Why does my dog have sensitive, swollen, cracked skin with hair loss?

Yes. Especially with kittens, ringworm (which humans can get) and bacterial infections are common. It’s best to get a handle on this early. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

This could be due to a localized infection. One possibility (considering the recent illness) is a form of calicivirus that attacks the skin. This usually resolves on its own within 2-3 weeks, but may be complicated by secondary infections. This could also be due to a bacterial or fungal infection. It's best to take Miso to the vet (possibly the shelter vet), so they can try to identify the cause of this. For now, you can help by keeping the nose clean. You can do this by gently wiping with a cloth and warm water twice a day. You can then apply a triple antibiotic cream to the affected area after each wash. I hope that helps and Miso gets better soon.

Based on your description I would be suspicious of ringworm, which is a fungal infection that commonly affects young animals. If you can find a shampoo with ketoconazole that may be helpful, but she likely needs a prescription of an oral antifungal such as itraconazole. Please practice good hygiene after handling her as ringworm is contagious to people as well. Of course this is not a diagnosis, just an assumption based on your description. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon!

There is a good chance that both of your animals are suffering from ringworm or a similar skin condition. I recommend you take both to your veterinarian soon as this is contagious not only to other animals but also to people. Treatment for ringworm or other fungal diseases are antifungal shampoos and/or medication.

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!

This is very suspicious of ringworm (a fungal infection of the skin). This could also be due to a yeast or bacteria infection, but it's much more likely to be ringworm. . It's best to get it diagnosed by a veterinarian, because ringworm can spread to different parts of the body and can spread to other animals and people. Also, the more involved the infection, the longer it will take to clear. Ace will need prescription antifungal medication in order to clear this and will also need medicated baths. For now, I recommend separating Ace from your other animals and washing your hands anytime you touch him. Your veterinarian will be able to get you some more info at the time of exam. I hope that helps and Ace gets better soon.

Poor Moo!! It certainly sounds like Moo may have some flea issues. Some dogs are extremely sensitive to flea bites, and it only takes one or two to cause significant irritation and sometimes infection. I would recommend grooming her very well to remove any loose fur that she is trying to shed. You can use a for shampoo to help remove any fleas that are on her as well. However, to truely control a flea issue you need to use some sort of veterinary approved topical flea treatment. Oral monthly flea medications are not recommended in animals that have a flea bite sensitivity/allergy. You may also need to consider environmental treatment in your yard and house. Please have Moo checked over by your regular veterinarian. They can discuss what topical flea treatment they recommend and also if any other medications may be needed for itching or infection.