My Dog Has a Flaky Scalp

There are at least 30 potential causes for skin problems, including flaking, in dogs, according to veterinarian Holly Nash. Flaky skin may be nothing to worry about, or it may be a sign of an underlying disease requiring veterinary attention. If the dog is constantly scratching, it is in discomfort. The causes of skin problems, called dermatitis, can be grouped into six general categories, according to veterinarian T.J. Dunn, Jr.

  1. Environmental

    • Environmental dermatitis is caused by something the dog is exposed to in its environment. It's not the same as an allergy, but the skin reaction may be the same. Dogs may, for example, be sensitive to grass. Dogs may collect moisture on their skin from the environment resulting in eczema.

    Nutritional

    • Dogs can develop skin problems due to nutritional deficiencies. For example, there are types of dermatosis where the dog responds well to increasing levels of vitamin A or vitamin Z in the diet. Feeding a dog a high-quality food where meat is the first listed ingredient is crucial to providing proper nutrition.

    Parasitic

    • Dogs can develop flaky skin in reaction to the presence of a parasite, such as fleas, ticks and mites. There are two types of skin disorders caused by mites: sarcoptic and demodectic mange. Mites are hard to find so these infections tend to get misdiagnosed as allergic dermatitis.

    Allergic

    • Dogs, like people, can have allergic reactions to a wide variety of things, even to the bacteria on their own skin. Food allergies are a common cause of skin problems in dogs, so common that the first step in diagnosing a skin problem is recommending a change to a hypoallergenic diet. The difficulty with allergic reactions is ruling out the sheer number of potential causes.

    Neurogenic

    • Neurogenic dermatitis is the diagnosis for skin problems when all other causes have been ruled out and no obvious cause remains. The skin problems may stem from anxiety, boredom or obsession.

    Infectious

    • Infectious dermatitis is caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. A bacterial infection is called folliculitis and it may occur at the same time as another skin problem, such as mange and allergies. Fungal infections include ringworm and yeast.