Lastly, investigate your pet's diet. A lack of fatty acids in your dog's diet may be a culprit as well. Talk to your veterinarian about possibly adding dietary supplements or merely upgrading the quality of your dog's food. The presence of dandruff can, however, indicate that the onset of serious health problems such as skin infections, allergies or an invasion of nasty parasites. There are three varieties of mange, each caused by a different species of mite.
Demodectic mange is caused by a microscopic mite that strikes puppies in their first year of life.
The mite is present in all dogs and most times will cause no symptoms while living deep in the animal's skin. In serious cases, the mites become numerous, sometimes hundreds in scarcely a square inch, and clog the hair follicles. The dog's skin becomes sore and oozes secretions and weakened hair will often fall out. If widespread on the dog's body the condition can be lethal and a veterinarian's attention is critical. The eggs hatch and the new mites repeat the process in less than a month.