Why is my 10-year-old Yorkie itchy with flakes and sneezing?

Question

My yorkie is approximately 10 years old and has very itchy skin, coat has small white flakes and she sneezes a lot. Sometimes she has a hard time getting comfortable due to the itchiness. Pet's info: Dog | Yorkshire Terrier | Female | spayed | 10 years and 1 month old | 9 lbs

Linda G, MS, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello. Itching is a symptom of many issues including infection ( bacterial & yeast ), inflammation, skin parasites ( fleas & mange mites ), dietary indiscretion, allergies, endocrine abnormalities ( hypothyroidism ), & possibly even underlying liver disease. In an older dog like this, it is always best to have a thorough health workup done to eliminate other possible issues before just starting a shot-gun approach to dealing with the skin. Dogs rarely sneeze because of allergies, so we do want to rule out any kind of nasal or sinus problems. In the meantime, you can bathe Georgia in a mild oatmeal based shampoo in cool water followed by either a leave-in or wash out coat conditioner. You can add approximately 20mg per pound omega 3 fatty acids ( fish oil ) to her diet. Use a good product available at Petco. Constant itching is debilitating as well as exhausting so I hope you can have her seen by your veterinarian soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Why is my 10-year-old Yorkie itchy with flakes and sneezing?

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