My senior husky has black crust on ear tips. What's the cause?

This is the typical description of "fly strike". This is where biting flies attack the ears and bite, suck blood and cause the black crust to build up. This is actually dried blood from the bites. This is typically seen in dogs that live outdoors. The solution would be to either move the dogs to an indoor location or you may treat them with an insect repellent on the ears. Please go to your regular veterinarian to purchase a product that is safe and effective.

It sounds like he could have a bacterial infection on his ears. You could bathe him with a medicated shampoo and see if that helps but he may need an antibiotic treat the problem. Have your vet take a look at him to prescribe the best medication to treat. You could also add Free Form Snip Tips to his diet to keep his coat and skin healthy.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Jade. She will need to see her veterinarian as she may have an ear infection. This painful and needs medication to resolve. Huskies are also prone to variety of skin diseases some of which can affect the ears. A common one results from a deficiency in zinc. Her veterinarian will exam her and tell you the best course of action. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely a case of vasculitis. This is sometimes caused by underlying allergy for example. There are medications that can be used to improve circulation to all parts of the ear such as pentoxifylline. I recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Hopefully, they can start him on therapy to make him feel better. Best of luck!

From the photo it looks like an injury to the ear tip. These often bleed and the scab would make it look black and crusty. It should heal fine without treatment other than what your are doing by applying the antibiotic ointment. It’s best not to rub the area since leaving the scab on will protect the injured area as it’s healing. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Pua.

It sounds like Gizmo may have a vasculitis on his ears. They are common in small breed dogs, especially Dachshunds. Sometimes the ears can get very crusty and bleed, and it may be in response to an allergy or something else stimulating his immune system (vaccines, for instance). I would have your vet check him out, they may recommend medication and ointment to put on his ears to help them heal. They will likely get better with treatment but sometimes it never entirely goes away. Good luck!

Poor Sasha! it sounds like she needs to be examined by the veterinarian. These symptoms could describe an infection in her skin. Sometimes the infection is the primary problem but other times it's related to allergies or endocrine disease. Occasionally, these symptoms can describe a disease of the oil glands as well. She will likely need oral medications and possibly some topical wipes. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.