My dog's hair is falling out and skin is dry. Is it a shampoo allergy?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a focal infection. You can try to use a medicated shampoo containing chlorhexidine twice weekly for 2 weeks. If there is no improvement or in the meantime this appears to be getting worse, have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing Kako’s allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are medications such as Apoquel or prednisone which may help with the itch. 

 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!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Judging from the pictures and your description, I would suspect that this could be due to a superficial bacterial skin infection. I would recommend using a shampoo such as Duoxo PS + chlorhexidine combination shampoo, fish oil such as Welactin and essential 6 spot on by Dermoscent. If there is no improvement with the skin / hair coat worsens, I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at Ruby so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern! Judging from the pictures and your description, I suspect that D'Kota may have a skin infection or skin allergy. I would recommend the following products, which can all be found online quite easily: 1. Welactin omega 3 fish oil 2. Douxo PS Chlorhexidine combination shampoo and bathe twice weekly until resolved. 3. Malacetic conditioning spray and apply twice daily to affected areas until resolved 4. Essential 6 spot on by Dermoscent If there is no improvement or the infection worsens, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine him so that the most appropriate treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Sammy and for providing a picture, it's very helpful. In the picture, I swear I see some dry, flakey skin. I'm wondering if he has a skin infection causing the hair loss and flakey skin. Without seeing him in person, I can't make a definitive diagnosis. I would have him seen by a vet to have this diagnosed and treated. Give his vet a call to make him an appointment. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Dry, flaky skin alone is not a sign of allergies. [Allergies](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-tell-if-your-pet-has-allergies/) more often involve scratching, hair loss, skin and ear infections. Dry, flaky skin alone can be a result of diet, weather (heat being on inside) and in certain endocrine conditions (low thyroid, Cushings) or other dermatological conditions like Seborrhea. I would start with bathing with a medicated shampoo once weekly. Leave the lather on for 10 mins before rinsing. Keratolux from Virbac is an excellent product, but really [any mild shampoo](https://www.petco.com/category/dog/dog-grooming-and-bathing/dog-shampoos-conditioners-sprays/dog-shampoos/dry-skin-dog-shampoos) will do. Just be sure you rinse it well; I suggest that you rinse with warm (not hot!) water for at least 10 minutes to ensure that all of the residue is gone. I would also consider adding in Omega 3 fish oils. Choose a high quality brand that is made specifically for dogs. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like it could be skin allergies. 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! There is really nothing specific you can try at home other than bathing him with a medicated shampoo you can get at your local pet store. This shampoo should contain chlorehexidine. In reality though, this is unlikely to resolve this issue completely. Good luck and have a good day!