Itchy on back.

Dr. Marie replied:

These are always frustrating problems, especially if your vet is stumped!

It's hard for me to add much without seeing Max, but I'll see if I can help out at all.

The first thing I would do if this were my case is to put him on a good prescription strength flea product even if I don't see fleas there. Some dogs are so allergic to fleas that even one bite will set them off with severe itchiness, especially in the area you have described.

I would probably also treat him with antibiotics for 4-8 weeks in case of infection.

If steroids have made no difference then I would consider doing a skin scraping to look for mange. Sarcoptic mange often will not respond to steroids and still be itchy.

If these things are not working then the next step is to have your vet take a biopsy of the area. It may seem a little pricey, but it will be the most accurate way to figure out what is going on.

Hope this helps!

Dr. Marie

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