Should I apply medicated dog shampoo directly to skin or hands?

The key to using the medicated shampoo is contact time. After lathering, the shampoo needs 10-15 minutes of contact time with the skin/coat before rinsing. The Dechra brand is fine. When there is an active skin issue bathing should be twice a week with using the spray or mousse in between. Once looking better, you can decrease frequency of the products.

The medicated shampoo must have contact time. You need to lather it on and then leave it on for 10-15 minutes before rinsing. You also need to be bathing in this fashion every 2-3 days until the skin is looking better. Skin issues like this take a few weeks to clear up so you won't see an immediate response.

If you bought it over the counter (OTC), no prescription is needed. Directions for use should be on the container. Do not bathe more often than directed since this may make the itching worse and can dry out the skin. Try to determine the underlying cause of the itch. This may require a visit and exam with your veterinarian. Causes may include skin infection, external parasites, allergies or food sensitivities.

It depends on the type of shampoo and how long ago the advantage was applied. But many medicated shampoos are designed to strip grease and keratin from the skin and those will certainly decrease the effectiveness of the advantage. If a medicated bath is necessary and it is close to time to reapply I would plan to reapply the advantage. Or speak to your vet about oral flea medications.

All of the brands you listed are good shampoos. Duoxo is one of my go to shampoos but many are equivalent. A chlorhexadine/ketoconazole shampoo helps treat yeast and bacteria. The main thing is to lather Sibyl up and allow the lather to soak for 20 minutes or so before rinsing. If needed you can bathe every 2-3 days. I also recommend an oral omega 3 supplement such as Derm Caps. Remember if you use topical flea or heart worm prevention the medicated shampoos will strip it out. I recommend oral preventatives for dogs getting medicated baths. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/nutrition-skin-and-dogs https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/pruritus-itching-and-scratching-in-dogs I hope this helps. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Any topical/spot on medications should not be used 48hours before or after shampooing. These medicaitons work through the oils in the coat which are stripped by shampoo hence making them poorly or ineffective

Itching can be due to a flea infestation, so it's good to apply the flea medication. In cases of long-standing, or severe itching there is a chance that secondary skin infections may form. A medicated shampoo would be helpful for controlling infection, but would not be helpful for the primary cause of the itch. If you do use the shampoo, then it's best to do it before you apply the flea treatment, or at-least 48 hours after. For more information about relieving itching, I recommend you read the short article at the link below. https://www.petcoach.co/article/4-great-strategies-for-relieving-your-dog-s-allergies/ I hope that helps and all is well with Baby.