My dog has a red, dark, growing skin spot. Why is it worsening?

Hi ! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This does not look like a hotspot, it looks very dry, superficial and in the process of healing. Does Toby have a synthetic blanket where he lies on ? It could be contact dermatitis or an injury that was caused by play . The positive things are that it does not look infected and that it is not bothering Toby. I would say, if it is hot to touch, have it checked over if not you could give it another 2-3 days to see if it is continuing to improve on its own. I would not apply any home remedies, your vet will probably prescribe some ointment if you need to go and see it. Hope this helps !

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. From the pictures you have provided, I suspect this is a tumor of some type. If it is bothering Toby to the point where he is chewing / licking it raw, I would recommend bringing him to a veterinarian to have this examined so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. If this is bothering Toby though, I would recommend having this surgically removed, which you can discuss further with your vet.

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking (if any). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m sorry to hear Toby is having skin issues. Skin lesions like you are describing can have multiple causes, including an infection, skin parasites, allergies, or another underlying issue. As you are seeing discharge, he may need antibiotics. I would recommend he be evaluated by his regular veterinarian to determine the underlying cause for his skin lesions, have any necessary testing done, and start any treatment that he may need to resolve it. Good luck!

It's difficult to tell from your pictures what this is, but it does appear that it may be infected. Even if she can't reach it to lick or chew, if it is itchy or painful she may be scratching it with a foot or even rubbing on the ground or furniture to scratch it. I would recommend a vet visit to assess the spot and determine what it may be. If it is getting larger it could be a mass or growth, or infection/hotspot that requires antibiotics. The vet may clip away the hair from the lesion and possibly do a cytology to find out what type of cells or infection are present. From there appropriate treatment can be determined.

The region shown in the picture is consistent with a hotspot. Hot spots occur when an animal scratches or choose at an until damage is done to the skin. They can often progressbvery quickly and become quite severe if not treated. If the area is continuing to enlarge or if Garret seems uncomfortable I would recommend that you have him seen by your veterinarian. Your veterinarian may clip and clean the area and prescribe medications to help it heal. In the meantime I would recommend that you try to prevent Garret from scratching at the area. You can put a t-shirt on him to protect that area.

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach to address your concern! What you are describing sounds as though Toby may be dealing with a skin allergy. I would recommend bathing with a shampoo such as douxo PS calm shampoo and bathe twice weekly. I would also recommend using welactin omega 3 fish oil and essential 6 spot on. If this does not help, I would have Toby examined by a veterinarian for the most appropriate treatment recommendations. There are many other prescription options to help treat the symptoms for allergies. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I am also available via consultation if needed.