Why does my dog have itchy skin and hard yellow dandruff-like flakes?

This is dandruff (seborrhea). It could be nutrition related. It could be a product you are using on him (shampoo, spray , etc). It may just be him. I would suggest you put him on a good skin supplement, make sure he is on a good dog food and use this medicated shampoo to treat seborrhea. If no improvement after a couple months then you should have him to your vet for an exam. I like this supplement: ( https://www.allivet.com/p-1803-missing-link-vet-canine.aspx ) You can use this medicated shampoo - lather, let sit on his coat for 10 minutes and then rinse. You can bathe twice a week and once the skin is looking better you can go to once a week. In between baths you can use the spray or the mousse. ( https://www.allivet.com/p-6684-douxo-seborrhea-shampoo-for-dogs-and-cats.aspx?SearchTerm=duoxo%20seborrhea+Auto ) ( https://www.allivet.com/p-6675-douxo-seborrhea-micro-emulsion-spray-for-dogs-and-cats-68-oz.aspx?SearchTerm=duoxo%20sebor+Auto ) ( https://www.allivet.com/p-6678-douxo-seborrhea-mousse-for-dogs-and-cats-68-oz.aspx?SearchTerm=duoxo%20sebor+Auto )

Hi and thanks for using PetCoach! Sorry to see and hear that Cointhee is having some skin problems. This certainly does look like dry skin or what we call seborrhea sicca. It is in an area that I would be suspicious of a flea bite allergy commonly known as flea allergy dermatitis. So first off, I would recommend that you use a very effective flea/tick product even though the weather is cooling down. It is possible that you have some immature flea stages in the indoor environment (eggs, larvae, etc). Again I am just assuming here due to the location of the trouble spot and knowing nothing of the geographical area where you live. There are other things that you can be doing to help the problem. I would not bathe too frequently. This tends to dry out the skin and strips the oils that are needed to keep the skin and hair coat healthy. So don't bathe too frequently, I would say not more than once a month or so. Do spot bathing if certain areas need to be cleaned but not full baths too frequently. Make sure you are feeding a high quality, well balanced diet since nutrition can play a role. You can certainly supplement the diet with some fish oil and skin supplements designed to aid in keeping the skin and hair coat healthy. I will post a link at the bottom and recommend some products. Dry skin can be caused by a localized bacterial infection, low thyroid problem, intestinal parasites affecting nutrition and health, external parasite problems (fleas, ticks, mites, etc), lack of adequate rinsing when bathing, aroblem persists, you should take Cointhee to your vet and let them advise you based on the history and physical exam findings. Treating the underlying cause is key and your vet can discuss how to get to that point. Possible tests could be skin scrape, fungal culture, blood tests, etc. Here's the link for some very high quality supplements- http://www.vrshealth.com/canine-products/?petcoach=1977951 Check out the fish oil Canine Omega Benefits and the Cutaneo TruBenefits. Good luck

It looks like dandruff. However, if he's itchy or has any areas of skin that obviously have a rash, take him to your vet. If not, here's an article you may find helpful. https://www.petcoach.co/article/helpful-products-for-your-dogs-dry-skin/ Thanks for asking PetCoach!

A colloidal oatmeal bath may soothe itchy skin. Soak her in a warm bath for 15-20 minutes then pat, don't rub, her dry. A fish oil supplement, such as DermCaps or EicosaCaps, may also provide a measure of relief. Check the humidity in your home. Low humidity may cause dry, itchy skin. Use an e-collar (cone) to prevent excessive licking or chewing until Mia sees the vet.

I'm sorry to hear that Zoe is having skin problems! There are a few different things that could cause itching and hair loss with dandruff in a puppy this age. The most common possibilities would be allergies (food allergies, or an allergy to something in the environment), fleas, a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). Treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is, so I would recommend having her examined by a vet as soon as you are able to. He/she can do some simple skin tests to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate medication to treat it.

This presentation is probably due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Mila's signs could be indicating allergies as well as a skin infection. The skin color changes could be due to this being an ongoing/chronic issue. Sometimes an oatmeal based shampoo helps as well as omega3 fatty acid supplements but if your dog has allergies your veterinarian can discuss long-term control plans with you.