Why is my Shih Tzu dog stinky, itchy, has sores, and a leg lump?

Question

We have a pet dog shih tzu named Ziggy. He has a health problem. He is stinky even after a few hours of having a bath. I use a recommended dog shampoo but it still doesn't work. Also he has an itch or maybe allergic to something because he is not infested with ticks or lice. Due to his itch, he scratches himself and developed sores on his skin. He has an outgrowth (a lump) on his right hind leg. Please help. Pet's info: Dog | Shih Tzu | Male | neutered | 6 years and 6 months old | 17.64 lbs

Ricardo Fernandez, DVM · Accepted Answer

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! He is adorable! This is possibly due to allergies. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively! The lump could be a benign or malignant growth. There is no way of knowing for sure without an examination though this represents a reason to seek veterinary care. This is usually determined with an examination and a fine needle aspirate (FNA) or a biopsy. Treatment depends on the findings up to that point. I recommend you have Ziggy evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

Why is my Shih Tzu dog stinky, itchy, has sores, and a leg lump?

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