Why is my small dog losing hair in clumps and itching so much?

Question

My small dog is losing hair in clumps, she seems to be in distress and itching to. How can I help her. Pet's info: Dog | Maltese | Female | spayed | 9 lbs

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

I am so sorry that you are having this problem. I certainly understand how frustrating it is to watch your dog be so itchy. 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.vin.com/veterinarypartner/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952662 Often the first step is making sure there isn’t any evidence of external parasites that need to be treated. You may still be dealing with a flea allergy even if you have treated the fleas. Once a flea bites a flea allergy dog, that dog can stay itchy for a week. Here is additional information on fleas causing itching in dogs. https://www.vin.com/veterinarypartner/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952572 I would recommend having your veterinarian evaluate Izy to discuss your treatment options. Your veterinarian can run a few simple skin tests to rule out fungus, mites, or a bacteria as the cause. You will need to discuss resolving any of these secondary infections which will make her more itchy. This can involve topical treatments (like shampoos, wipes or sprays) or may involve oral medications. You can then discuss medication for the itching (which may be prescription or over the counter medication). There are a number of good treatment options for itching and allergies, but sometimes it takes a little while to find the right combination. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Izy feels better soon. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Why is my small dog losing hair in clumps and itching so much?

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