Is my dog's armpit hair loss and red skin a fungal infection?

Skin problems in dogs are usually related to allergies. They can get secondary bacterial and yeast infections. Unfortunately there is no way to know if Minnie has a yeast infection just by looking at the a picture. I would recommend taking her to a veterinarian where they can do a thorough exam and skin cytology. They place a slide against the irritated skin and then stain the slide and examine under a microscope. They can then give medication based on it is bacterial or yeast. If the primary areas are the armpits and the belly- I suspect that Minnie is allergic to something in the air which has caused a secondary infection. One thing to remember with allergies is that there is not one magic treatment . Do not get frustrated when the first treatment doesn't' work, each dog is different. Allergies can be controlled, but not cured. Thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Thanks for sending along the pictures- the areas there do look very red and do appear infected to me. Allergies, bacterial, fungal, or mite infections can all be possible causes. You can try the medicated shampoo again to see if it helps this time around. If it doesn't help much or if it worsens, I would recommend Oscar see his veterinarian for an exam and further evaluation. He may need antibiotics or other medications as needed.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. What you are seeing appears to be a rash that could be secondary to chafing. In a young active dog chafing can be common from high activity due to the friction leading to the redness and inflammation that you are seeing currently. I typically recommend using a spray such as malacetic conditioning spray and apply to the area until resolved. This spray will have a steroid in it to reduce inflammation and redness. It also has an antibacterial component to it so that if there is a secondary bacterial infection in this area it will help treat that. To help prevent future episodes, I typically recommend applying a greasy ointment in the armpit area such as Biobalm. This is a product that you can find online quite easily. I hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me with any other questions or concerns that you may have.

It could be local infection, bacterial or fungal. Ideally, she should be examined by your veterinarian to diagnose and treat any infection. Keep the area clean and dry. Use a protective shirt to prevent excessive scratching.

This could very well be a fungal infection or a bacterial infection. Fungal infections start out as a round hairless lesion, that gets bigger in diameter and starts to eventually grow hair from the middle out, there can be several of those lesions confluencing, Fungal infections are contagious to people. Both a fungal and a bacterial infection need to be treated, There are antifungal/antibacterial shampoos and also oral medications which would need to be prescribed by a vet, I suggest you take Dymond in for an exam and treatment according to the diagnosis,

Shelby likely has skin allergies. This is more prominent in the armpits and groin areas. The black color and smell indicates that there has been long- standing inflammation and infection. It's also possible that she could have mange, which is caused by a microscopic mite that burrows under the skin. This will make them very itchy and spreads throughout the whole body. It's best to have her evaluated by a veterinarian, so they can determine the cause and provide the appropriate treatment. For now, give Shelby a bath with a medicated dog shampoo to treat the infection (a common secondary problem). Use cool water in the bath and get a dog conditioner with aloe. This will provide some relief and can be repeated every three days. However, this will not be a substitute for veterinary treatment, because the underlying problem needs to be discovered and treated before the problem will be resolved.

Poor Star! I can see that she has a large amount of redness and hair loss on her shoulder and thigh in the photo. Yeast infections, bacterial infections, mange, skin allergies, and even certain hormonal imbalances can cause these signs. Because of how severely affected the area seems to be, I definitely recommend having Star seen by a vet, as she likely requires prescription medications. I hope all is well!