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Why is my dog's coat bad with red, bald patches? How can I help her?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Hello I was wondering what would be the cause to this happening to my Dog she has had this over a little more than a month now, also what can I do to help her coat get better and help her.

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Answered By Jessica Desrosiers

Veterinary Technician

Published on April 10th, 2024

Ouch! That looks like a severe allergy, infection, or even parasite infection that is causing the large patches of redness and baldness. It's best to bring your pup into your vet for treatment and care since it's gotten to a serious enough point that treatments at home likely won't do too much. Your vet can take a sample of the affected area to test for issues such as mites/fleas, bacteria, yeast, etc, or start you on some allergy medications or a food trial to see if that helps. In the meantime, it's best to keep an Elizabethan (cone) collar or T-shirt on your pup to keep her from licking or scratching the area as licking can lead to worsening of infection. Checking for any parasites such as fleas and ticks and treating your pup and her environment may also help. It's also a good idea to keep the area clean and dry. Since there are so many causes of this, it's best to see your vet to help narrow down what's happening and get your pup on the right path.

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