Why does my dog's itchy skin and ear infection return after heat?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Based on what you are describing, and the pictures, I suspect that Willow may have an infection with ectoparasites, such as mites or fleas, that are causing her to be itchy. Your veterinarian can perform a skin scrape and evaluate the cells under a microscope to look for evidence of infectious agents. Please ensure that Willow is on a monthly topical flea and tick preventative that you purchase from your veterinarian; NOT one that can be purchased from a pet or grocery store, as these are not regulated and can be very toxic to pets. Willow could also have allergic skin disease, secondary to food or environmental agents. You can talk to your veterinarian about trying a diet trial to determine if Willow's itchy skin resolves on a particular novel protein diet. The thickened ears can be due to chronic ear infections, so your veterinarian will be able to examine the waxy debris under a microscope and prescribe the appropriate medication based on whether they see bacteria and/or yeast in Willow's ears. I hope this is helpful!

It looks as if your dog has a skin infection, most commonly caused by an allergy, a skin mite (Demodex) or fleas. 

The allergy could be a due to a protein in your dog’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. Skin infections are typically characterized by large areas of hair loss, redness, crusting, flaking, and pustules. A thorough skin examination by your veterinarian should be able to determine the cause of the itch so it can be treated appropriately. Your dog will most likely need antibiotics to help clear up the infection and possibly an allergy/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 he be on a good flea control routinely too. Once the infection has resolved a long term allergy medication (like Apoquel or Cytopoint) can be given on a regular basis to prevent any future problems. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

It is possible that she has seasonal allergies or that the heat brings on the infections. It is also possible that she had a food allergy. I would discuss these concerns with your veterinarian. Two options could be trying daily allergy medication. Or trying a food trial, where she only Has food with hydrolyzed proteins for a 6 week period to see if her skin improves. https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-ways-to-improve-your-dog-s-skin-coat

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely due to an ear infection. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Your veterinarian would be able to check what type of infection is present and treat accordingly. Usually this resolves with topical therapy. Good luck and have a good night!

The spot on the cheek looks like a "hot spot". The rest looks like a flea allergy. Mange is not impossible in a dog her age but really unlikely unless she is immunocompromised. The hot spot on the cheek is basically a bacterial skin infection. She probably compromised the skin in that area due to scratching at the ears if she has an ear infection. You really need to get her to a vet to get everything she has going on under control. She needs an anti-inflammatory injection to the get the scratching under control, she needs to have oral antibiotics to clear up the hot spot, if there is an ear infection that needs to be treated and of course, the fleas need to get under control with a GOOD flea medication that she stays on continuously. A flea bath is very temporary and is not going to fix the problem. An ear infection will not clear up with over the counter ear cleaners - she needs an actual medication to clear it up. Please get her to your vet as soon as you can. Some things cannot be fixed with home treatment once they become too advanced. Best wishes.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to see that Skye is having some problems. A skin rash can be caused by many things including a bacterial skin infection secondary to fleas, ticks, mites, allergies, contact irritants in her environment, drug reactions, reactions to flea/tick products, skin reactions to intestinal worms, nutritional problems etc. I see she is not spayed but don't have an age. The swelling near her vagina/vulva looks like the beginning stages of her heat cycle. Swelling occurs first then they will develop the bloody discharge of the heat cycle. I would advise a good Oatmeal shampoo without detergents/soap and a good Oatmeal conditioner for her, a good flea/tick product, and a good diet. If the rash continues or she becomes very itchy, I would advise taking her to your veterinarian and let them evaluate her and possibly recommend some tests to diagnose what the problem is. There are skin tests that can be performed if mites or fungal organisms are suspected. Once a diagnosis is made, they can advise a sound treatment plan. Monitor her for signs of heat- swelling, bloody discharge, decreased appetite, wanting to roam, odd behavior, etc. You can talk to your veterinarian about spaying her also. Good luck with Skye.

Chronic ear and skin infections may have an allergic component as stated by your veterinarian. It may be fleas, but the likelihood is reduced with regular flea control. Even then though, in a sensitive dog, one flea bite may be enough to cause a serious allergic reaction. The steroid (Prednidale) and antibiotic (Rilexine) are temporary fixes, treating just the symptoms but not the underlying condition. There are also environmental allergies and food sensitivities that may responsible. The sheer number of potential allergens is what makes diagnosing allergies so frustrating. Discuss allergy testing, hydrolyzed diets and food elimination trials with your veterinarian. A consult with a veterinary dermatologist ma be indicated. You should also discuss antihistamine use, either seasonally or year round, with your veterinarian. Atopica and Apoquel are prescription medications that may help treat allergies and can be dispensed by your vet. Consider adding an essential fatty acid supplement, such as a fish oil, to Irish's diet to promote healthy skin and coat. The EFAs may also help some with the itching and inflammation. DermCaps or EicosaCaps are two recommended products.