Boston Terriers and skin irritations

Question
I am scheduling my Boston Terrier for a vet check-up next week.  My question is in regards to her skin.  A couple of months ago we bought her a new collar (standard) and she developed an irritation under it.  We took it up and it cleared up slightly.  When we put it back on she immediately got another irritation.  We bought her a leather collar (which is on extremely loose) and had the same problems.  She has lost all of her hair on her neck and nothing has cleared it up.  Yesterday we noticed that she has now lost her hair behind ears and the ears look all dug up, both on the outside and the inside.  Could she have mites or an allergy?  Should I push for a test for mites?  We have a cat who has not exhibited any problems and our house is clean and the house and yard are sprayed regulary for bugs!!!  I don't know how she could have picked up any bugs??

Answer
Hi Stacie.  I'm glad to read that you have an appointment scheduled with your vet next week.  There are a number of things that could be causing your Boston skin irritation.  

Flea treatments.  Some dogs develop skin irritants to certain brands of flea medications.

Flea Dermatitis.  Often, dogs suffering from Flea Dermatitis show no signs of having fleas.  This is because they are so itchy, they groom themselves excessively, eliminating the evidence.  This might be the case with your Boston and why you wrote that, "the ears look all dug up."

Mites can also be the cause, and her diet could play a role.  It is best to have your vet run tests to confirm or rule out any of these causes.

Good luck, and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have additional questions.  Sincerely, Penny D.