What Causes Golden Crusts Around a Dog’s Ears?

Golden or yellowish crusts can come from more than one problem, so it's hard to give a confident guess. Honey-colored crusts are typical of a bacterial skin infection, which your vet has already found. But thick, yellowish crusts on the ear edges, with itching on the forearms, under the legs and neck, are also classic for sarcoptic mange (canine scabies), especially in a dog who's spent time in a shelter.

Negative scrapings don't rule scabies out. The mites are hard to find and are missed in about half of cases. Many dogs with scabies are first diagnosed with allergies or infection, and vets often treat for scabies anyway when the signs fit, using a product such as Revolution or Advantage Multi, which are FDA-approved for sarcoptic mange. A good response helps confirm it.

Ask your vet whether a scabies treatment trial makes sense for Baxter, and whether other dogs in the home should be treated too. Demodectic mange is less likely since it's usually not very itchy. Read more about the signs of sarcoptic mange.

This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.