Q: "My dog has red, irritated skin under his nostrils and started getting scabs under his mouth in the winter, and I'm not sure why.

A dog owner has been banned from keeping animals after his pet was left with fur loss, crusty skin and scabs when he did not provide treatment prescribed by a vet.

Many causes of sores and scabs on the scalp are not transmissible. While medications and lifestyle remedies may help manage symptoms of skin conditions, they cannot prevent them entirely.

THEO: MY CAT HAS SCABS ON HIS SKIN. WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS? >> ALLERGIES. THEO: IS BEING EXPOSED TO THE SUN ALL DAY DANGEROUS TO MY PETS ? >> THE ANSWER IS YES.

New skin growth can also cause itchiness. As collagen cells expand and new skin begins to grow on the wound, it results in a scab. When a scab is dry and crusty, it stimulates an itchy sensation.

Ringworm is caused by a protein-eating fungus that typically grows in the dead cells of skin and hair on dogs, and usually stops at living cells or inflamed tissue.

Your skin is healing its wound under the protection of the crusty scab. Scabs usually heal on their own. But a scab can become infected if bacteria get under the scab and into the wound.

When bacteria get beneath a scab, the wound can become infected. Learn about how to tell if a wound is infected, what to do, and when to contact a doctor here.