Why is my white dog licking his bum, losing hair, and discolored?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From the photos, the discoloration looks like it is caused by salivary enzymes from chronic licking. This can be due to an underlying skin infection or environmental/food allergies. Your vet can rule out these conditions with some skin samples and possibly a food trial. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! That color indicates saliva staining so she has been chewing at it. This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. Other possibilities such as mange need to also be considered and a physical examination and basic diagnostics should help sort that out. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Poor Zyyz! His itching can be caused by impacted anal glands (small structures on either side of the anus that make mucus to lubricate the stool), an obstruction, or a food allergy. In my experience, issues with the anal glands are relatively common, especially in dogs who have softer than normal stool. Your vet will be able to express these glands carefully or determine if there is any other cause. You should definitely have him seen by a vet as soon as you can, as this is pretty uncomfortable. In the meantime, I recommend using an E-colla (or “cone”) to prevent your dog from reaching the area and causing further damage. i hope this helps and that Zyzz feels better soon!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on the pictures you provided, it would appear as though Lily may have a skin infection. I would recommend the following products to see if this helps. If there is no improvement, Lily may also need oral antibiotics. These products can be found online quite easily. 1. Douxo PS Chlorhexidine shampoo 2. Miconhahex + Triz spray 3. Essential 6 spot on

Hello. This looks like the typical skin changes seen with many of the allergies pets can suffer from. Unless the underlying allergies are dealt with, it is difficult to totally clear up the skin. You can start with a mild shampoo, either containing Pramoxine or 1% hydrocortisone ( available online & at pet retailers ). Use cool water & bath her twice a week. Adding a good quality fish oil supplement may help ( approx. 1000 mg twice a day ). Since your pet is an older girl, it would be very helpful to do some bloodwork to identify any underlying issues, including a low thyroid, that may be contributing to her skin problems. Hopefully, you can find her some relief soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. What you are describing could be secondary to a bacterial / yeast infection or allergies. I would recommend using the below products to see if the black discoloration resolves. If the discoloration is still present and Duke continues to lick the area or it worsens, I would recommend discussing allergy medication options with your veterinarian such as Apoquel and Cytopoint. A veterinary dermatologist may also prove to be helpful in figuring out what the main problem is. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. 1. Douxo PS Chlorhexidine combination shampoo and bathe twice weekly until resolved 2. Malacetic conditioning spray and apply to the area twice daily until resolved 3. Welactin omega 3 fish oil capsules 4. Essential 6 spot on by Dermoscent All of these products can be found online quite easily.