My Yorkie has a small scab on his belly. When should I see a vet?

The most common cause of scabs like this with red skin underneath is a bacterial skin infection called pyoderma - this can occur on its own, or due to an underlying skin problem like allergies or mange. If the scabs are confined to a single small area and don't seem to be bothering Luigi, you can try applying a topical antibiotic spray to the area for the next few days to see if the problem resolves. If there is no improvement after 2-3 days, or if the scabs become painful or itchy or seem to be spreading, I would recommend having Luigi examined by a vet since he may need prescription antibiotics or other medication to treat the infection.

I am so sorry to hear that Jacob is having trouble with his skin. Though it is difficult to know the initial cause it now looks from the pictures you have provided that Jacob has a case of moist dermatitis or "hot spot". Hot spots can be very difficult to heal, and take a long time. These spots are often started by something else, for a console fleas, skin allergies, mites, and as Jacob bites and scratches at the sea he causes tissue damage and introduces infection. The keys to a successful healing process are; Treating the underlying cause- for example fleas clipped area around the sore Cleaning the sore with a vet prescribed antiseptic Leaving the sore open to dry out (as the moisture promotes bacterial growth) Antibacterial/ hydrocortisone spray prescribed from the vet for healing An e-collar to prevent Jacob from scratching or biting at the hot spot and making it worse Measure the hot spot with a ruler, and compare in a few days time to make sure that it is reducing in size. If you feel like Jacob is not healing well, I would suggest a trip to the vet, for the above prescription medications. Oral antibiotics and/ or a steroid injection may help to jumpstart the healing process. I know hot spots can be very frustrating for you as a pet parent and for Jacob. I sincerely hope it starts to heal soon. Warmest regards to you both.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It looks like skin inflammation and potentially deep skin infection. Most likely Pixie will need a course of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory agents to fully recover. Please, make sure she is not licking or scratching the area as by doing that she will likely make things worse.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This could be due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). 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!

It is really hard to tell from a photo alone what is going on in the skin, however it is evident that something is causing inflammation of the skin. Dermatitis can be caused by many things including infection, irtitants, parasites, allergies or metabolic conditions. With you being away stress may have had a role in this. Ask your friend if they have given any new foods or used new shampoo? I would advise you to get to a vet for a skin exam in the next day or 2 as it is best to nip this sort of thing in the bud before it spreads.

This looks like a possible allergic reaction, it's the most common dermatological problem in that area of the body, it this doesn't get any better within a few days i would recommend having it checked by your vet.

Thank you for posting the pictures of Cabot, it is really helpful. Those lesions look suspicious for a bacterial infection, pyoderma. However, other possible causes would be fungal infection or immune mediated issues. I do think it would be a good idea to have him seen by your veterinarian in the next few days, but unless it starts looking a lot worse or he starts acting sick then I don’t think it is an emergency. They may recommend oral antibiotics and/ or medicated shampoo. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.