What could be causing small scabs on my shih tzu's head ans side?

Answer by  icrane (61)

Scabies or sarcoptic mange. Scabs show up at point of hock, neck and back if it's severe. If he's scratching and you don't see fleas, likely mange.

Answer by  champaign9497 (11977)

It could be that the fleas have laid their eggs on the dog and if thats the case you will need to take a flea comb and combe them all of then give the dog a bath with johnsons baby shampoo it will kill all live fleas then deflea.

Answer by  dogfancier (201)

Scabs can be caused by numerous things. You should take your dog to the vet to have them checked out. Skin infections, fleas, ticks, dry skin, etc. can cause scabbing. A medicated bath may help as well as flea and tick treatments. To be sure though, take your dog to the vet for medical advice.

Answer by  Bob53 (414)

The scabs could be from many things. Some options are fleas, fly bites, tics, warts, or even from him scratching himself.

Answer by  CarrotTail (89)

Shih-tzu's are known to suffer from allergies. If your dog is scratching a lot or rubbing itself on furniture or the carpet it can result in sores. I would bring your dog to a vet ASAP. Sore can get infected quickly and result in much larger vet bills.

Answer by  mannersandsuch (1796)

Self-mutilation, not saying that your dog is not just doing something that is natural to her, she is most likely experiencing skin irritation from flea's, allergens or a any other number of things. Take her by your vet if they get red, raised, hot or show other signs of infection.

Answer by  Anonymous

My shih tzu had the exact same thing. Ended up being her skins reaction to fleas. Even if there are just a few, their skin is super sensitive. Even when you treat the fleas, it takes a while to clear up. Mine has grown out of it!

Answer by  whoareyou (3483)

Consult your vet, as this could be caused by many things. Most scab-like rashes on dogs are caused by a simple food allergy. Ensure that your pet eats food with ingredients for it specifically, and stay away from corn meal. Fish is a common allergen found in most foods.

Answer by  ofnik (409)

It could be one of a number of problems. This is should be looked at by a vet to diagnose the problem and treat it. Since it is already there for two weeks and is not improving it might be a fungus, or other problems, which need to be examined by a vet.

Answer by  sinrez (63)

It could be a bacteria infection, in which you would need to visit your veterinarian for antibiotics, or it could be caused by allergies in which case a veterinarian could treat this with a cortisone injection, prednisone, or recommend an over the counter medication.

Answer by  salina (943)

This could be a number of things. One major factor is FLEAS. I would try a flea treatment first. See how he does. Another thing is that he/she might have some food allergy. What type of food you feed him/her maybe causing this. Also, check with your vet.