Why does my allergic dog have oily fur, flakes, bad smell, and scabs?

A few things to consider. She should be tested for hypothyroidism to make sure she doesn't have a thyroid condition. She probably needs to be on some type of allergy medication long term to control any allergies that are contributing to her skin condition. Your vet could try an antihistamine, like hydroxyzine, and see if that helps. There is also a new medication called Apoquel which seems to work very well. She should also stay on the antibiotics for at least 3-4 weeks before stopping. Adding Free Form Snip Tips may also help keep her skin healthy. You could also try a hypoallergenic diet like z/d for 8 weeks and see if that helps. Lastly, you could take her to a veterinary dermatologist if your vet can't get her condition under control.

Apoquel usually works very well in dogs with atopic dermatitis. It does stop the pruritus (itch) in most cases. However, allergies don;t usually smell bad. Baxcterial infection or a mite infection can cause a bad, often sweetish smell, so unless your vet has checked your dog for sarcoptes mites or a bacterial infection on top of the allergy. Frequent bathing actually may cause higher skin grease production which gives bacteria a substrate to thrive on. So I suggest the following: 1) do not bathe your dog every other day 2) make an appointment with your vet for a skin swab ( to determine bacterial infection) and a skin scrape to be looked at under the microscope. 3) Your dog may need an antibacterial shampoo for bathing (frequency according to the instructions on the shampoo).

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Henry. This could be something such as superficial bacterial folliculitis, which causes scabs and bumps. This typically occurs due to underlying problems such as allergies, which he must have if he was on Apoquel. It seems like his allergies may not be controlled if he's getting this issue, so I would take him back into the vet. I'm not sure if Apoquel worked for him, but if it did, it might be advisable to put him back on it. Another drug option for allergies is Cytopoint, which you can ask your vet about. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Billy is having skin issues. Skin lesions like you are describing can be due to a variety of reasons, including allergies, skin parasites (such as fleas or mites), an infection (bacterial or fungal) or another underlying disease process. I would recommend having his skin re-evaluated by his veterinarian to try to determine what may be causing his issues, and have any necessary testing done (skin scrape, bacterial culture, or biopsy, for example) that may lead to a diagnosis. Good luck!

It sounds like she has a lot of seborrhea which is oil. This could be due to an infection like yeast or bacteria on her skin but it could also be due to allergies. I like dechra's dermabenss shampoo. It really cuts the oil and has a pleasant smell. Be sure to leave the shampoo on for 10 minutes before rinsing. I would bathe her at least twice a week. If there are any crusts, ulcerations, black "elephant" skin then she will likely need to see your vet in order to be completely resolved as there is likely an infection involved as well. I would also start her a Benadryl regimen twice a day. See link below. I hope this helps. https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/cat/benadryl/#!

I'm sorry to hear of your concerns with Ziggy. From the pictures it appears that she may have a skin infection. Skin infection occur secondary to allergies frequently. I would recommend consulting with your veterinarian as Ziggy may benefit from medicated shampoos or antibiotics. I would also discuss Ziggy's medications with your veterinarian. Apoquel and prednisone both suppress the immune system and are typically not given at the same time.

Hello, and thanks for your question about Mya. Allergies are very common in dogs, and they can be frustrating to control! I recommend asking your vet about Cytopoint, which is a monthly injection, and Apoquel, which is a daily pill. These are very effective non-steroid allergy medications that can either be given individually or (in more severe cases) together. For young dogs like Mya, I usually prefer the cytopoint injections, and then add Apoquel if necessary. If the a strict feeding trial with the Royal Canin Ultramino diet didn't help, then her allergies are less likely to be related to food, and are more likely environmental. Of course, also make sure she's kept current on a high quality flea/tick preventative, to make sure an external parasite can't be complicating things! And if a skin scrape has never been done, that may be advised as well - I've had skin mites get misdiagnosed as allergies before! If it comes to it, I've certainly had patients who did best on steroids - and that can be done pretty safely if you're weaning to the lowest effective every-other-day dose. Hopefully this helps! Of course, I'd defer on all points to a vet who has seen Mya in person!