Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

My dog has a weird mark on his skin. Is it a bite? Should I see a vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua | Male | neutered | 5 years and 11 months old | 20 lbs

What is this? Did my dog get bit? If so by what and how should I treat it?

This question includes photos that may contain sensitive content. Click to view.

View more to consider that the photos may include sensitive content.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on May 22nd, 2018

That looks like a skin lesion to me, which could be from a tick bite. It could also be a ringworm lesion. Without seeing Dozer in person, I can't say for certain what is causing this mark. I recommend giving his vet a call today to make an appointment for him. The vet can diagnose what is causing the mark, and can prescribe a treatment for it. Best of luck.

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
What does this look like came home in just saw this on my dog
The pictures are not very good quality and I can't tell if this is a flat, hairless lesion or if it is swollen. Dogs can get many types of skin lesions, from hot spots to cancerous growths. If it just appeared all of a sudden, I recommend to get Dozer examined by the veterinarian. It's always best to play it safe. Make sure to protect the area from any licking or scratching. He may need to wear an elizabethan collar. Best of luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
New Pet
Our adopted 6 month dog, Boondi, has these marks on her body that most certainly are bite marks from her childhood. We were told by a vet to apply a skin lotion regularly which we did, but they are not going away. Is there anything we can do to make
I am suspicious that this could be a lesion caused by either demodex mite or ringworm. I would highly encourage you to have a follow up appointment with your veterinarian. A skin scrape can be done to look for mites, they may consider a trial anti mite therapy in addition to an a topical anti fungal medication. If it still won’t heal then my next step would be a skin biopsy for more information on what the underlying problem is. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi, I think my dog might have Lyme disease. He has a target shaped mark near his genitals. His regular vet doesn’t open until tomorrow. Should I take him to an emergency vet? I don’t know for sure how long it’s been there, but I know it’s been less t
Hello and thank you for your question. From the pictiures and your description of the lesion, I am more concerned for ringworm. Ringworm is a skin parasite that is transferable between animals and people and usually manifests as a distinct ‘target’ or ‘bullseye’ skin lesion. To address your concern for Lyme disease (a tick borne blood disease), in dogs, the signs typically include lethargy and lameness. There may be an associated skin lesion due to a tick bite, however that lesion with out the tick usually goes undetected. Lyme disease can easily be detected by a simple blood test preformed by your veterinarian. While not an emergency, Lewis should definitely see his veterinarian as soon as possible for diagnostics and treatment. Until Lewis can be seen by his veterinarian, I strongly advise that you or anyone else in the house hold not touch the lesion and continue to exercise proper hygiene. If you or anyone in the household has a similar lesion, they should be seen by their
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I found this spot on Winston tonight. Curious if it's a tick or ringworm or black fly bites? And what should I do?
It’s hard to say from the photo. That could be an area where a tick bit Winston. It could also be some sort of puncture wound, spider bite or potentially a ringworm lesion. From the photo, the area looks swollen. Because of this I recommend to have him examined by the veterinarian with in the next 24 hours. A swollen tick bite or puncture wound could indicate the onset of an infection. There could also be a tick head or foreign object trapped in the skin. Ringworm generally does not swell but a deeper infection could. Make sure Winston does not lick the area and have him wear an Elizabethan collar. I hope this helps and best of luck. Please feel free to post any additional questions.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Is this a tic bite, and do I need to take my dog to the vet immediately?
This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). It does not specifically look like a tic bite. 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/scratching. 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.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I found a tiny spot on my dogs neck sorta, I've looked up ticks and bites and stuff but it just looks like a sore red spot and he doesn't seem in pain when I touch it. I'm going to book a vet appointment cause I worry a lot, but any ideas on if it lo
