Why is my dog smelly, itchy, losing hair, and losing weight?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Elsa. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. I worry that she has an ear infection. This is an itchy condition that can cause changes to the changes to the skin and can even result in hairloss. The veterinarian will examine her and use an instrument known otoscope to look inside the ear canal. Typically a swab is taken from each ear to evaluate under the microscope. This will confirm an infection is present and tell what organism is responsible such as yeast or bacteria. Based on these results, treatment can be started to help her feel better. I hope this information helps!

Poor Trixie! That is very concerning that she is losing weight and she should be examined by a vet to determine the cause. She could have an infection, parasite, kidney/liver disease, endocrine disease, etc. Your vet can run some lab-work to help diagnose and then determfine the best way to treat, depending on the cause. She may need an antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, or other medications to help. You could also bathe her with a medicated dog shampoo and see if that helps with her skin condition.

I'm sorry to hear of your difficulties with Jada. It sounds like she may have several health problems that require medical intervention. Her increased appetite and lack of appropriate weight gain could be due to several different causes including parasites, lack of normal digestion and absorption in the intestinal tract or a metabolic problem such as diabetes. The skin problems you describe could be due to an underlying allergy as you mention but she likely has secondary skin infections worsening her symptoms. I would recommend that you have Jada seen by your regular veterinarian. They will likely recommend bloodwork and checking a stool sample for parasites. They may also perform a skin cytology to determine if an infection is present

I am sorry your dog is not feeling well. The information provided and picture don't really match. If a patient is drinking more and losing weight I would be concerned about endocrine diseases like diabetes and cushings disease. However the picture looks more like possible skin mites or an underlying autoimmune disease I would recommend taking her to a veterinarian to help you resolve the issues. They most likely will need to run basic bloodwork and possible a skin scrape to determine if mites are present.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! In terms of the weight loss, if he is doing well otherwise, this may be related to the diet fed which sometimes is not the appropriate for one specific dog. If he is a very active dog he may require a diet specific for active dogs such as Purina Pro Plan sports performance. Also, it may the amount of food that is being fed. Have your veterinarian calculate the amount of food he needs based on his most current weight, neuter status and also activity level. This is easily calculated based on the resting energy requirements which is an easy calculation. The ear issue is likely due to an ear infection. I recommend that you have Sparky 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 day!

Those are all very general signs of illness, and I would be concerned there is a GI issue or underlying illness if she is both losing hair and unable to keep food down/losing weight. Parasites, obstructions, viral illnesses, infections, organ issues, metabolic diseases, etc can all be potential causes, so it would be best to seek out veterinary care from your vet or an ER clinic as soon as possible.

This may be due to an infection (bacterial, fungal or parasites) or even severe allergies. Baby would need to be physically examined by a veterinarian to make the diagnosis. Thus is beneficial because afterwards, the veterinarian can begin treatment. Place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent licking or chewing until she sees the doctor.