Seborrhea in Dogs

By the Dog Health Handbook team · Updated October 23, 2026 · Fact-checked against current veterinary references (see sources)

Key takeaways

Most seborrhea is secondary to hormone disease or allergies.
Primary seborrhea is inherited, usually starting before age 2.
Dry (sicca) and oily (oleosa) forms often occur together.
Medicated shampoos are matched to the skin type.
Primary seborrhea is lifelong but can be controlled.

Table of Contents

Research Types Causes Diagnosis Treatment Outlook FAQ Sources

Skin Infections and Coat Problems Quicklinks

Skin Infections Pyoderma (Staph) Yeast Infections Pimples and Bumps Dry Skin Dandruff Seborrhea Hair Loss Black Skin

Seborrhea in dogs is a skin disorder that causes excess scaling (flakes), and sometimes a greasy coat, often with a strong odor and secondary infection.¹ Most dogs have secondary seborrhea, caused by another problem. The most common causes are hormone diseases such as hypothyroidism and Cushing's disease, and allergies.^2,1 Primary seborrhea is an uncommon inherited disorder that usually begins before age 2 in breeds such as Cocker Spaniels, West Highland White Terriers, Basset Hounds and English Springer Spaniels.^2,3 It comes in dry (sicca) and oily (oleosa) forms, and most dogs have a mix.⁴ Treatment involves treating the cause and any yeast or bacterial infection, plus medicated shampoos, usually 2 to 3 times a week at first.^2,3 Secondary seborrhea can clear when the cause is treated. Primary seborrhea can't be cured but "can be controlled with continuous treatment."²

See your vet if your dog has:

A greasy, smelly coat, or yellow-brown waxy crusts in skin folds, on the neck or on the feet, which often mean yeast or bacteria^3,2
Itching, red skin, sores or hair loss^1,3
Repeated ear infections along with skin problems³
Scaling with weight gain, tiredness, increased thirst or a pot belly, which can be signs of hormone disease^5,6

What the Research Says

Rule out everything else first. Merck advises that a primary seborrhea diagnosis "should be reserved for cases in which all possible underlying causes have been excluded."²
Newer topical routines. In a 2023 controlled study of 18 dogs with chronic greasy seborrhea, a plant-extract shampoo and mousse reduced clinical scores by 91% by day 24.⁷
Help for allergic dogs. A 2024 trial in 46 atopic dogs found a gentle shampoo plus a soothing mousse cut seborrhea scores by more than half within 14 days.⁸
A look-alike disease. Sebaceous adenitis, an inflammatory disease of the skin's oil glands, also causes scaling. A Swedish study of 104 dogs found it most often in English Springer Spaniels, Standard Poodles and Akitas.⁹

Types of Seborrhea

Seborrhea sicca (dry): loose white to gray scales and a dull, dry coat. It's most common in Dobermans, Irish Setters, German Shepherds and Dachshunds.³
Seborrhea oleosa (oily): "malodorous, greasy skin and hair coat" with yellow-brown waxy material, often with ear infections. It's most common in Basset Hounds, American Cocker Spaniels, Springers, Labradors, Shar-Peis and West Highland White Terriers.³
Seborrheic dermatitis: greasy scaling with inflamed, itchy skin³

Causes

Secondary seborrhea (most dogs) can be caused by:^4,2,1

Hypothyroidism and Cushing's disease
Allergies
Fleas, ticks and mites
Malassezia yeast and bacterial infections
Diets low in omega-3 fatty acids
Changes in temperature or humidity
Obesity or joint problems that stop a dog from grooming

Primary seborrhea is inherited and lifelong.^3,10 In West Highland White Terriers it's inherited as a recessive trait.³

Diagnosis

Vets start with skin scrapings for mites, cytology for yeast and bacteria, and blood tests for hormone disease.² The pattern of itch helps: little itching suggests hormone or internal disease, while significant itching suggests allergies, scabies or fleas.¹ Treating infections first matters, because infections may cause much of what's seen.¹ A skin biopsy confirms primary seborrhea or sebaceous adenitis.^2,10

