Why is my dog's fur moving, mangey, and waxy? Could it be parasites?

It could be mange or it could be a severe infection of bacterial or fungal nature. The only way to find out would be to have your veterinarian physically examine your dog and perform a skin scrape or culture of the skin. These tests may diagnose the underlying cause which can then be treated.

The pictures are too blurry and not close up enough for me to tell exactly what you are talking about. If they are ticks they will have legs if you look closely. If you see ticks you can remove them. If you are not sure how to do that you can watch YouTube videos on how to do it properly. Red mange (or demodecosis) is unlikely in a dog this age unless she is very immunocompromised or stressed. If she didn't have it as a puppy then she is unlikely to have it now. There is no way to tell if it is mange for sure without a deep skin scraping. I honestly think the most likely thing going on is a bacterial skin infection. If you are unsure of what is going on you can always take her to your vet for an exam. If you want to wait and see since it is not bothering her you can always try a medicated shampoo like this one: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Veterinary-Formula-Clinical-Care-Medicated-Shampoo-for-Dogs-Cats-Antiseptic-Antifungal-16-0-FL-OZ/24893142 Lather, let sit on her coat for 10 minutes and then rinse thoroughly. You can do this 2-3 times per week. If after a couple weeks there is no improvement then she should definitely see your vet. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I would recommend that you have your dogs checked out by a vet. Dog mites (scabies and demodex) are not usually seen with the naked eye, they need to be visualized under a microscope. I think what you may be seeing is inflamed hair follicles and the brown stuff may be flea dirt (or the feces of fleas). If you are truly seeing crawling insects, then this may be a secondary infection, one that is not primarily found on dogs. A vet will be able to examine the skin and take a few samples for microscopic examination so a diagnosis can be made and proper treatment initiated.

Oh goodness. That sounds really uncomfortable. It sounds like she really needs to see a veterinarian. The white worms you are seeing may be maggots in her infected skin. This could potentially become sepsic and be fatal. Please have her seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. I hope she improves quickly.

Hello, there are multiple different medications for different type of parasites. Parasites of the skin may include fleas, lice, ticks, or mites. You would need to differentiate between these type of parasites to determine which medication is needed. Hope this help and best of luck.

I am so sorry that you are having this problem with Gracie. I certainly understand how frustrating it is to watch her be so itchy. I have a few suggestions for you. There are a number of reasons for skin problems in dogs. This article does an excellent job of describing them. You could be dealing with allergies (of various types), external parasites (such as fleas or mites), or secondary infections (bacterial or yeast). https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-is-my-dog-so-itchy/ This is also an excellent article on itching in dogs and the possible causes and treatments. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2604 Since Gracie has a strong smell to her if she isn't bathed regularly, you might be dealing with a yeast or Malassezia infection. I have attached more information on that below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=466 Malassezia can be very itchy and often requires a medicated antifungal shampoo or even oral antifungal medications to resolve. So, be sure to have your vet do a skin cytology to check for Malassezia. Another option would be to consult a dermatologist. Allergies can be very frustrating to control and working with a specialist can often make this easier. You can find a dermatologist near you here. http://www.acvd.org/tools/locator/locator.asp?ids=16_Find_Dermatologist Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ivy. Sarcoptic mange is typically spread to dogs from wildlife and is extremely itchy. Fleas are very itchy as well, but not likely if she is on prevention. Demodex is another type of mange, but typically results in bald lesions. It is not usually itchy. Allergic skin disease can cause rash like lesions. It is usually itchy as well. This can be due to an allergy to something in her diet, environment or even something she has contact with such as bedding. I recommend bathing her with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner such as an oatmeal or fatty acid based formula. This can soothe the skin. If the lesions do not heal, then she will need to see her veterinarian. I hope this information helps!