Why is my dog constantly itching, losing hair, and smelling bad?

Question

Our 8 yr old Yorkie began itching and scratching in Spring of '17. Vet said allergies and to give benedryl. 2 months ago we took her to vet with loss of hair on legs, belly, neck and thinning all over. She told us to stay with one protein in food and no treats, which we did. (Pure Balance with Salmon and Peas.). No difference. She gave us Apoquel for her itching. That helps but if we don't give the pill she itches like crazy. We give her a bath but after 1 day she really stinks. HELP! Pet's info: Dog | Yorkshire Terrier | Female | spayed | 8 years and 4 months old | 11 lbs

Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH · Accepted Answer

I am so sorry that you are having this problem with Gracie. I certainly understand how frustrating it is to watch her be so itchy. I have a few suggestions for you. There are a number of reasons for skin problems in dogs. This article does an excellent job of describing them. You could be dealing with allergies (of various types), external parasites (such as fleas or mites), or secondary infections (bacterial or yeast). https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-is-my-dog-so-itchy/ This is also an excellent article on itching in dogs and the possible causes and treatments. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2604 Since Gracie has a strong smell to her if she isn't bathed regularly, you might be dealing with a yeast or Malassezia infection. I have attached more information on that below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=466 Malassezia can be very itchy and often requires a medicated antifungal shampoo or even oral antifungal medications to resolve. So, be sure to have your vet do a skin cytology to check for Malassezia. Another option would be to consult a dermatologist. Allergies can be very frustrating to control and working with a specialist can often make this easier. You can find a dermatologist near you here. http://www.acvd.org/tools/locator/locator.asp?ids=16_Find_Dermatologist Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Why is my dog constantly itching, losing hair, and smelling bad?

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