Itching, red patches, hair loss, scabs and new lumps are signs your pet needs a skin exam, especially when the problem lasts more than a few days or keeps your pet up at night. Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Concord is a vet clinic in Concord, North Carolina, that diagnoses and treats skin conditions in dogs and cats, often with quick tests read under the microscope during the visit.
Call (980) 360-2922 or book online.
Skin tops the sick list here
Skin or growth concerns made up 20% of sick visits at Petfolk Concord from October 2025 to September 2026, more than any other group of reasons, and about 85% of the clinic's itchy-skin patients were dogs. Many skin problems look alike: red, flaky, itchy, smelly. The cause decides the treatment, so the Petfolk Concord vet looks for it before reaching for medicine.
What does the vet check during a skin exam?
The Petfolk Concord vet picks the tests your pet's skin calls for. Gentle Handling is standard at every Petfolk clinic, so sore skin is checked slowly and calmly.
Your answers. When did it start? Does it come back each year? What flea product do you use, and has the food or shampoo changed?
Where it sits. Itching near the tail points toward fleas. Paws, face, armpits and ears point toward allergies. A round bald patch may be ringworm, a fungus.
A flea comb. Dark specks that turn red on a damp paper towel are flea dirt.
A skin scraping. A blunt blade gently collects cells to look for mange mites.
Tape cytology. Clear tape pressed on the skin shows whether yeast or bacteria are overgrowing, which decides whether your pet needs an antifungal, an antibiotic, both or neither.
A fungal culture or needle sample, when needed. Hairs are cultured for ringworm, and a fine needle draws cells from a lump. Across Petfolk's Charlotte-area clinics, about 1 in 10 lump-or-bump visits (11%) included that needle test (same window).
Blood work for skin that keeps coming back. Hair loss on both sides or repeat infections can point to a hormone problem such as low thyroid.
You'll get an estimate before any test or treatment. The final bill can differ if the plan changes during the visit.
Hot spots, ticks and lick sores
These are the skin problems Petfolk Concord sees most:
Hot spots. Moist, red, sore patches that appear in hours, often on thick-coated dogs in hot, sticky weather.
Allergic itch. Seasonal or year-round, covered on the allergy testing and treatment page.
Tick bites and the infections that follow. NC State Extension notes the brown dog tick may be active year-round. In Cabarrus County, about 1 in 100 dogs tested in 2025 was positive for each of Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis (Companion Animal Parasite Council). Year-round flea and tick prevention is part of most skin plans.
Lick sores. Thick, raw spots, often on a front leg, from constant licking.
I have noticed his skin was getting a little bit worse. The team was amazing! They listened to my concerns, explained treatment plans and alternatives Ashley M., Google review
How should I get my pet ready for a skin appointment?
Skip baths for two days before the visit, because a fresh bath washes away the yeast, bacteria and mites the vet is looking for. Take photos of a flare at its worst, since skin can look calmer by visit day. Bring the food bag and a list of shampoos and supplements, and keep your pet from licking the spot with a cone or a soft T-shirt.
When is a skin problem an emergency?
Large raw or bleeding areas, a swollen face, or a pet that is weak and feverish with skin wounds needs a 24-hour emergency hospital. Petfolk Concord is open 8 AM to 6 PM, seven days a week, doesn't provide overnight care, and can often see a painful hot spot the same day.
Skin and coat care from Highland Creek to Concord
Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Concord is at 2425 Herrons Nest Pl NW, Suite 100, Concord, NC 28027. Call (980) 360-2922 or book online.
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Skin and coat questions
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