What causes my Shih Tzu's skin rash, bad odor, and constant licking?

Harley's skin lesions certainly look uncomfortable! The most likely cause of this redness and papule formation is due to an underlying allergy. Dogs can be allergic to fleas, food or things in the environment, and new allergies can develop at any age, even though nothing has changed. A trip to the vet is still in order to assure that his skin has not become infected secondary to any licking or scratching because these skin infections typically require antibiotics. Be sure that Harley is receiving a high quality flea preventative regularly (such as Nexgard, Bravecto or Advantix). You can also try bathing him in a gentle oatmeal-based dog shampoo, as this can be soothing on the skin. If he is overly itchy, he may need an e-collar (cone) to prevent him from chewing or licking excessively, as this can cause further skin irritation. I hope that all goes well!

I agree that allergies are one of the most likely causes for your dog's scratching - this is a very common problem for many dogs in the summer. But there are other possible causes also that should be ruled out first - itching can also be caused by skin mites (mange), or bacterial or fungal infections. If the itching is allergy related, you can try bathing in a dog shampoo with either cortisone or aloe and oatmeal to help soothe the itching. But most allergy problems in dogs require prescription medications to treat successfully, so I would recommend having your dog examined by a vet if bathing her isn't helpful.

A yeasty or very strong "doggy" smell is often caused by a skin condition such as allergies or a skin infection of some kind - this would also explain why Max is biting himself so much, since many of these conditions also cause itching. You can try bathing him in a medicated shampoo for yeast and bacterial infections, such as Malaseb or Keto-Chlor. If this doesn't help, I would recommend having him examined by a vet when you are able to as he will probably need prescription medication - he/she can do a simple test called a skin scrape to help determine the problem and get him started on appropriate medication to treat it.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! He is adorable! This is possibly due to allergies. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. 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! The lump could be a benign or malignant growth. There is no way of knowing for sure without an examination though this represents a reason to seek veterinary care. This is usually determined with an examination and a fine needle aspirate (FNA) or a biopsy. Treatment depends on the findings up to that point. I recommend you have Ziggy evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

If Daisy is only exhibiting this odd behavior 1 or 2 times a day I would not be overly concerned about it. She may have just discovered a new way to groom/clean her face and feet and is being fastidious about it. If the behavior becomes constant or obsessive (you are unable to get her to stop doing it with a simple command), then I would start to be concerned. She could have an itchy face/feet from allergies, her ears may be irritated, or she may have something stuck in her mouth/teeth. Just keep an eye on her for now and don't be too concerned unless the behavior progresses. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

I'm sorry to hear that Mungia is dealing with skin problems. A lot of skin infections in dogs can be secondary to scratching themselves from allergies. The can react to something in their environment such as weeds, grasses, pollen, mold or even something in their diet. I'm glad that bathing her seems to help. It is a great maintenance option for her so she doesn't need to be on medications. If the problem is not resolving, you will need to discuss longterm management strategies with her veterinarian. You will also want to rule out other issues such as mites, fleas or ringworm. I hope this information helps!

That area of Albie looks inflamed! If he did not have these lesions yesterday, it may be a reaction to the shampoo. Rewash him in a hypoallergenic shampoo and rinse him very well. Over the counter antihistamines may also help the itching. You may also consider taking him to the veterinarian's office as they will have stronger medications that will work faster to make the itching go away. I hope Albie gets comfortable fast!