What causes my dog's ear sores, scabs, and dry skin patches?

Question

My dog has sores in his ears scabs round his eyes and mouth and a patches of very dry skin on his body and paw pads. Pet's info: Dog | Shih Tzu | Male | unneutered | 1 year and 8 months old | 4 lbs

Shaneez Wallani, DVM · Accepted Answer

Skin lesions can be caused by bacterial, parasitic or fungal infection, dietary or environmental allergies or sensitivities, immune system disorders, or a combination of the above. In young dogs like Bowie and based on the description you provided, one common cause can be infection by mites that can live in the hair follicles and lead to hair loss, and secondary bacterial and fungal infections that can develop. I recommend making an appointment to have Bowie seen by your veterinarian to help determine the cause of the lesions you’ve noticed and to make sure they are treated appropriately. The vet will likely want to look at a sample from the area under the microscope to determine if there is an infection and to figure out what medication is appropriate for treatment. In the meantime, you can bathe Bowie in hypoallergenic shampoo for dogs to clean the area, but this will likely not resolve the lesions.

What causes my dog's ear sores, scabs, and dry skin patches?

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