Why is my older dog's skin flaky, scabby, and her paws itchy?

Question

I have a 13 year old American Staffordshire Terrier; recently noticed flaky skin and scab the come off with hair. No bald spot but lots of scabbing/crusty area. licks paws constantly but do not appear irritated--thought she just getting neurotic. thanks! Pet's info: Dog | American Staffordshire Terrier | Female | spayed | 13 years and 4 months old | 80 lbs

Lauren Jones VMD · Accepted Answer

There are many possible causes of scaling skin and crusts, including skin infections from allergies (flea, food or environmental) and even some endocrine/metabolic conditions (hypothyroidism or Cushing's disease). If Xara is licking her paws excessively, this is a sign of itchiness. Since none of the lesions appear irritated, consider bathing her with a gentle dog oatmeal based shampoo and closely examine her for signs of fleas or flea dirt, which resembles a fleck of pepper. Make sure she is on a high quality flea preventative once a month (Nexgard, Bravecto, Advantix, Comfortis/Trifexis). Consider changing her diet to one with a different protein source, but do so gradually over 5-7 days. Diet changes can take 2-3 months to achieve efficacy. Obviously if her skin begins to look worse or does not improve with these measures, take her to her vet for an exam.

Why is my older dog's skin flaky, scabby, and her paws itchy?

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