just a skin infection or underlying cause?(long)

Hi all, I did a friends short haired collie x yesterday, when she called to book her in she explained that she had bad skin and was considering getting her clipped or something, so I immediately assumed she was medium/long haired and indeed either a really thorough groom or clip would probably clear the bad skin as is usually the case with collies with a clogged up coat and dead hair.Only when she brought her in I soon discovered she was more like a collie greyhound mix with a short coat(although it was thick in places)When I looked at her she had crusty lumps all over her chest that looked dark brown like dried blood almost and they were on her shoulders and the back legs also, a couple on her eyelids and some patches of what I can only decribe as 'soggy' looking skin on the end of her ears(it was pale and looked like when you're in the bath too long)I bathed her in an aloe/medicated shampoo and when drying/grooming her the crusty bits came out and took chunks of hair with them it didn't seem to bothr her and felt better after but I've never seen bad skin like this before,I advised she go and get a blood test and another look at by the vet but has anyone here any ideas as to what it could be?She looked about 10 I'd say(forgot to ask)and the skin on her back was perfect all the way to the tip of her tail and her coat was beatifully shiny

Hi Perrypooh it could be any number of things mange/ eczema/dermatitis/allergy and the vet should really see the dog ASAP for a skin scrape .If skin conditions are left untreated the dog can get a secondary bacterial infection.

I agree the vet should be approached in order to rule out an underlying cause.
There is more than one type of mange it might be, and a skin scrape will either rule it out altogether, or pinpoint which.

It might be a wet eczema - but whatever it is (or isnt), the dog realy needs to be seen by a vet.

good luck

thandi