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My 3-week-old puppy has dry, patchy skin and fur loss. What to do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 15 days old

I have a 3 week old puppy and he has dry patchy skin. He is even losing some of his fur. Mom and the other 5 puppies are fine just that one puppy. What should I do??

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on May 11th, 2018

Hello. It is very difficult to see, but it LOOKS like the mother dog may have gotten a little rough with this puppy & caused a skin injury. I would pick up some antibacterial wash like Hibiclens ( available at all pharmacies ) & gently clean the area twice daily. Rinse & dry the area thoroughly. I would not put anything else on the puppy as Mom will just lick it off. As long as the pup seems to be eating well, then I would see how this goes for a few days. If the area continues to worsen, please have the puppy seen by your veterinarian. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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