Australian sheppard - skin/ear problems with head shaking and flaking itchy skin?

healthy 4 yr old has chronic ear discharge (black/brown - foul smell), ears are swabbed with cotton - antibiotic drops and now drops for ear mites. skin scales stomach, hind legs and armpits. bathed twice a month with skin tx shampoo - has seasonal allergies but skin problems continue year round.

Australian sheppard - skin/ear problems with head shaking and flaking itchy skin?
Have you looked at his diet? That's usually the first place I go when dealing with an allergic dog.





Chronic ear infections usually go hand-in-hand with allergies.
Reply:ok?
Reply:Need to go to vet immediately. This can turn into something very serious called Ear Hematoma. This happened to my Uncle's dog. It started with irritation, but it got worse.


Eventually what happens is the ear swells up with a blood pouch. Surgery is required, and a dog's ear is never the same. Please get this checked before it develops into this.
Reply:Food Allergy. As a pet store employee, I see this all the time- chronic ear infections and severe skin problems with itching are classic signs.


As far as the 'scaling', it could just be that the problem has gone on long enough for the skin to scale, or it could be a form of mange.


You need to change your food to a (high quality!) dry food with no corn no wheat.


You may have to research how to read labels online, but I can recommend Innova, Avoderm (if no weight problem) some Nutro (check label) california natural, and there are other really good dog foods out there where the company has


used good products instead of wheat %26amp; corn fillers.


The dog will absorb more nutrients, too, so you may see less poop than usual.


There is also a fantastic additive designed for problems like your dog is having, called "Missing Link".


Right now you're only treating the symptoms, not the problem, and with skin that bad the next step is pyoderma- secondary infection caused by itching.