My dog has bald spots, scratches, ear lumps, and a strong odor. Why?

Question

I have a jack russell pug beagle cross (mostly beagle jack in appearance) who is developing bald spots from scratching and chewing her elbow joint, mid back and now lumps in her ears and her odor is very strong. We stopped treats to reduce sugar intake. Add turmeric cinnamon and olive oil to her food and have been applying vitamin e to the areas. It is getting worse. Any ideas what it might be? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | spayed | 5 years and 2 months old | 20 lbs

Catherine Stecyk · Accepted Answer

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Based on what you are describing, and the pictures, I suspect that Willow may have an infection with ectoparasites, such as mites or fleas, that are causing her to be itchy. Your veterinarian can perform a skin scrape and evaluate the cells under a microscope to look for evidence of infectious agents. Please ensure that Willow is on a monthly topical flea and tick preventative that you purchase from your veterinarian; NOT one that can be purchased from a pet or grocery store, as these are not regulated and can be very toxic to pets. Willow could also have allergic skin disease, secondary to food or environmental agents. You can talk to your veterinarian about trying a diet trial to determine if Willow's itchy skin resolves on a particular novel protein diet. The thickened ears can be due to chronic ear infections, so your veterinarian will be able to examine the waxy debris under a microscope and prescribe the appropriate medication based on whether they see bacteria and/or yeast in Willow's ears. I hope this is helpful!

My dog has bald spots, scratches, ear lumps, and a strong odor. Why?

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