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My dog has dry, flaky skin, paws, and ears. Is it dandruff?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | American Pit Bull Terrier | Male | unneutered | 1 year and 6 months old | 70 lbs

My dogs skin is always flaky I don't know if it's dandruff or he has dry skin , his paws are also dry and the ends of his ears

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on May 13th, 2017

Hello. Sorry to hear that Rugrat is having this issue. Dry skin can be the result of many different things. Usually it is a symptom of something underlying and not a primary disease. It could be related to his diet, an allergy, a problem with his immune system, a skin parasite, or any number of other things. It would be best to take him to a vet for an exam so they can try to find the underlying cause. It's not normal for a dog his age to have such flaky skin. In the meantime you can get him a special shampoo to help with the dandruff like this one: http://www.naturalpets.com/dbepeplsh8.html?gclid=CMmp7-rh7tMCFYl3fgodZywDjg Lather the shampoo, let it sit on his skin for 5-10 minutes and then rinse well. The shampoo needs the contact time with the skin to work so be sure to leave it on at least 5 minutes. Wash him 2-3 times a week to start then go down to 1-2 times a week until it seems under control. This may help but it will not fix the underlying cause. He still should see a vet for an exam. I hope this helps. Best wishes! Dr. Amber

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Other Answers

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    Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Dry flaky skin can be due to a skin disease such as an allergy or a mite infestation, it could also be due to low quality nutrition for example. i would recommend to start by changing the food to a high quality dry food such as Accana or Evolve and see if it makes any difference, if it doesn't- take him to the vet in order to get it checked.

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