Hello, thank you for your question about Buddy. Based on the photos that you have attached I think that it is very possible that this lesion could be a bug/spider bite. It is also possible that Buddy was exposed to something irritating to his skin. If he is not bothered at the area and it does not seem very painful I would recommend continuing to monitor him. If the lesion progresses or he develops any additional symptoms I would have Buddy evaluated by your veterinarian. Hope this helps, good luck!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog has a hole. It’s not deep and it’s not infected. It happened Thursday April 1st. How can I attach a picture??
Thank you for sending the pictures! From what I can see, it looks like this lesion is only affecting the outermost skin layers, with the underlying tissue layers remaining intact. It's certainly possible that this lesion is from a traumatic injury, like the rubber bullet you'd mentioned, but it's equally possible that this is an infectious condition, like mange or ringworm. Since there is a good bit of skin damage that's bloody, it stands to reason that this type of lesion could become infected rather quickly, particularly if Crimson is licking at it at all. Even though we're now several days past the initial injury, I still recommend taking Crimson to her vet for an in person exam to thoroughly assess this lesion. Your vet may need to do some diagnostic testing to rule out infectious issues. Depending on their exam findings, your vet may need to prescribe oral antibiotics and/or anti-inflammatory medications to aid in the healing process. Until your vet visit, be sure to prevent Crims
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
What is this strange rash!? Just noticed today!
Most often when we see a lesion like this on the skin it is the result of an insect bite, in particular a biting fly such as a black fly. If your dog is acting normally then I would just monitor the area. If the lesion grows in size, becomes raised or oozes a discharge, or your dog develops many more lesions, becomes lethargic or very itchy a vet exam is recommended.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Training & Behavior
Hello. Today we noticed something weird on our Outdoor Dog. He has this round weird looking spot on his front leg. We took him inside and paid close attention to him for a while and it didn't seem to bother him at all. He didn't try to lick it, bite
Hello there. Thank you for using Boop by Petco and thank you for including photos. My best guess is that this is ringworm. It does not look like a bite. I suggest you get Molekin' to your vet for an exam and to get a proper diagnosis for two reasons. Number one, ringworm is contagious to people and number two, an adult dog that gets ringworm usually has an underlying problem with their immune system. An adult dog should not get it. This is much more common in puppies. Remember, it is impossible for me to diagnose over the internet with just a photo. I am just giving my best guess. Many skin diseases look similar to the naked eye so that is why testing is important. Here is a link to an article about ringworm: ( https://www.petcoach.co/article/ringworm-in-dogs/ ) If you wanted to try something at home first you can buy over the counter athletes foot cream which is an antifungal and apply that twice daily. It may take 2+ months for it to clear completely up but you should
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog is a chiweenie and he has small red small spots with a center bite looking spot all over his body. If there’s anyway I can find out what’s going on let me know!
Poor Dewey! I'm so sorry to hear of his skin troubles. Dewey could be dealing with a number of potential problems. It is difficult to tell from your photo, but it is possible that Dewey is having a reaction to some sort of biting fly or similar. You could try an over the counter topical parasite preventative that targets biting flying insects and see if this helps. The lesions may have become infected, contributing to the scabbed appearance. Patchy hairloss and lesions like this can also indicate a problem called demodex-caused by tiny mites that live in the skin. These tiny bugs can only be treated with certain medications, and can cause ongoing skin problems if not addressed. I would recommend having Dewey checked over by your regular veterinarian-they will perform a thorough physical examination, and may recommend some skin tests such as a skin scrape, which can give better insight into the cause of Deweys problem. Your vet will then prescribe medications as appropriate-he may be
Updated on September 24th, 2025

Related Searches

Dog Supplies Dog Food Dog Toys Dog Health & Wellness Topical Flea & Tick Treatment for Dogs Flea & Tick Solutions for Dogs Dog Medicine and Prescriptions Prescription Flea & Tick Medicine for Dogs Prescription Shampoo for Dogs Antifungal Medication for Dogs Vet's Best Topical Flea & Tick Treatment for Dogs Dermalone Dog Medicine and Prescriptions Vet's Best Flea & Tick Solutions for Dogs Wondercide Topical Flea & Tick Treatment for Dogs DOG by Dr Lisa Zymox Dog Allergy Medicine & Itch Relief Dermalone Antifungal Medication for Dogs Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Flea & Tick Solutions for Dogs Vetality Topical Flea & Tick Treatment for Dogs Vet's Best Flea & Tick Treatment Sprays for Dogs
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored