4-month-old red poodle scratches his ears vigorously

Today, Tue Dec 6, 2011, I was surprised to see a trim couple in their late 20s all the way from Sengkang wanting to vaccinate their puppy (3rd vaccination). The puppy was bought from a groomer in Pasir Ris with scales like dandruff in the legs and ears and ear edges.

"My puppy keeps scratching her ears vigorously," the wife said. The edges of both ears had fine scales. The ear pinnae, the four legs also had lots of scales. What's the cause?

SKIN SCRAPINGS 3 AREAS
I suspect scabies. I used a new scalpel blade and scrape the skin of ear edges and the paw. No ringworm. No mites seen under the microscope.
"No mites can be seen as it is possible that the experienced groomer-breeder has had treated this puppy," I said. "The mites are deep under the skin and that is why they are so irritating as they tunnel under the skin and breed."

No proof of mites but I could demonstrate the ear scratch reflex. I rubbed the edge of the right ear and the right hind limb starts to wriggle and ready to scratch the flank and chest.

GRATE + PEN TRAINING.
The puppy was paper-trained in a confined area for the first 5 days but started accidents as the wife decided to widen the space for the puppy. "It should take 14 days of close confinement to succeed in paper training," I said. "The puppy can go inside the crate (grate+pee pan) as a toilet or living den. However, the couple bought a grate + pee pan. It worked. So good.