Why is my Australian Shepherd licking her red chest and losing hair?

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, I'm Dr. Johnson. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Bella! Based on your description I'm thinking Bella may have a hot spot (superficial skin infection) or either a yeast or bacterial skin infection. It likely would be uncomfortable when touched. Maybe posting a picture may make it more clear. But I think seeing your Veterinarian. If it is a hot spot or skin infection then they would like prescribe antibiotics, topical and maybe steroids. I wish you and Bella and the best!

Allergies are certainly suspected since Molly has been licking at her paws and chest. The most common underlying causes of allergies are related to fleas, food or the environment. When dogs lick or scratch excessively, they can cause skin infections to develop, which are also itchy and create a vicious cycle. The appearance of Molly's red and crusty skin lesions are suspicious for the presence of a skin infection, which require oral antibiotics for treatment. Make sure that she is receiving a high quality flea preventative (such as Nexgard, Bravecto or Advantix) regularly and take her to the vet for an exam. The vet will be able to prescribe any necessary medications (likely antibiotics and anti-itch medications) to help. You can also try giving her baths in a gentle oatmeal based dog shampoo. Until you can take her to the vet, put an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent further skin damage from licking. I hope that she is feeling better soon!

I'm sorry to hear Abby isn't comfortable. It sounds like she may be experiencing either a primary dermatologic condition or some type of ongoing allergic reaction. In terms of bathing her, I would want to know what type of shampoo you are using regularly. I might recommend the use of something very mild (Hilyte is pretty good) or something even medicated with an antifungal / antimicrobial component. If she is constantly licking and biting at her self, I would want to first check to make sure she doesn't have any fleas or flea dirt present on the body. Since it is so easy, it may just be prudent to go ahead and treat with a preventative if you already aren't doing this. Other common causes of allergies include foods, contact dermatitis, and environmental allergens. In order to control the itchiness, sometimes medical intervention is required. For this, either an antihistamine or an immunosuppresant / steroid is typically required. If a primary dermatologic condition is at work, antibiotics could be required among other drugs. I would have Abby examined by a vet and perhaps have some diagnostics obtained. This might include scrapings, cultures, and even biopsies. Hope this is helpful.

This is most likely not mange. These are called papules. It looks like a mild skin infection is starting. Is she licking at it? If she is then I recommend putting an elizabethan collar on her so she cannot lick at it. I would recommend not letting Coco lick at it. By Coco licking at it she can actually make it worse. I would recommend a visit to the veterinarian if these lesions get worse or they do not resolve. Your veterinarian may give oral antibiotics or a medicated shampoo to help resolve this. If you notice her drinking or urinating more then I recommend a visit to the veterinarian now. Sometimes if female dogs have a urinary tract infection they can lick that area and it can create a skin infection also. So if you see symptoms of a urinary tract infection then I would recommend bringing a sample to your veterinarian to test. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It looks like Roxy has a small area of a skin infection. I recommend bringing her to a veterinarian. Here they can dispense antibiotics and potentially medication to help her stop licking or scratching (if she is). I hope Roxy feels better soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

It looks as if your dog has a skin infection, most commonly caused by an allergy, a skin mite (Demodex) or fleas. 

The allergy could be a due to a protein in your dog’s food or an environmental allergy like to dust, pollens, grasses, etc. 

The allergy causes your dog to itch and chew at the skin which breaks down the skin barrier. This then leads to infection. Skin infections are typically characterized by large areas of hair loss, redness, crusting, flaking, and pustules. A thorough skin examination by your veterinarian should be able to determine the cause of the itch so it can be treated appropriately. A skin scraping and skin cytology should be performed to rule out mites and to determine the type of infection present (bacterial vs fungal). Your dog will most likely need antibiotics/antifungals longterm to help clear up the infection and possibly an allergy/anti-itch medication like Apoquel, Atopica, or Cytopoint to give some relief while the infection clears up. A medicated shampoo will be beneficial as well. I would also recommend he be on a good flea control routinely too. Once the infection has resolved a long term allergy medication (like Apoquel or Cytopoint) can be given on a regular basis to prevent any future problems. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.