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Why does my dog have dry, flaky skin on her back? What should I do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed

Why has my dog got dry and very flaky skin on her back?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on October 31st, 2016

Your dog could be suffering from a skin condition called seborrhea. If you happen to bathe your dog very often, the skin gets dry. Allergies are another cause. Also bacterial infection, parasite, allergic, or hormonal condition such as hypothyroidism can be the cause. Make sure you do regular flea control as flea bite allergy can be another reason. I suggest you take Lucky to your veterinarian for a skin exam. He may want to do a skin swab or biopsy and will likely prescribe a medicated shampoo as well as food supplement with Omega fatty acids as needed plus medication for the respective cause, if indicated.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on

    Some dogs do tend to have somewhat dry, flaky skin, just like people. If Lucky is a middle-aged or older dog, it's possible that she may have a thyroid problem or some other hormonal imbalance such as Cushing's disease causing the flaky skin - your vet can do a simple blood test to check for these problems if you think this might be a possibility in Lucky's case. If you feel that she is completely healthy otherwise, you can try bathing her in aloe and oatmeal shampoo once a month to help moisturize her skin. A daily omega-3 fatty acid supplement such as Welactin may also be helpful.

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