Why is my pit bull's skin black, crusty, itchy, and losing hair?

Question

My pit bull stomach is black and crusty, she scratches all the time has hair loss on her tail and has scabs on her rear end. Pet's info: Dog | Pit Bull Terrier | Female | 80 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor Shay-Shay! It looks like she has some pretty significant skin problems. The black, crusty appearance of the skin on her belly is called lichenification - it's caused by chronic itching over a long period of time. There are a number of things that could cause severe itching, hair loss, and scabs like this. Some common possibilities would include allergies, fleas, a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). Treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is, so it's important to get a diagnosis first in order to know how to help her. I would recommend taking her to the vet this week for an exam - he/she can do some simple skin tests to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate medication to treat it.

Why is my pit bull's skin black, crusty, itchy, and losing hair?

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