Treatment

Treat the underlying cause and any infection.^2,1
Medicated shampoos matched to the skin:^2,3
- Dry, mild scaling: moisturizing shampoos and rinses
- Heavy scaling: sulfur or salicylic acid
- Greasy skin: benzoyl peroxide, tar, sulfur or selenium sulfide
- Yeast: chlorhexidine and antifungal shampoos¹¹
Bathing schedule: usually 2 to 3 times a week at first, then once or twice a week for maintenance. Scaling can briefly look worse in the first 2 weeks of a scale-removing shampoo.^2,3
Leave the shampoo on for about 10 minutes before rinsing, or as long as your vet advises.¹²
Omega-3 fatty acids and other prescribed medicines may help some dogs.^4,13

Never use a shampoo made for people without your vet's approval.¹

Outlook

Secondary seborrhea often improves or clears when the cause is controlled.^2,3 Primary seborrhea is lifelong, and the goal is control rather than cure.^3,2

Frequently Asked Questions

What does seborrhea look like on a dog?

Flaky scale, often with a greasy, smelly coat and waxy crusts in skin folds.

Does seborrhea go away?

Secondary seborrhea can clear when the cause is treated. Primary seborrhea is lifelong but manageable.

How often should I bathe a dog with seborrhea?

Usually 2 to 3 times a week at first, then once or twice a week.

Why is my dog's fur greasy and smelly?

Often oily seborrhea with yeast or bacteria. Your vet can check with a quick skin test.

Is seborrhea contagious?

No, though some causes, such as mites, can spread.

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Sources and further reading

This article was rewritten and fact-checked on October 23, 2026 against current veterinary references and specialist guidelines:

White SD. Seborrhea in Dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual (pet owner version), updated September 2024.
Heinrich NA. Seborrhea in Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual, updated May 2025.
Torres SMF. Idiopathic Keratinization Disorders: Primary Seborrhea (Dogs and Cats). In: Small and Large Animal Dermatology Handbook, Vol. 2. University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing, 2025.
Barnes C, Weir M, Hunter T, Ward E. Seborrhea in Dogs. VCA Animal Hospitals, updated January 2026.
Apostolopoulos N. Understanding and Treating Canine Alopecic Dermatoses. Today's Veterinary Practice, March/April 2025.
Cornell Riney Canine Health Center. Hypothyroidism. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Kondratjeva J, Brun J, Amalric N, et al. Performance and tolerance of a protocol for idiopathic chronic greasy seborrhea in 18 dogs using a shampoo and mousse containing plant extracts. Veterinary Sciences, 2023.
Noli C, Morelli G, della Valle MF, Schievano C. Effects of a protocol combining a non-irritating shampoo and an adelmidrol-based adsorbent mousse on seborrhoea and other signs and symptoms secondary to canine atopic dermatitis. Veterinary Sciences, 2024.
Egenvall A, Bergvall K, Hernblad Tevell E. Sebaceous adenitis in Swedish dogs, a retrospective study of 104 cases. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, 2008.
Cannon AG. Hereditary Disorders of Keratinization. European Veterinary Conference (Voorjaarsdagen) proceedings, Amsterdam, 2007 (IVIS).
Bond R, Morris DO, Guillot J, et al. Biology, diagnosis and treatment of Malassezia dermatitis in dogs and cats: Clinical Consensus Guidelines of the World Association for Veterinary Dermatology. Veterinary Dermatology, 2020.
Weir M, Barnette C. How to Bathe Dogs with Medicated Shampoo. VCA Animal Hospitals, updated May 2026.
Prélaud P, Harvey R. Nutritional Therapy in Dermatology. In: Encyclopedia of Canine Clinical Nutrition, 2007 (IVIS).

About this article

Last updated October 23, 2026: fully rewritten using the Merck Veterinary Manual, VCA Animal Hospitals, an open veterinary dermatology textbook, IVIS proceedings and recent clinical trials, plus International Veterinary Information Service (IVIS) proceedings and research published 2022 to 2026.