what causes oily itchy hair ???
 

My little girl Lexi seems to have developed some sort of condition when she was about a year and a half years old. It began with a strip of her hair on her back turning black from a silver black mix. That began to be a bit itchy. Next her hair started getting oilier than normal to now maybe five months later being very oily and stinky and itchy. I keep her in a onsey so she doesn't keep making sores from scratch herself.
These are the things I tried changing thinking it might be allergies. Her food to Natural Balance with limited ingredients, shampoo and conditioner, our laundry detergent and softner washed the carpets with vinegar instead of pet carpet cleaner. I see no improvementand now she gets a bath every 3 days to control the oder. Oh yes she smell a bit like old or something strange. The things that remain the same are her treats 100% sweet potatoe sticks, carrots, and her dinner that consist of baby food carrots, baby food sweet potatoe sometimes organic fresh)mixed in imported organic Arborio(rice). I have to make this to put my boy yorkie, Charlie's medicine in for epilepsy.

If anyone has had the same problem and knows what I should do please let me know before I go crazy trying to figure it out. Thanks:aimeeyork

My wheaten terrier(now 12!) was a mess a few years ago- stinky greasy skin was one of the many problems. She seemed to be "allergic" to everything- the vet worked with me - we gave her a tiny amount of predisone (a steriod) -and I put her on a diet of fish, rice and green veggies,and a powdered probiotic. After a few months I was able to switch her to a grainfree, single protein food with digestive enzymes and probiotics to combat the yeast overgrowth. Three years later and she is much healthier than when she was young!

Acanthosis Nigricans in Dogs: Blackening Skin - VetInfo

I found this? Blackening of the skin though, not the hair?

Sounds like a yeast infection. I had a Shihtzu with the same problems. Could be caused by allergy. Mine was on and off steroids for years. It got so bad at times she was on antibiotics. The smell was terrible!

Was the strip of hair where you might have put flea meds? Lucy's hair changed color exactly where I had put the tube of liquid- she was so oversensitive to the meds but at the same time so crazy allergic to fleas.She is not on any treatment now and the fleas don't even bother her- maybe the yeast attracted them...

My dog smells bad AND has itchy skin- what's wrong? | Ruff Ideas

I found this but I'm not sure if it applies to your dog (only one way to find out) but the symptoms seemed to match so I figured I would post it. :]

Rita
 

Rita what food did you put her on in the end? Did your vet do any test to deterime it was yeast if so what were they? Thank so much

We had lots of yeast symptoms, gross ears, runny eyes,anal gland impaction, oily greasy stinky skin, hot spots etc. Our vet is really easy going and while suggesting allergy testing- he knew I wasn't crazy about the cost and travel for something that was not going to be conclusive, and had no complaints about me putting her on a stripped down diet for a while, she was otherwise "healthy".Once he saw the difference he said there seemed to be no harm in continuing. I tried Canadae dry food and was really pleased with the results but not the reviews (recalls) than found Taste of the wild- she ate it for over 2 yrs except for recall- now we switched to Earthborn Holistics - all foods were fish protein only- no chicken, no grain- pork and corn sets her off quickly. I still sprinkle probiotics on her food, feed lots of green beans. She is nice and thin and looks younger than 12.(except almost blind)

Skin allergies can definitely cause greasy skin and hair - especially when the allergies are acting up.