My dog has hot, itchy, black skin and is losing fur. What to do?

Question

My dog has hot, itchy skin. He bites his hair out and skin turning black. How should I treat him? Pet's info: Dog | Mountain Feist | Male | unneutered | 2 years and 1 month old | 20 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor Duke! There are quite a few different things that can cause excessive itching, inflamed skin, and hair loss. Some common possibilities would include allergies (food allergies, or an allergy to something in the environment), fleas, a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). Treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is, so it's important to get a diagnosis in order to know what kind of medication he needs. I would recommend taking Duke to the vet for an exam when you're able to. He/she can do some simple skin tests to help diagnose the problem and get him started on appropriate treatment. In the meantime, you can try bathing him in an aloe and oatmeal dog shampoo if you want to. This will not treat the underlying problem, but it may help to temporarily reduce the itching and make him a bit more comfortable until you are able to see the vet.

My dog has hot, itchy, black skin and is losing fur. What to do?

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