My dog is itchy. Could it be mites? What are the visible signs?

There are several different mites that can affect dogs. One of the most common is known as demodex. It is a normal mite that lives in the hair follicles of dogs. Many dogs receive them from their mother. They are only typically a problem if the mites become overgrown for some reason. This is common in certain breeds of puppies (English bulldogs and pitbulls for example) or in adult dogs with an underlying illness. Affected dogs will have patchy spots of hair loss. They are not typically itchy. Another mite is sarcoptes. It is commonly spread through exposure to wild animals. This mite can be spread from dogs to people. This makes the dog extremely itchy. They will lose hair, have red skin and sometimes open wounds from the constant scratching. I hope this information helps you!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is not common for dogs to have ear mites but if they did their ears are very itchy and have dark dried debris. It is common for dogs to have ear infections which can also be itchy and have debris. Ear mites are microscopic so canny be seen by the naked eye. If Truck is exhibiting these signs, I recommend taking him to a vet to get it diagnosed and properly treated. Good luck and kisses to Truck!

Mites are just one possible cause of itching and hair loss, however they wouldn't necessarily cause "lumped up" spots on the skin. You may be seeing hives, which are due to some type of an allergic reaction. The first thing to do would be to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. Discuss allergy testing, hydrolyzed diets, food elimination trials, parasite control and antihistamine use with the vet. Any potential treatment will depend on the underlying cause. In the meantime, place an e-collar (cone) on Axel to prevent excessive licking or chewing. You can also treat for fleas using a topical preventive (Frontline, Advantix, etc.) or an oral preventive (CapStar, Comfortis, Bravecto, Credelio, etc.). Vacuum everywhere indoors and dispose of the bag or empty the canister outdoors immediately afterwards. Wash all bedding in the hottest water allowable by fabric and dry in a dryer. Use an area treatment, such as Indorex or Knockout ES, to prevent or treat any flea infestation.

Because of the fur loss around the eyes i would suspect demodicosis (mite infestation), it's very easy to diagnose, take them to the vet for a skin scrape, they can identify it on spot under the microscope.

Mange is caused by mites. There are two types of mange, sarcoptic mange and demodex mange, each caused by a different mite. Sarcoptic mange is highly contagious to other animals and humans, while demodex mange is not. The symptoms depend on what type of mite is presents. Yes a skin allergy could potentially look like mange, but a vet will be able to diagnose the underlying cause. You will need to take Mister Brown into the vet. Best of luck.

I would recommend that you have your dogs checked out by a vet. Dog mites (scabies and demodex) are not usually seen with the naked eye, they need to be visualized under a microscope. I think what you may be seeing is inflamed hair follicles and the brown stuff may be flea dirt (or the feces of fleas). If you are truly seeing crawling insects, then this may be a secondary infection, one that is not primarily found on dogs. A vet will be able to examine the skin and take a few samples for microscopic examination so a diagnosis can be made and proper treatment initiated.

After a bath some of the older skin cells get loose and cause dandruff. Brushing Breaker daily will stimulate the skin and remove the dandruff. The shampoo you used was fine. Dogs itch mostly from allergies. They can be allergic to flea bites, grass, pollen and leaves and also have allergies to food. Breaker would be much itchier with mites and mites are not that common. To keep his skin healthy and reduce inflammation I recommend an omega 3 or fatty acid supplement, in addition feed a high quality dog food. In order to check for mites you need to bring Breaker to your veterinarian and they can look at the skin cells and fur under the microscope. If they do see mites a treatment will be prescribed. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Breaker.