My dog can't scratch, has itchy skin and black crusty fur. Help!

Hi there! The base of the tail area is a common hiding place for fleas. Unfortunately the picture of the black crusts is a bit blurry, but fleas usually leave what we call "flea dirt" (its really flea poop!) in the hair. It can appear like black crusts. If Major is not on a flea and tick preventative, I highly recommend getting him started on one. Many dogs have allergies to fleas and the vicious cycle of biting, scratching and chewing starts until they have caused a wound or sore. There are definitely other possibilities other than fleas, but your description and the fact that both dogs are experiencing the same signs is suspicious for a fleas. It is important that Major, does not continue to chew his tail as it looks like he has already made a good start on giving himself a hotspot. I would highly recommend having both dogs, especially Major since he already has a sore, evaluated by a veterinarian to rule out other possible dermatologic problems. Treating for fleas is an easy place to start and you can do that with out a trip to the vet. I hope this information was helpful and your pups get some relief soon!

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.

It's possible your pet is experiencing symptoms of a bacterial infection due to mange mite infestation. You'll want to be sure to visit your local Veterinarian as soon as possible and request a skin scraping examination. This will allow your doctor to identify the underlying cause of your pets discomfort. You're doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to help stop the infection and mite/mange treatment if needed.

There are many potential causes for crusts on her skin, including bacterial or fungal infection, fleas, mites, and allergies. Allergies could be to fleas, food, or the environment. Stress can also cause some changes in skin! You can try a cleansing shampoo like Dechra TrizChlor 4 Shampoo, but if it doesn't respond in a few days, she may need to go to the vet for a diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Hello, those are not fleas. They appear to be crusts formed from the oily secretions of the skin. This can occur in dogs with a very oily skin coat, due to allergies, or even due to diet deficiencies. Other causes could include a skin infection or dry skin. This can typically be managed with the right medication, diet, or shampoo alone or in combination. However, your veterinarian may need to look a sample of this area under the microscope to rule out any bacteria, yeast, or parasites. Schedule and appointment with your veterinarian and have Stella evaluated soon. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Scratching and crusty scabs can be caused by various reasons such as fleas, mites ,fungal infection, bacterial infection and allergies. the first 4 needs to be ruled out before we start treating for allergies. in order to do that first de-flea Leon with a high quality flea treatment such as advantage spot on, if it doesn't help - take him to the vet in order to check for/treat the other possibilities. If everything is ruled out, then an allergy treatment can be started. Usually an hypoallergenic food is a good way to start together with anti histamines. if it doesn't help - the best solution is a medication called Apoquel which treats allergies with great success and without side effects.

Hi there-it sounds as if Bentley could have ringworm, a fungal infection. These are usually easily treated by Medicated shampoos and oral antifungals, as long as there are no complicating factors. Your vet can do a culture for this and get you squared away pretty quickly! Hope this helps.