected wound. Possible causes are penetrating traumas (sticks, bites, etc.), some parasites/worms can cause wounds like this, and some tumors can present in abnormal ways, however that is less likely. I strongly recommend that you have Star seen by a vet as soon as possible, as the wound appears deep and is definitely infected. It needs to be cleaned up, explored, and medications provided. Best of luck with Star, I hope she feels better soon!