My dog has itchy skin, hair loss, and ear infections. What's wrong?

Question

red swollen third eyelids, frequent ear infections, itchy scabby skin, hair loss due to constant licking and biting. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 14 years and 2 months old | 152 lbs

Kevin Sanada, DVM · Accepted Answer

Poor Muzik! This sounds really bad, so I think the best thing to do is schedule an appointment with your vet to get this condition diagnosed, so they can give him some good medication to make him feel better. Itchy skin is often due to the following things: 1) Allergies - this can happen suddenly and is usually due to an environmental (i.e pollen) cause. 2) External parasites - fleas, lice and mites can all cause intense itching. It's good to check him for fleas and get treatment if needed. 3) Over-bathing, or using the wrong product for bathing - Bathing too often can cause the skin to get dry and irritated. Dogs should normally be bathed no more than once a month with a shampoo that is labeled for dogs. If you bathe more than that, or use a shampoo or soap that is meant for people, then you could be damaging the normal protective barrier of the skin. One thing you can do for itchy skin, is give a bath with cool water using an oatmeal or aloe shampoo. You can get these shampoos at the pet store. However, Muzic will need prescription medication to decrease the inflammation and treat the infection, so this is not an alternative to taking him to the vet. I hope this helps and Muzic gets better soon.

My dog has itchy skin, hair loss, and ear infections. What's wrong?

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