Q. Dr. Barry, I have a question regarding ear mites and general body scratching. I have used ear cleaner and ear mite medicine, but there is still black crud still in my dog's ears. Also, I used K9 Advantix for fleas and don’t see fleas on my dog, but he is scratching. Could it be from dry skin because he stays in AC all day?
A. Thank you for your question.
If you have used medication for ear mites and there is still black debris in the ear, your dog could have an ear infection.
A dog that is scratching a lot could have allergies and dogs with allergies are predisposed to getting ear infections.
There are many other reasons why a dog would scratch as you mentioned fleas because flea allergies can cause scratching.
Using K9advantix monthly should eliminate the flea population.
Dry skin can cause itching and also scale or dandruff. I would recommend visiting a veterinarian to determine the exact cause and recommend the best treatment for that problem.
However, there are some things you can try some things at home for allergies and dry skin.
Using in capsules for pets can help with dry skin and alleviate some allergy symptoms.
We sell a spray called Pramoderm that helps to stop itching with a topical anesthetic and also has Omega-6 fatty acids and oatmeal in it to help moisturize the skin. I have used this product for many years at our clinic.
Comfort Spray will not address the problem in the ears, and if you have used ear mite medication as recommended it should have cleared the ear mites unless there is a source of reinfection.
Outdoor cats are the most common source of ear mites.
The ears should be seen by a veterinarian and prescribed the best treatment probably including antibiotics and a topical medication.
