Causes, Symptoms, and How to Help Your Dog Feel Better
Updated April 2026
If your Chihuahua is constantly scratching, licking, or losing hair, you’re not alone. Skin problems are one of the most common health issues in Chihuahuas—and they can be frustrating for both you and your pup.
The good news? Most Chihuahua skin issues can be managed (and even prevented) once you understand what’s causing them.
Chihuahua skin problems are commonly caused by allergies, fleas, infections, or dry skin. Symptoms include itching, redness, hair loss, and scabs. Treatment depends on the cause and may include flea control, medicated shampoos, diet changes, or veterinary care.
What Causes Skin Problems in Chihuahuas?
Chihuahuas have sensitive skin, which makes them more prone to irritation, infections, and allergies. Some causes are mild and easy to fix, while others need veterinary care.
Here are the most common reasons your Chihuahua may be having skin issues:
1. Allergies (Very Common)
Allergies are one of the top causes of itchy skin in Chihuahuas.
They can be triggered by:
- Food (chicken, beef, grains)
- Environmental allergens (pollen, dust, mold)
- Fleas
Signs of allergies:
- Constant scratching or licking
- Red or inflamed skin
- Ear infections
- Chewing on paws
👉 Related post: Dog Food Allergy Symptoms
2. Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD)
This is more serious than just having fleas.
Even one flea bite can trigger an intense allergic reaction in sensitive Chihuahuas.
Signs:
- Severe itching
- Hair loss near the tail and back
- Small scabs or bumps
👉 Tip: Year-round flea prevention is one of the best things you can do.
3. Bacterial Skin Infections (Pyoderma)
These often develop after your dog has been scratching due to allergies or irritation.
Signs:
- Red bumps or pus-filled spots
- Crusty or scabby skin
- Hair loss in patches
👉 These infections usually require vet treatment with antibiotics.
4. Yeast Infections
Yeast thrives in warm, moist areas like skin folds and ears.
Signs:
- Strong odor
- Greasy or sticky skin
- Darkened skin
- Constant licking
👉 Yeast infections often go hand-in-hand with allergies.
5. Mange (Mites)
Mange is caused by microscopic mites and can be very uncomfortable.
Types:
- Demodectic mange (more common, less contagious)
- Sarcoptic mange (very itchy and contagious)
Signs:
- Hair loss
- Scabs
- Intense itching
6. Ringworm (Fungal Infection)
Despite the name, ringworm is not a worm—it’s a fungus.
Signs:
- Circular patches of hair loss
- Scaly or crusty skin
- Mild itching
⚠️ Important: Ringworm can spread to humans, so treat it quickly.
7. Parasites (Beyond Fleas)
Other parasites can also cause skin problems.
These include:
- Ticks
- Lice (rare but possible)
- Skin mites
👉 Regular grooming and checks help catch these early.
8. Dry Skin (Especially in Winter)
Dry skin is very common in Chihuahuas, especially in colder months.
Signs:
- Flaky skin (dandruff)
- Mild itching
- Dull coat
9. Contact Dermatitis
This happens when your dog’s skin reacts to something it touched.
Common triggers:
- Grass
- Cleaning products
- Fabrics or detergents
Signs:
- Red belly or paws
- Sudden irritation after exposure
10. Hormonal (Endocrine) Issues
Less common, but important—especially in older Chihuahuas.
Possible causes:
- Hypothyroidism
- Cushing’s disease
Signs:
- Thinning coat
- Symmetrical hair loss
- Darkened skin
11. Sunburn (Yes, Really!)
Chihuahuas—especially light-colored or short-haired ones—can get sunburned.
Signs:
- Red or irritated skin
- Peeling
- Sensitivity to touch
👉 Keep sun exposure limited during peak hours.
Signs Your Chihuahua Has a Skin Problem
If you notice any of these symptoms, your dog may have a skin issue:
- Constant scratching or licking
- Red or inflamed skin
- Hair loss
- Scabs or sores
- Bad odor
- Flaky or greasy coat
When to See a Vet
Some skin problems need professional treatment.
Call your vet if:
- Symptoms last more than a few days
- Skin looks infected (pus, swelling, odor)
- Hair loss is spreading
- Your dog seems uncomfortable or in pain
How to Prevent Skin Problems in Chihuahuas
Prevention can save you a lot of stress (and vet bills).
Simple ways to protect your Chihuahua’s skin:
- Use year-round flea prevention
- Feed a high-quality, balanced diet
- Avoid overbathing
- Use gentle, dog-safe shampoos
- Wash bedding regularly
- Check your dog’s skin weekly
👉 Related post: 20 Dangerous Things to Keep Away from Your Chihuahua
Final Thoughts
Skin problems in Chihuahuas are common—but they’re also manageable once you know what to look for.
The key is catching issues early, understanding the cause, and taking the right steps to treat and prevent them.
If your Chihuahua is scratching more than usual, don’t ignore it—your pup is trying to tell you something.
