My dog has chronic skin issues. What are the underlying causes?

Chronic skin allergies can be related several things including allergies to fleas, skin mites, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the lesions should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Simba wear an elizabethan collar at all times. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Poor Loki! There are four main things that will cause persistent skin issues. They are flea allergy, environmental allergy, food allergy and hypothyroidism. They are each ruled out differently. It sounds like your doctor was suspecting an environmental allergy but I can’t be sure based upon the information. I would recommend testing his thyroid and if that’s not it, put him on a food trial. Environmental allergy is not ruled out yet but it is the most difficult to figure out. Also make sure he is on a good flea prevention. I recommend Simparica or Nexgard. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Chronic skin lesions could be several things including allergies to fleas, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the lesions should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Sammy wear an elizabethan collar at all times. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Chronic skin issues are generally related to 5 things: skin mites, allergies to fleas, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. If your veterinarian seems unwilling to figure out the underlying cause, I recommend to get a second opinion. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the lesions should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Shelby wear an elizabethan collar at all times. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

A food elimination trial should last a minimum of 6-8 weeks feeding one food exclusively, no other treats or foods. Afterwards, the condition should be reassessed. If this is the case with two different diets containing a novel protein/carb combo and still no improvement, then a consultation and exam with a veterinary dermatologist may be your next step. If Samson is licking or chewing excessively, an e-collar (cone) should be used. Consider an essential fatty acid supplement, such as DermCaps or EicosaCaps, to promote healthy skin and coat. If allergies are the underlying cause, they can be frustrating to diagnose, but once you determine specific allergens then management may be easier.

Chronic skin problems could be several things including allergies to fleas, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the lesions should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Simba wear an elizabethan collar at all times to prevent licking if needed. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Charlie’s skin lesions could be due to allergies, both environmental or food, hypothyroidism, Cushing’s disease or an autoimmune condition. The only way to tell what the causes, is to begin with a physical exam by Charlie’s veterinarian. The doctor may find a cause right away or may need some testing to get the correct diagnosis. Without the correct diagnosis, Charlie will not receive the proper treatment. I recommend to have Charlie examined by his veterinarian. Starting Charlie on an omega-3 fatty acid supplement for dogs may help improve his skin health, but it may not correct the condition. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.