Why is my dog itching with bumps, scabs, and flaky skin? What's wrong?

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach to address your concern! What you are describing sounds as though Toby may be dealing with a skin allergy. I would recommend bathing with a shampoo such as douxo PS calm shampoo and bathe twice weekly. I would also recommend using welactin omega 3 fish oil and essential 6 spot on. If this does not help, I would have Toby examined by a veterinarian for the most appropriate treatment recommendations. There are many other prescription options to help treat the symptoms for allergies. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I am also available via consultation if needed.

I'm sorry to hear that Tigre has been so itchy! The bumps and scabs that you describe sound most suspicious for a skin infection. These skin issues typically occur as a result of underlying allergies (to fleas, food or the environment), ringworm, or mange. When dogs itch as a result of these changes, they can cause a bacterial skin infection by damaging their own skin, which is also itchy, and only makes matters worse. Make sure that Tigre is receiving a high quality flea and tick preventative, such as Nexgard, Bravecto, or K9 Advantix II. You can also try bathing him with an antimicrobial/anti-itch shampoo (here is one example: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27981 ). When you are not directly watching him, it may be worth using an e-collar (cone) for the next week or so to prevent further skin damage. However, if the skin lesions persist or worsen, Tigre will need to go to his vet for further evaluation. He may need oral antibiotics or anti-itch medication. I hope this helps and that he's feeling better soon!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. From the pictures you have provided, I suspect this is a tumor of some type. If it is bothering Toby to the point where he is chewing / licking it raw, I would recommend bringing him to a veterinarian to have this examined 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. If this is bothering Toby though, I would recommend having this surgically removed, which you can discuss further with your vet.

Those spots on Basil could be several things including allergies, skin parasites, endocrine disease or a bacterial infection. He looks very irritated and I recommend to have him examined by the veterinarian for appropriate testing and treatment. That bump could be related to the underlying cause of the skin issues but an ingrown hair or even skin tumor is possible (time will tell). At home, 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. Protect the areas from scratching by having him wear an elizabethan collar if needed. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

This is probably due to a severe allergy, although it could also be fleas or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat Luna with a high quality flea treatment (e.g. advantage), then get her to the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try discovering the cause of the allergy. Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). simultaneously you should start her on a prescription hypoallergenic diet for at least 2 months. Hopefully you will see some results after all this, if not you and your vet should consider putting her on a long term allergy treatment (Atopica or Apoquel).

Poor Gabby sounds like she has a lot going on at the moment! It could be that these bumps are due to an allergic reaction, which is why she is scratching a lot. She could also have a skin infection, fleas, or mites. I would have Gabby seen by a vet today. The vet can determine what is causing the bumps and the scratching, and can treat her for it. Until you can get her into a vet, you can try giving her an Epsom salt bath or an oatmeal bath. Either may temporarily help with her itchiness.

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 his 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 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!