My 2 year old Golden Retreiver has thinning fur right before his hind quarters on both sides of his body and has a dull coat. He does not have fleas and is not itching. We've tried a lot of diet fatty acids but they are not helping. The veterinarian said it may be thyroid problems. But before we go get a T3 and T4 done what else could it be?

My dog has started licking his feet and getting a space on the sheets wet from the licking. I have thought about allergies, but we've had him about 3 years and he has just begun this behavior. What can be done to eliminate the problem? Could it be that his nails are too long or they might be bothering him somehow? I don't think he's walking through anything that might cause his paw to sting or burn. He doesn't seem to have any cuts or infections in the nail area. This behavior is getting habitual. It does seem he does it more often after coming in from the outside, although he does do it while inside also.

What exactly is a "hot spot"?

We have a black Labrador Retriever puppy and he has small ciruclar spots where he loses his hair. It starts as a small circle were skin is raised and crusty. Any ideas?

Our dog is a shepherd/lab mix. She is about 4 years old. She is in very good health. The problem is that she smells horrible. We have tried everything. Within a day or two of her bath or her visit to the groomer she smells. Could this be some sort of medical problem? I keep trying to get my husband to take her to the veterinarian, but he isn't convinced that it is anything but the fact she is just a smelly dog.

I have a Great Pyrenese mountain dog, she is a spayed female and is 9 1/2 years old. This year is the first year she has ever gotten fleas I bathed her with flea shampoo and there is no more fleas but she is still scratching and chewing at her abdomin. There is a rash like apperance with small scabs. What can I do?She is on lamb and rice food as she was tested and is alergic to all other meats.

Our Pug puppy has dark patches in his arm pits and on his stomach. They started out as a lighter pink but have gradually got darker. We've fallen behind in his flea treatment but he doesn't scratch and they don't bother him. This has been over a period of about 4 weeks. Any ideas what might cause them?

I have a 5 yr old Shih-Tzu and he chews on his feet a lot, mostly his back feet. All four of his feet are turning a rust color. What is this?

She has a severe itching problem ever since my husband bathed her in baby shampoo. She has scratched herself raw in spots. How can I help her?

Shih Tzu adult male (5 years old) scratches excessively. Advantage is used for flea control. Outdoor area is cement. Indoor is floor boards. Basic diet (hasn't been changed) is boiled chicken and rice. Any suggestions on what may cause this annoying habit?