Symptoms

• Symptoms aside from scratching, licking and chewing that indicate skin problems in dogs include: redness, swelling, scaly areas, scabs, rashes, hives, lesions, fluid drainage, discoloration and bald spots.
  
  

Common Problems

• Excessive scratching in dogs often is caused by parasites such as sarcoptic mange mites, fleas and ear mites. Additional causes include: fungal infection such as ringworm, allergies, changes in hormone levels, anxiety and boredom.
  
  

Diagnosis

• Skin problems in canines are diagnosed by veterinarians by performing any combination of the following tests: physical examination, blood analysis, microscopic skin examination and allergy analysis.
  
  

Treatment

• Treatment for skin problems and itching in dogs varies based upon the underlying condition causing the symptoms and may include: topical parasitic treatments, dietary changes, antihistamines, antibiotics and corticosteroids.
  
  

Warning

• In order to properly treat the underlying condition and prevent possible complications, it is important to seek veterinary help as soon as a dog begins displaying any symptoms of skin problems.