Why is my dog itching, licking, shaking head, and drinking more?

It sounds as if your dog has a skin infection, most commonly caused by an allergy or fleas. The allergy could be a due to a protein in Molly's food or an environmental allergy like to dust, pollens, grasses, etc. The allergy causes your dog to itch and chew at the skin which breaks down the skin barrier. This then leads to infection. Molly will need antibiotics to help clear up the infection and possibly an anti-itch medication like Apoquel, Atopica, or Cytopoint to give some relief while the infection clears up. A medicated shampoo may be beneficial as well. I would also recommend she be on a good flea control too. It also sounds like Molly has an ear infection as well. She will need to go to the vet to have an ear cytology performed so they can determine what exact type of infection she has, i.e. is it bacteria, fungal or ear mites causing the issue. Your vet will probably recommend some ear medication and possibly an ear cleaner. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck!

It’s possible his anal glands are full/uncomfortable. If they are bulging on either side of his anus when you palapate from the outside, then that definitely could be the case. I recommend bringing him to your vet for a rectal exam/anal gland expression and to check his ears. He likely will need and ear cleaner and a steroid/antibiotic/antifungal/antiyeast ointment such as otomax/kometamax/posatex if he has an ear infection. A few days of an allergy medication called Apoquel may help as well. Good luck!

It's probably an ear infection, often it cannot be seen from the outside. Ear infections are very common in dogs, it is usually caused by either yeast or bacterial disease. the treatment is usually simple and straightforward, you will have to take him to the vet and get the ears checked, then a prescription ear drops will be prescribed according to the infectious agent. She might also be suffering from either allergies or anal gland problems, you should ask the vet to take a look at that as well.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Regarding her itchiness and bald patches, I do worry this could be a skin infection. Skin infections can be caused by bacteria, yeast, or both, and need long courses of oral medications as well as frequent medicated shampooing. Regarding her increase in thirst, that could be related to things like diabetes or kidney disease. In older unspayed females, if the uterus becomes infected and needs surgical removal, increased thirst can be one of the first signs. I would take Storm to see a veterinarian for a full physical exam when possible.

Unfortunately, there isn't much for you to go on from this description. Increased water intake can signify many different changes, and the same is true for the lethargy you're describing. Going to the vet for a check up would certainly be ideal, but since that's not an option right now, I'd recommend: -Making sure she always has access to water at all times, and take her out more frequently if she's having accidents - Soaking her feet in epson salt bath for 5 minutes a day to help with whatever is irritating them - Think about any toxins she could have gotten in to, or changes in her diet or treats you could change back And if she's not getting better, work towards getting her to the vet as soon as possible. Wishing you the best of luck

Head shaking doesn't indicate anything on its own. It could be that there is something irritating Orvia's ear or nose, itchy skin, a bug bite causing a reaction, neurologic or muscular issues, or more. If you are seeing other signs and symptoms in addition to the head shaking (loss of balance, nausea, confusion, etc), discharge from the ears or nose, or the head shaking doesn't resolve, having a vet take a look in person is best.