Is homemade baking soda shampoo safe for my itchy dog's wiry coat?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Baking soda is used by many dog owners to treat skin rashes and skin allergies. It is meant to reduce skin itchiness. Baking soda should not irritate the skin unless your dog is very sensitive to it.

I would be concerned the baking soda would dry the skin out and cause irritation. Unfortunately a homemade shampoo like this is unlikely to kill fleas. It may slow them down while they are wet and allow you to pick them off, but it will not kill them. There is not an effective "natural" flea killing product unfortunately, as fleas are very hardy. A shampoo will also only be effective at killing the fleas on your pet at that moment and will not prevent more fleas from the environment from infesting your pet. I would recommend talking to your vet about the flea prevention options available at their office. There are a variety of very effective products now available including topical products like Advantage, oral products like Nexgard and Bravecto, and some effective long lasting collars such as the Seresto collar. You can read more about fleas at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=7955321

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. No, I do not recommend using human shampoo on your dog. The pH is different between our skin and a dog's. This can cause irritation. I would use a moisturizing pet shampoo and conditioner such as an oatmeal or fatty acid based formula. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Please do not use baking soda on Quinn. It is hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks like she may have a skin infection. If she does, that could be the source of her odor. I recommend taking her to a vet for an exam. They may need to look at her skin cells under a microscope to determine the cause. Once a diagnosis is made, they can give her medications to help with the odor. Good luck and kisses to Quinn!

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.

I would suggest starting with the following; Hot spot cream on the red crusted areas Bathe as infrequently as you can as the natural oils dogs produce in their skin is washed away with baths Use an e-collar to stop chewing and biting Use a natural, organic and gentle shampoo- Earthbath Oatmeal and Aloe Add a skin health supplement with omega fatty acids and vitamin E Here is a link to suplements are Veterinary tested and approved. I would advise Canine Omega Benefits and Cutaneo TruBenefits. http://www.vrshealth.com/canine-products/?petcoach=1977955 Switch to skin health food by royal canin, Hills science diet or purina pro plan Benadryl has been used in the short term to reduce itching https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/ Best of luck and please post any further questions you may have here. We are happy to help.

I wouldn't recommend adding either of these essential oils to your pets shampoo because they don't provide any health benefits for your dog. Also there is no literature to suggest what is a safe dosage that can be applied to your pet, if at all. If your pet has some skin condition then I would encourage buying a shampoo that is already formulated and tested as safe for Boovs to have. The Duoxo shampoo line (available on line through amazon.com) is a safe and effective alternative that can help if Boovs has a certain skin condition. If he doesn't have a skin condition then a regular over the counter aloe based or oatmeal based puppy shampoo is adequate. The haircoat is most affected by what the pet eats than what is applied topically. Feeding a high quality puppy food such as Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Evo, or Eukanuba are best. Best wishes with Boovs and his skin. Take care.