Treating Dog Skin Scabs on Chin

by Heather
(Highland Lakes NJ)

My 5 year old female Jack Russell Terrier recent has scabs or maybe growths on her chin and behind her ears. She seems so young to have growths and I didn't know if Jack Russell Terriers were prone to them or if anyone else knew what it is.

Vet Suggestion for Treating Dog Skin Scabs and Growths on Chin


Hello Heather,

Diagnosing what is going on with your Jack Russell’s skin will require a physical examination and possibly some diagnostic tests. If the problem isn't immediately apparent after the exam, a skin scraping to look for mange mites, skin cytology to rule out infection, and a fungal culture for ringworm would be reasonable next steps.

If these tests don’t reveal the answer, a dietary trial to rule out food allergies, skin testing for environmental allergies, lab work to assess her overall health, or even a skin biopsy might be necessary to get to the bottom of the problem.

As you can probably tell from my answer, diagnosing skin problems in dogs is not always a quick or easy process.



Best of luck,

Jennifer Coates, DVM