Scabies?!? Help with identifying skin condition!

A few days ago I noticed some redness on the right side of Baxter's nose. It looked as if there wasn't much fur in the area. It looked redder than what typical dog skins looked like. Similarly, his upper body particularly the breastbone area looked more bright pink than his lower body and backside. I took him to Banfield because he's on their Wellness plan and the vet said the coloration seemed to correspond to his white fur and not to worry.

The nurse and him both commented on the redness around his nose, and they mentioned mage but only if he was scratching like crazy. Baxter hasn't been lethargic and acts like his normal, happy, usual self. There hasn't been changes in his appetite or increased itching/scratching.

I looked at some pictures taken in May and comparisons showed that he's lost fur around the nasal area and it is indeed significantly redder. Has anyone had similar experiences?

Ps. I've attached pictures.

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Permalink Reply by steve smith on July 22, 2011 at 7:45pm

He sure is a handsome boy. Dont know what he got into but keep us updated. What is the wellness plan?

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Permalink Reply by Baxter on July 23, 2011 at 12:44pm

Thanks. The Wellness Plan is a Banfield sponsored health program and is something I got when he was just a puppy. You're under contract for a year, and it includes unlimited vet visits, some basic medical testing, neutering up to about 6 months of age, and vaccinations. There are several plans to choose from. For Baxter's plan, we got the basic for around $20/month. Although, I'm planning on discontinuing it after our contract is up. I haven't really been too impressed with the vets that have seen him.

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Permalink Reply by Sam, Gregg & Poopdeck on July 24, 2011 at 10:43am

I would say request a skin scrape. You have this wellness plan; why not!

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Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on July 22, 2011 at 11:19pm

Been out in the sun lately?

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Permalink Reply by Baxter on July 23, 2011 at 12:47pm

He typically stays indoors during the day because it's scorching hot in our area. When he is in the backyard, he tends to stay in the shade while playing.

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Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on July 23, 2011 at 2:22am

its likely not mange if he's not itching. Scabies and Demodex both cause lots and lots of itching. It could be allergies or a simple bacterial infection. The only way to know for sure would be for the vet to do a skin scrape and look at it under the microscope to see if he/she sees any mites, yeast, or bacteria.

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Permalink Reply by Baxter on July 23, 2011 at 12:50pm

The nurse had mentioned a skin scrape when I took him in, but he said it would only be necessary if he was severely scratching himself. I'm thinking of making an appointment to get a skin scrape examination just to be on the safe side. Are bacterial infections painful to touch? That area of redness doesn't appear to be tender when I examined it.

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Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on July 24, 2011 at 12:20am

no its not painful. A skin scrape should be a standard procedure if there is a skin problem and hair loss. You can find mites, bacteria, yeast, etc in a simple skin scrape. It doesn't necessarily need to be done only if severe itching is present because a bacterial or yeast infection doesn't have to be REALLY itchy or painful. If he is on the older side it may be a thyroid issue causing the hair loss as well. If the white just looks pinker under the fur, its likely normal or just due to sun. Also many times a dog's coat color also mimics the skin underneath so under black fur you would have darker/black skin where under white fur the skin will be pink/white. So if there is no hair loss anywhere but the nose it probably isn't worth doing a skin scrape.