My dog has dandruff, shedding, and ear wounds. Is it flea allergies?

Question

I took in Dixie and her sister since Thursday. I was told that the man said she had “flea allergies". Her coat is overall healthy but it does look like she has dandruff and they are shedding alot. I brush them good before I give them a bath. There are wounds on both ears . I put hydrogeine peroxide yesterday and this morning on both ears. I also spray them with a homemade apple cider vinegar spray. Can you please look at her bio pics and diagnosis what it is!! Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Female | unspayed | 60 lbs

Lauren Jones VMD · Accepted Answer

Ouch! Dixie's skin certainly looks uncomfortable. Some dogs are allergic to fleas, whereby just a bite or two can make them extremely itchy, which can lead to skin infections and irritation. The most commonly affected skin sites are around the head/neck and tail base/back of the hind legs. The thickened appearance of Daisy's skin is likely due to chronic skin irritation and inflammation. Other possible causes of these skin changes include allergies to food or the environment, ringworm, mange or endocrine diseases (such as hypothyroidism). The excessive shedding that you have noticed from both dogs could be a normal seasonal occurrence or due the stress of moving to a new home. At this point, Dixie should be examined by a vet to establish the cause of these issues so that they can be treated with any necessary medications (such as antibiotics, antifungals, medicated shampoo, etc.). The vet will need to perform skin scrapings to look for mites microscopically and will need to perform a Wood's lamp and possible fungal culture to rule out ringworm. Ringworm and sarcoptic mange (scabies) can be transmitted to other animals and humans, so these possibilities should be ruled out with diagnostic tests. In the meantime, discontinue the use of hydrogen peroxide and apple cider vinegar. Both of these can cause additional irritation and the hydrogen peroxide in particular can delay healing of the skin. Assure that both dogs receive a high quality flea preventative (such as Nexgard, Bravecto or Advantix) regularly. I hope that all goes well!

My dog has dandruff, shedding, and ear wounds. Is it flea allergies?

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