Itchy Dog: The Plot Thickens

Took Izzo to the vet and they checked him and said he was likely flea-free. We reapplied some flea prevention anyway just in case. Came home and vacuumed the entire apartment and cleaned the filter outside and everything.Took him to my parents' house for the weekend and the itching didn't seem to be as bad. I determined maybe bad skin or my dusty apartment. Today I found this on his back.





Flaky white dander and orangey spots. No brownish/reddish flakes in the fur. Just the white stuff. Are these flea bites? Or just him biting himself? Please tell me someone out there recognizes this and can help out. The vey wasn't much help and pictures online make flea bites look a lot redder.
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Did you upload any pics because I didn't see them in the album here and I don't see the pic :(

Hope you can figure out what the problem is!
Hmm. Let me edit and see if they show up. Thanks for letting me know!
Flea dirt apparently I have been told is brown bits like dirt. Looks like dry itch skin. Vet didn't say anything else? I would give him some fish oil or omega and fish oil. Something like that I usually pop a capsule into their food when especially when they dog get raw fish that week.
That looks like atopic dermatitis, or seborrhea. Could be a secondary infection starting. Oscar's atopic dermatitis has its origins in allergies, some of which are food related, some environmental, but there could be other causes as well, like mange, flea sensitivity, etc. Does Izzo rub his face on the carpet? Does his nose run clear liquid from time to time?

Based upon what you've done so far, it doesn't sound like a flea problem. After thorough examination, you've seen no fleas or flea dirt (looks like tiny coffee grounds next to the skin), though for certain dogs with flea sensitivities, one bite can cause a chain reaction. My guess is that you're dealing with something environmental. Oscar's skin and IBD gets worse when we go through certain seasonal changes, like from winter to spring, and summer to fall. He is sensitive to tree pollen and some molds, so he gets "itchy twitchy" those times of year. I have to bathe him more frequently then, to get the pollen off his fur, and keep the bacterial load on his skin down to a dull roar. The Douxo Chlorhexidine shampoo does the trick. Just have to make sure that you rinse the coat thoroughly, so that leftover shampoo residue doesn't cause additional itching.

If Izzo only had the white flakes, I might think you were simply dealing with dry skin, but when you add in the orange-red lesions, I think it's something more than that.

Skin issues can be very hard to diagnose, and quite frustrating, but you are jumping on this early, which is good. The longer Izzo goes on scratching, the more he is susceptible to hot spots and bacterial infections, which just complicate the situation.

Hope you figure this out soon.

Laurie and Oscar
Looks like a yeast infection to me
You could have it checked for 'walking dandruff'. That is what my sister's other dog has. It's a flakey piece that moves. It's a mite.
We've revisited the vet and 150 dollars later, we are trying a new plan. Unfortunately, the little guy gave himself a secondary infection despite my best efforts so that was a big piece of the vet bill.
Eevee and Bailey both have flaky spots. The flakes are white and they look brown on the skin. It flakes right off if I scratch them at all and looks normal under the skin. I know both of them have fleas right now thanks to the cats, dunno if that's got anything to do with it though since they've always had flaky spots like that.
:headbang: The itchy skin/dog discussions have been very helpful.
Willoughby has had another episode of flaky skin and itchy feet which he keeps chewing. :roll: The vet suggested an anti-dandruff shampoo which I use to wash his feet when we come in from a walk. I also dry each foot after. I've also used Tinactin powder at bedtime on front pads. I have been trimming the hair between the pads and on the toes. I also discovered two spots where he had been scratching , one under each ear which I'm trying to clear up as each spot has a scab on it. I have an antifungal, antibacterial cream that I used for another set of itch related problems last year.

These problems seem to be seasonal as wet weather spring and fall sets all this off. He's going to the groomer on Tuesday for a medicated bath and a haircut in anticipation of another visit to the vet! :(
:wag: Summer is super itchy at the moment. She has had fleas but they seem to be gone. I wash the areas on her back and when dry apply antiseptic powder. A few months ago I changed her food as I was struggling to get it unless it was on line (£30. is a lot to fork out when you are retired.) But the food she was on had something in that repelled fleas and I am sure her coat was a lot better. I have now found another stockist and I am really thinking about changing her back, as I am sure she was happier.
Please tell me that you've had some luck finding out what this is, my dog has the same exact thing!!!
8O I forgot that I had posted in 2012! We are now on Vancouver Island with. Warmer climate ( no snow, usually, in winter) I kept up washing his paws after each walk.

He contracted a staff skin infection last summer and had to have frequent baths with a medicated shampoo. For several months. Very expensive, done by the groomer. :roll: This cleared up and though his skin is dry, this part of him is fine. He is on a capsule of salmon oil twice a day. This is helping the dryness. :D

This summer, just as I got back on my feet after breaking a hip in this garden, he injured a cruciate ligament in his right rear leg. :headbang: Meant vet bills +++!
He now has a brace on the leg. Yesterday, he had his first pleasant short walk in two months.

Needless to say, his skin took a back seat. Off to the groomers nest week for a medicated bath after a much needed haircut. :phew:
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