My dog is itchy, losing hair, and smells like Fritos. What's wrong?

Question

My dog won’t stop chewing on himself and scratching. He smell like Fritos his hair is falling out on his back and on his chest. What could be causing this? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | unneutered | 54 lbs

Lauren Jones VMD · Accepted Answer

I'm sorry to hear that Riddlebox is so itchy! The Fritos description is a pretty common one with skin issues in dogs, as it's often associated with bacterial and yeast (a fungus) infection of the skin. Oftentimes skin infections occur secondarily to another issue that has caused a dog to lick or scratch excessively, as this damages the protective skin layers and allows infection to occur. Riddlebox has lost an impressive amount of hair along his back. It's possible that this initial hair loss could be caused by underlying allergies (to fleas, food, or the environment), mange (caused by mites), ringworm (caused by a fungal infection), or even endocrine disorders (including hypothyroidism or Cushing's disease). At this point, I'd start by taking Riddlebox to his vet for an exam and some diagnostic testing. After testing for evidence of infection as well as trying to get to the root problem, your vet will likely prescribe some medication. These may include antibiotics, anti fungal medications, medicated shampoos, and anti-itch medications. I hope that Riddlebox is feeling better soon!

My dog is itchy, losing hair, and smells like Fritos. What's wrong?

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