Why does my dog have greasy, flaky skin, scabs, and hair loss?

Question

Hello, My dog is having problems with the skin on his back and tail. In a couple spots his hair has thinned a lot.His skin is very flaky and has crusty yellow raised scabs. He's also very greasy and smells a lot worse than normal. It started on his tail and now there's a few places around the base of his neck and upper shoulder area. He doesn't seem to be itching too bad, and I'm not seeing flea dirt. He's had it in the past but it cleared up; this time it's just getting worse. Thanks! Delaney. Pet's info: Dog | Chesapeake Bay Retriever | Male | neutered | 5 years and 4 months old | 107 lbs

Dr. Andrea · Accepted Answer

Hi Delaney, It sounds like Strider is having some skin issues., These are often related to allergies, but can have other causes. This amount of crusting and flaking that you are seeing will require a trip to the vet to get it cleared up. They will do a cytology to check for yeast or bacteria as he looks like he may have an infection. In the meantime, you could try an over the counter medicated shampoo for dogs to help get some of the grease and flakes out of the skin (not a flea shampoo, medicated/antibacterial). But to really get to the root of this issue you will need the help of a vet. Good luck with Strider!

Why does my dog have greasy, flaky skin, scabs, and hair loss?

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