Itchy skin from external parasites

Dogs can suffer from itchy skin due to a number of different factors. External parasites are a very common cause, and it is relatively easy to detect as you can often see them, or the traces of them. Food and environmental allergies can also be a cause. Below you will find an overview of various external parasites that can affect your dog:

Fleas

Not all fleas will cause problems for your dogs such as bird fleas, rat fleas and hedgehog fleas. These 3 flea types usually do not survive on the dog or external environment and will not persist. However, cat fleas survive on your dog or in the external environment for long periods of time and will cause prolonged itching and other issues if left untreated.

Symptoms of fleas:

• Severe itching, especially at the base of the tail
• Red, dry and inflamed skin
• Visible flea faeces that look like black dots on the skin. You can also see the fleas when they jump. Fleas are brown small insects.
• Hair loss, especially back, sides/flank, around the tail root and the rectum.

Flea prevention

• Use treatments like Spot On
• Insect repellant collar
• Insect spray

Ask your veterinarian to make a recommendation specifically for your dog and the area you live in.

Treatment for fleas:

• Treatment will often depend on the type of flea. Flea treatment will often be combined with a special shampoo and the use of a lice comb.
• Wash the dog bed, blanket, comb, brush and clean the house to remove any fleas, larvae and eggs. Machine wash at 60 degrees. You can use vinegar and essential oils like citronella and tea tree in the water as a natural insecticide.
• It may be necessary to contact pest control to clean the house.
• As a natural treatment, you can also rinse the dog’s coat after each bath with apple cider vinegar, as fleas do not like acidity. Mix 1 part vinegar in 5 parts lukewarm water (for example, 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and 5 cups of lukewarm water). Pour the mixture over your dog, being careful not to get the mixture in your dogs face, nose and eyes. Rub into the skin and coat.

Lice

A distinction is made between fur-eating lice and blood-sucking lice. Blood-sucking lice are most common in dogs. Luckily these do not affect humans.

Symptoms of lice:

• Severe itching
• Red, irritated and flaky skin
• If left too long blood-sucking lice can lead to anaemia
• You can see lice and their eggs as small black spots in the fur

Treatment of lice:

• Use lice repellent on the dog’s fur.
• Wash the dog bed, blanket, comb, brush. (Machine wash at 60 degrees). If they fit, then items can also be placed in the freezer.
• Clean the house.

3. Mites/scabies

Fox scabies

Fox scabies is a type of mite that can occur in areas where there are foxes, martens, lynx or wolves. Infection occurs when the dog is in contact with an animal infected with fox scabies, or an area that is infected such as clumps of fur and skin left behind. Fox scabies can also be transmitted between dogs. However, the mites do not survive a long time without a host, and dies if the temperature drops below zero.

Mites belong to the spider family, and they make folds under the skin where they lay eggs. It can be difficult to detect, but skin samples and blood tests are used.

Symptoms of fox scabies:

• Intense itching – often worse at night and due to heat
• Red skin, especially ears, chest, abdomen, and legs
• Dry crusts on the skin
• Hairless spots/loss of fur

Treatment of fox scabies:

• Remedies against parasites
• Antibiotics for secondary infections
• Wash the dog bed and collar at 60 degrees

Treatment of fur mites:

Fur mites can live for over 10 days without a host, and treatment should last for at least 2 months:

• Use treatments like Spot On
• Fur mites can live for over 10 days without a host, and treatment should last for at least 2 months
• Thorough cleaning of the house to remove the fur mites, their larvae and eggs

Ear mites

This mite lives on the surface of the dog inside the ear, causing itching and inflammation. It can live elsewhere on the body as well, so the whole animal must be treated. Ear mites are highly contagious and can be transmitted to humans. Additionally, ear mites can cause a secondary infection.

Symptoms of ear mites:

• The ears become red and sore
• May have sores inside the ears
• Heavy shaking of the head, and can rub the head against the floor
• Dark earwax (can look like coffee grounds)

Treatment of ear mites:

• Thorough ear cleaning
• Spotting liquid against parasites
• Antibiotic drops

Hair follicle mite (demodicosis)

Hair follicle mites, also known as demodectic mange, resides on the hair follicle. It is often transmitted from the female dog to her puppies. A weakened immune system, stress or genetic predisposition may contribute to harsher symptoms. Short-haired breeds are more predisposed to hair-follicle mites.

Symptoms of demodicosis:

• Hairless, red skin that may eventually become grey. Hair loss is often seen around the eyes
• The face, paws and forelegs are usually affected
• Dandruff,
• Itching is rare unless an infection occurs

Treatment of demodicosis:

There are 5 different types of demodicosis. The veterinarian will determine what form your dog has and plan treatment accordingly.

Ticks

Ticks are also a type of mite and can infect humans, animals and birds. The female tick sucks blood, and can therefore transmit diseases (including Lyme Disease). Your dog is at the greatest risk of contracting Lyme Disease when the female tick is in her nymph stage of development. 

You will find ticks in humid areas such as the groin or armpit. When the female is full of blood, she looks like a pea-sized grey balloon. Once full, she will fall off the skin. Though, it is recommended to remove the tick before this happens.

Symptoms of Lyme Disease:

• Fever
• Lethargic
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Joint pain

Anaplasmosis is another disease that can be transmitted from ticks. The symptoms vary greatly but your dog will be lethargic. Both Lyme disease and Anaplasmosis are treated with antibiotics.

Preventing ticks:

First and foremost, it is important to check how widespread ticks are in the area you walk your dog. Your dog must be checked every day to remove ticks. If you find ticks they must be removed immediately *. There is a vaccine that dogs can get before the tick season. It protects against the 3 most common ticks we have in the Nordic countries. Check with your veterinarian if they offer this.

Treatment:

• Drops against ticks
• Insect spray
• Tick collar
• Tablets against ticks

*How to remove ticks – Use tweezers or tick forceps. To easily remove the tick, spin/massage the tick before you twist it out with tweezers. Do not worry if you do not manage to remove the whole tick, the rest will eventually come out.