What causes my dog's dry, flaky skin and red, crusty patches?

Question

Why does my dog have dry patches and flakey skin ? Pet's info: Dog | Yorkshire Terrier | Male | unneutered | 6 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor Oscar! Rounded, red crusty areas of skin like this are usually caused by a bacterial skin infection - this can occur on its own, or due to an underlying skin problem such as allergies or skin mites (mange). He will probably need prescription antibiotics to treat this problem effectively, so I would recommend having him examined by a vet when you are able to. In the meantime, you can try bathing him an a chlorhexidine-based dog shampoo, if you like. This should help to remove some of the crusty discharge and improve the redness a bit, which may make him a little more comfortable until you are able to see the vet.

What causes my dog's dry, flaky skin and red, crusty patches?

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