My dog has an itchy, flaky, smelly spot. What can I wash her with?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Pomeranian | Female | spayed | 5 lbs
Sissy has this itchy spot on her back. It's hard and flaky she scratches it on everything ! Her hair has fallen out from that spot and it smells. What can I wash her with to help soothe whatever it is !?
4 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on March 11th, 2018
This could be a fungal or bacterial infection or a mite infection. It could also be a case of seborrheic dermatitis. Unfortunately it is not possible to diagnose which type of problem it is just by viewing a photo. You will need to take her to a vet for an exam and a diagnosis. A bacterial or fungal infection can be treated with antibacterial or antifungal shampoo or tablets and there are anti-seborrheic shampoos as well. A mite infection can be treated with an ivermectin injection or other acaricidal medications.
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Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on March 27th, 2019
Poor Bailey! Allergies to something in the environment, food allergies or a thyroid condition can all look this this. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. It will take about a month for diet/supplements to start to have an effect. If you are still noticing an odor, have bailey examined by her veterinarian for a yeast infection and to discuss next steps to diagnose what's the underlying cause. The doctor may prescribe medications which can help with itching or infection. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.
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Published on May 19th, 2017
I am sorry to hear about Hazel (love her name). The most common causes of hair loss include external parasites (such as fleas and mange mites) and allergies. Sometimes endocrine diseases such as hypothyroidism can cause this as well but we don't often see it in a dog as young as yours. Dogs can have allergies to things in the environment (such as pollen, grass, dust) or to foods. If she is sneezing when she goes outdoors, it is possible this is a seasonal allergy issue (or a combination). I would recommend getting her on a good flea preventative (your vet has the best products. Over the counter products include Advantage and Frontline). An exam at your vet is recommended because we can sometimes have secondary skin infections (especiallly in shar pei dogs) that may need prescription medication treatment. The vet can also be sure we don't have mites. In the meantime you can follow some of the recommendations in this article: https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-things-you-can-do-at-home-to-keep-your-dog-s-allergies-at-bay-t/ . Your vet may also prescribe an antihistamine or other allergy medication to start her on.
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Published on February 13th, 2017
It sounds like she could have a skin infection which may be caused by allergies. You could bathe her with a medicated dog shampoo and see if that helps but she may need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, and corticosteroid to help treat the problem. If she has allergies than she may need to stay on an anti-histamine long term. You could also try her on a hypoallergenic diet and see if it could be related to a food allergy. Also, inspect her for fleas as dogs can be allergic to fleas. Treat her with a flea prevention every month, like Frontline or NexGard.
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