Cathy Bendzunas
Pet Blogger
Dr. Sara Ochoa
DVM
This article has been fact-checked and approved by Dr. Sara Ochoa DVM. You can read more about her on our About page.
Jax n daisy shampoo and lotion has helped my baby!I bathe her twice a week and apply lotion after each bath.I swear by it!
What kind of lotion do you use K.C.?
Hello I’m Candy with two 8 yr. Old chis. My husband keeps bathing almost every other day because they lick,scratch and rub themselves on the carpet. I tell him we need flea meds. And all this bathing is only irritating them. He spends our money on different shampoo (which I could use to buy flea meds.) It’s either him or the dogs now. If he keeps this up can the oil help? I. Was giving them an egg every other day but he said too expensive. Again what kind of oil and where to get it? Thanks for any help you can give me.
Yeah he is definitely bathing them too much and is probably making their condition worse. They shouldn’t be washed more than once every few weeks, specially in the winter.
I just use coconut oil that I buy at Walmart in the baking section. I rub some into their skin and add a little to their food a few times a week too.
As for eggs being too expensive, for the money, they are one of the best values out there.
What does an egg do?
Eggs have certain amino acids in them Gary, that if we (or our dogs) don’t have enough of those acids, it can cause dry flaky skin.
Do you cook the eggs or give them to the dogs raw. Mine will not eat them raw.
Yes, I’d cook them. Mine love them scrambled.
All dogs need flea protection.
Try a topical called Dermascent. It’s applied behind the,neck like flea meds. It’s for dry itchy skin.
I haven’t heard of Dermascent before. I’ll have to look into it.
Is tea tree oil ok for dey akin?
Tea tree oil is better for skin infections and fleas. I’d use coconut oil for dry skin.
If you do use tea tree oil, you really need to dilute it as it’s too strong and can hurt your dog if used full strength.
Hello my little chi is always scratching turn really red and starts to scab s help I don’t know what to do
That looks like it could have gone into a skin infection. You need to get your baby to a vet. They will probably give them antibiotics and a skin cream.
The Jax n Daisy lotion.
Oh duh, just re-read your original comment and saw you said shampoo AND lotion.
My girl Godiva has had allergy problems and the itching that goes with it most of her life. I changed vets about a year ago and the new vet suggested half a pill of Apoquel every day. This has been a miracle pill for her.
That’s really interesting Nick! Thanks for letting us know about it.
I JUST GOT MY LIL BOY BJ AND I SEE NO FLEAS HE WEARS A FLEA COLLAR BUT HE SPENDS MOST OF HIS WAKING HOURS SCRATCHING AND I FEEL SORRY FOR HIM 🙁
It could be allergies or mites or one of the other things mentioned in the article. He should probably see a vet. In the meantime give him a bath with an oatmeal shampoo for dogs to help soothe his skin. You can also add a little coconut oil to his food and rub it into his skin. That will help if it’s just dry skin.
THANK YOU I WILL TRY THE OATMEAL BATH. I HAVE BEEN RUBBING NINERAL OIL ON HIS SKIN FOR THE PAST 2 DAYS AND HE HASNT BEEN SCRATCHING AS MUCH
I wouldn’t use mineral oil, if you can avoid it. It’s a petroleum product and may cause secondary irritation. Petroleum oils eliminate the skin’s ability to “breathe”. Try coconut better- but better for the skin and especially if he licks.
Good point. Coconut oil is wonderful for dogs and humans too.
OOPS MINERAL OIL LOL
He’s gorgeous Angela!
Hi. I was petting my 11 yr old chi yesterday and I noticed a small bump on the back of her neck. When I look at it, it was actually a scab and the skin was a little red and moist. What do u think could have caused this? I cleaned it and put a little neosporin. She has a bandana on now so she doesn’t scratch.
It sounds like it could be a bug bite Mary Ann.
What do u suggest I do? I’ve cleaned the area and put neosporin. I’ve never dealt with this before.
Sounds like you are doing the right thing. Just keep an eye on it. If it starts looking infected or gets a red streak coming from it, get her to the vet.
Thank you
So my peanut is miserable. She has some type of allergic reaction. I am taking her to the vet had a scrap test negative. Her ears are red and dry, loss of hair she’s had two Cortizone shots they worked for a while and it just comes back. I’ve switched laundry soap, dog foods, medication shampoo every thing I can think of . But she’s still suffering she’s 4 yrs and I have her sister with no problem s I have to keep separate bc Nails wants to lick peanut. Please any advice?? I’m worried she’s gonna die to young. Help ?
Poor Peanut! She sounds like she’s very allergic to something. You may want to make her food for awhile and just feed her things like cooked chicken, canned pumpkin and beef. Keep grains away from her. They tend to bring on allergies in dogs and many commercial dog foods have them in them.
Also, if you want, I can share your question on our facebook page. Maybe you can get some more ideas what to do from there. Let me know.
My chihuahua, Leela, has boils in her underbelly, sometimes disgusting growths that look like skin tags. She also started losing patches of hair. See attached picture. Do you think this is allergy, fungus or bacteria? Or whatever it is? I use a medicated shampoo that is antifungal and antibacterial but it does not seem to help. The poor dog looks at me as if begging for help. Please let me know right away. Please?
