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Why does my dog have dry skin, smell bad, and scratch constantly?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Alsatian | Male | 49 lbs

My 6 year old German Shepherd has rough fur & dry skin. Also he stinks very bad & see him scratching many time between his legs. So what would vet suggest for me?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Stacey Anstaett, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on August 10th, 2018

It sounds like LD may have a skin infection. Depending on the cause, its likely than an oral prescription medication may be needed, in addition to medicated baths. Additionally, skin infections are often due to underlying allergies. Getting any allergies under control will also help in getting his skin and hair healthier again. I would strongly recommend that you get him in to see your vet ASAP, as this is likely something that will need prescription medication to get on top of. However, if you want to try to treat him at home and see how he does for a few days, you can try a few things. Make sure he is on a flea and tick medication such as Frontline or Advantage. These are available without a prescription. If he has a flea allergy, fleas could be the underlying cause here--- however, again, I think he may have a secondary infection in his skin that needs to be treated. You can try giving him some Benadryl; see the link below for dosing information. You can also try a soothing medicated bath daily for a couple of days. While these suggestions may help, he likely needs to get in to see a vet so that the problem can be identified and appropriately treated. medicated shampoos you can try: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/sulfodene-medicated-shampoo-and-conditioner-for-dogs Benadryl information: https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/benadryl/ Thanks for asking PetCoach! I hope that helps you!

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