What causes crusty, flaky, itchy skin on my senior Golden Retriever?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. You may add fish oil to her diet which may help with dry and flaky skin. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Hi there and thanks for posting! That tail looks very raw! It is hard to say exactly what the cause of Hunter's skin/ hair condition may be without examining Hunter first, but I can offer some possibilities. Skin irritations around the tail base are a signal of a flea allergy. It only takes one flea to induce a flea allergy! If Hunter is not on any flea preventative monthly, then this could be the culprit. It could also be a bacterial or yeast infection. our veterinarian can diagnose these potential conditions with a few simple skin tests. I would recommend Hunter visit his vet soon to have the possibilities above ruled out. He may need flea preventative/treatment as well as an anti-inflammatory and antibiotics/anti fungals. Best to you and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

It sounds like Bebo may have some allergies or possibly fleas. Be sure that she is on appropriate flea medication for her age and size and point out her itchiness at her next puppy vaccination visit. Golden retrievers can be prone to multiple types of allergies and the sooner it gets under control the better. Other possibilities in a pod be doing played mange and ringworm so be sure to have the vet check it out. I hope she gets some relief soon thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If this is associated with itchiness, this may be due to skin allergies. There are medications such as Apoquel and prednisone which may help to decrease the itch. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Hi! Its great you have a picture in there! So, the wound appearance is similar to a fungus infection, which is quite common in dogs with this type of fur as in golden retrievers. It's not easy to dry it completely, so some fungus can take advantage on that and cause an infection. As it is pruritic (a nice word for itching), and fungal infection in the majority is NOT itchy, a secondary bacterial contamination can be occurring. You will need some extra diagnostics work up with your vet to figure this out, or do an diagnostic by exclusion (treating the most common causes to see if helps). Other very important fact to be looked at, is if this "crusty - like" wound was caused by the itching problem and there is another underlying skin allergic reaction happening such as, flea allergy (remember you don't have to see the fleas on your dog for this), food related allergy, atopic allergy, etc. As I don't know for how long you have been treating Cody, so the antibiotic might no had kicked in yet. Cold baths with Chlorhexidine shampoos (you can even buy "Dettol" on supermarket) can give some quick relief.

This can be normal based on her history. The flaking is called seborrhea. My recommendation would be to get a medicated shampoo and wash her with that. You need to lather it, let it sit on the coat for 10 minutes and then rinse thoroughly. The shampoo needs that 10 minute contact time to work. Do this every 3- 4 days until the coat looks better and the flaking stops. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Veterinary-Formula-Clinical-Care-Medicated-Shampoo-for-Dogs-Cats-Antiseborrheic-Antidandruff-16-0-FL-OZ/207485799 I would also recommend a fish oil supplement - use a product made for dogs. https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=fish%20oil%20dog&cat_id=0 I hope this helps! Best wishes!

That is concerning. If the spots are oozing or smelly I would be concerned there is an underlying infection going on which is causing that. Since this is different than the contact dermatitis, or a worsening of it, I would have your vet take another look. They may recommend taking a sample for testing at a lab to see what the cause is (yeast, bacteria, fungus, etc) so that a tailored treatment can be given. Your vet may also prescribe antibiotics if the area is infected. Until you can get to the vet, keeping the affected areas clean and dry and using an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Boomer can help keep him from licking which can help with further irritation.