Ouch! Poor little girl, that looks painful. I’m not a vet so I can’t really say what that is but it definitely needs to be seen by a veterinarian.
Are there any signs of fleas? The smaller welts look kind of like flea bites but the fact that she has those big ones too, makes me think it’s something else.
If you can’t afford a vet, check to see if there are any veterinary colleges within driving distance. They will often provide treatment for free or greatly reduced charges. You can also see if your local SPCA has a veterinary clinic for the public. Ours does and it’s much cheaper than a regular vet. Please, though get her in to see one soon. I think that’s the only thing that can help her now.
You could try a cortisone cream like Cortizone 10 or Benadryl cream in the meantime to provide her some comfort.
Equal parts of water and vinegar rinse,after shampooing may help.
It’s worth a try Vickie.
Hi, chi, is having skin issues too, I put cortisone, I just started with that, about the have a oatmeal shampoo for him, but coconut oil, i can put it all over him, or just the belly?
You can put it all over, just rub it in good or he might be greasy. LOL
My Lucy has been miserable as I am . She is constantly chewing and has these dark spots and flaking on her lower belly and private area . I’ve tried dawn soap and diluted vinegar rinses, ever put vinegar in her water as I’ve read it helps control fleas but it doesn’t. As soon as I get the money I’m taking her to the vet because my poor baby girl is miserable
Poor baby! She may have developed a skin infection due to a flea allergy. She does need to see a vet as soon as possible. We have an article that may give you some ideas on how to be able to get her to the vet quicker: https://ilovemychi.com/what-to-do-when-you-cant-afford-vet-care/
Hi Liz, your chi’s belly looks very familiar. My chi gets more of them on her back. Vet seen it and nothing. One day I gave her my other dogs food that’s for dog with food allergies. Her skin started to get way better. Her hair even started to grow back. Hill’s Prescription Diet z/d in can. Your vet can give you a Rx or sometime they sale it.
I also give my dog Halo vegan formula. Only try Halo vegan after your dog’s system has been detox with the Hill’s z/d food.
I hope this helps you and other.
It’s not flea allergy. It’s food allergy
my chica is scratching like crazy and rubbing on the carpet. She is mostly scratching her back at the bottom of her tail. Her skin is red and irritated. Any home remadeis, cant aford vet.
It’s prime flea season now so there’s a good chance it’s fleas. We have a page with some home remedies for getting rid of fleas here: https://ilovemychi.com/best-natural-flea-treatments-for-dogs/
@Kyle,
I am not a vet, so you might want to verify this with your vet: I have heard dogs can develop allergies to chicken. If your dog’s food has chicken, you might want to change over to food without poultry in it to see if that helps.
Yep I have heard that too. They say it’s most likely from all the chemicals and hormones they shoor into them.
Baby Alex
Baby Alex is a total cutie Diane!
The article about herbs for dogs is really interesting. I would like to see more in-depth information on how to properly use them.
Also, is there a website with all the articles you have provided over the years?
Thank you for creating the newsletters.
If you look at the top of the page on my site, you will see the categories. Click on any of them that interest you and you will see a list of articles.
All good information and advice! My chi (short hair fawn colored deer head) presented with environmental allergies with excessive licking. She gets a cytopoint every few months now and the allergies are completely resolved. It’s weight based and she’s a larger lady at 9 # so the cost is based on weight. Amazing medication. It’s a bit pricy but so worth it! Definitely have your chi seen by the vet so they don’t suffer!
My Yorkie gets Cytapoint shots too. Nothing else works for him. My Chihuahua has a few food allergies and getting her off chicken helps her.
We live in Texas. After about a year of living with our family my chi developed skin allergies. We get frequent Cytopoint injections (every 1-2 months). Cytopoint is an injectable monoclonal antibody that helps stop itching. It’s been a miracle treatment. I have switched all of her washed items (bedding, blankets, etc.) to free and clear and add no scents or fabric softener (this was huge in helping her). Natural Dog Company makes several amazing products for this problem including shampoo (I have to wash her more often and the itchy skin shampoo actually helps make her skin better) and a skin smoother that has completely eliminated the yeast infections and irritation. I also clean her feet after walks, outings, and before bed with a product called Sleepy Cotton . Sometimes we use plain water wipes as used for infants. Because the allergies caused ear infections we had to do several vet treatments and I use another natural dog ear wipe and at bath time we use another ear wash. Her diet is turkey Farmer’s Dog and she takes a daily probiotic supplement by Pet lab company. I also make sure I keep her nails trim. Her vet is wonderful and all of the products were approved (I brought them in so I would know they were safe). We have used Bravecto since she came to be our dog.
I realize how crazy a lot this sounds and I feel grateful that I can do all these things to keep my chi happy and healthy. For a long time it felt hopeless but just keep researching and trying because when you finally find stuff that works it’s all worth it!
None of it sounds crazy. Those are all good ideas to try.