My German Shepherd has a bad odor, itching, and hair loss. What to do?

Question

Hi there, my German shepherd is giving off an odour. 1-2 days post bath, she is chewing and scratching and her hair is falling out due to this. I have treated for mange about a week ago as we have infected wombats on the property but that hasn’t done anything. She is effected on face, feet, throat, chest and under her front legs not so much her stomach. She does have epi and is on creon. Any suggestions? Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Female | spayed | 6 years and 2 months old | 25 lbs

Dr. Elizabeth · Accepted Answer

Those spots on Dakota could be several things including allergies to fleas, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the lesions should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Dakota wear an elizabethan collar at all times.The bad odor also likely indicates either a bacterial infection or fungal infection. She will need treatment for this as well. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

My German Shepherd has a bad odor, itching, and hair loss. What to do?

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