Bald spot on maltese.

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for sending a photo of this area on your Maltese:



This is definitely not a "normal" thing to see on a dog. Unfortunately though I can't say with certainty what it is.

If there really is fluid inside of this then it's possible that it is something called a seroma which is sort of like a large bruised area. However, it's hard to say why a seroma like this would have hair loss.

Usually when there is a large bald spot on a dog it means that the hair has been groomed or pulled off. If the red spot is irritating, it's possible that Pongo has chewed away the fur around it.

Is it at all possible that another dog has nipped at Pongo? I could see this as a possible explanation.

It is also possible that this is an insect or spider bite.

Ringworm, which is a fungal infection could possibly look like this but this is not the most likely explanation.

It's hard to advise you on what is best to do at this point. I think if it is not bothersome to Pongo it's ok to keep an eye on it for now. I would measure the size of it and watch to see if it is getting bigger. If so, then I think I would have a vet check it out. Or, if it seems like it is getting bothersome, then I would have it checked sooner.

Dr. Marie.


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

---

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.