Why Is My Dog Itching? Causes Beyond Fleas

Itching is a symptom, not a diagnosis, and the commonest mistake is treating every itchy dog with the same shampoo.

Parasites

Fleas remain the most common cause. Sarcoptic mange is intensely itchy, often at the ear margins and elbows, and is contagious to people. Demodex is usually less itchy and appears as patchy hair loss.

Infections

Bacterial pyoderma and yeast (Malassezia) thrive in India's humidity, particularly in skin folds and ears. A greasy coat with a distinctive smell points towards yeast.

Allergy

Environmental allergy (atopy) is seasonal at first and often affects paws, face and belly. Food allergy is less common than the internet suggests and needs a strict 8-week elimination diet to diagnose — not a switch to a 'grain-free' bag.

What to do

Skin scraping and cytology are cheap and settle most of these questions in one visit. Steroids stop the itch but treat nothing; used repeatedly without a diagnosis they cause real harm.