My dog has a bald patch that shrinks with Benadryl. What is it?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could certainly be allergies. In reality, Benadryl probably would not help much in this case. Medications to decrease the itch that could help him include prednisone or a medication called Apoquel. The possible secondary infection would have to be treated as well. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It’s hard to tell from the pictures but it looks like Baby might have a skin infection. The Benadryl should help if she’s itchy but she needs to see a vet to determine if it’s an infection and get her some oral antibiotics if needed. Good luck and kisses to Baby!

Hi there and thank you for using PetCoach to address your concern. It appears as though Cooper may be suffering from allergies. I suspect that his eyes are bothering him and he is rubbing his face on anything he can find. You can certainly try Benadryl with him and see if it helps. Please read the following article on Benadryl dosing in dogs ( https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/ ). If there is no improvement or the condition worsens, then I would recommend having a veterinarian examine him so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. He may need eye drops with a steroid to help relieve any itching / inflammation. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction and that Cooper gets some relief! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further

These bumps could be from an allergic reaction, mites, fleas, or a skin infection. Because Benadryl hasn't helped and Kylo has had these bumps for a week, it's time to see the vet. The vet can diagnose the cause of the bumps, and can prescribe the correct treatment for them. I would take him into the vet in the morning. I hope this helps!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It could be a ringworm or superficial bacterial skin infection. If it has been getting bigger over the last few weeks, you should really take Milo to your local vets to get the bald patch examined and start treatment. Most likely, the treatment will be in form of antibacterial/antifungal cream or ointment.

This looks like an allergic reaction. You can try some Benadryl (https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/). However, if this does not resolve the issue then , you will need to take Ellie to the vet as this could be a skin infection that needs a prescription medication.

If the medication your veterinarian has been using isn't working I would actually recommend a biopsy and blood work. Sometimes different endocrine problems can cause hairloss in dogs and this is what the blood work would be checking for. The biopsy I typically would take a piece of the abnormal part where there is no hair, then an area where it is 1/2 hair and 1/2 hairless. This will give you a definitive answer as to what is going on with Bandit. I would discuss this with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.