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Why is my dog constantly itching, losing hair, and has red skin?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | 2 years and 9 months old | 47 lbs

My 2 1/2 year old Aruba mutt is a mess. We have been suffering with his skin condition since he was 8 months old. 3 vets can't figure out what is wrong. He's been treated for mites but then his symptoms come back. Hair loss is huge. My natural vet has given him allergy pill and a natural cortisone. He is still on the alley pill 3x's a day. Cortisone pill has been done for 2 weeks and now his belly looks red. He is itching his face ears and pits more. I'm at a loss. Raw diet for 3 months.

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Dr. Macartney, BVet Med, MRCVS

Answered By Dr. Macartney, BVet Med, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on October 19th, 2017

I am so sorry to hear that you are having such a difficult time with Paxton's skin. Skin issues can be very troubling to get on top of and it sounds like you have tried many things. I would suggest the following, as I believe there may be an allergy component to the skin issues.

I would only bathe Paxton very infrequently to keep his natural skin oils in place. These oils protect his skin.

Switch to a hypoallergenic food for 6 weeks and do not feed anything else during this time. No table scraps or treats. The food should be a novel protein that Paxton has not had. Such as duck or hydrolyzed protein. There are several commercial hypoallergenic diets I suggest hills science diet.


I would also start Paxton on A veterinary approved vitamin e and fish oil supplement. Here is a link to the products I use for my own dogs and you can have a 20% discount for being a petcoach user. The code is "petcoach20".

Use cutaneo Trubenefits and omega canine benefits

http://www.vrshealth.com/canine-products/?petcoach=1977955
Vote Icon1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 10th, 2019

    Hi, and thanks for your question.
    This could be due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites.
    First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask 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 to discover the cause of the allergy.
    Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc).
    Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like antibiotics).
    Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

    Vote Icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 24th, 2019

    Hi, and thanks for your question.
    This could be due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites.
    First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask 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 to discover the cause of the allergy.
    Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc).
    Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics).
    Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

    Vote Icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Lindsey Edwards MVB, BSc, IVCA

    Veterinarian

    Published on September 29th, 2017

    Poor Milo - I wold be concerned he may have n underlying condition such as allergic skin disease which is contributing to the relapsing signs. Many of these require lifelong medication and management with special diets and medicated washes. I recommend a 6 week trial on a hydrolyzed diet such as royal canin hypoallergenic (with no treats, snacks or flavored tablets) to rule out food sensitivities followed by antiallergy medication if not resolving

    Vote Icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Vet Q & A
Why does my Pitbull have white flaky spots and hair loss on his back?
Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think continuing the use of a medicated shampoo would be good as he likely has secondary infections. I think this could be due to allergies and it would be crucial to identify the allergic component to try to see if he can improve. 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!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My dog has itchy skin, rashes, lumps, and hair loss. What to do?
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!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My Pitbull is losing hair and itching on his back. What should I do?
Poor Axle! I'm sorry to hear that he's having skin problems. There are a number of different things that can cause hair loss with itching in dogs - some common possibilities would include allergies (food allergies, or an allergy to something in the environment), a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). Treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is, so I would really recommend having Axle examined by a vet to get a diagnosis first. He/she can do some simple skin tests if needed to help determine what is causing the hair loss, and will prescribe appropriate medication to treat the problem depending on what is found. In the meantime, you could try bathing him in an aloe and oatmeal dog shampoo to help soothe his skin - this will not treat the underlying problem, but may temporarily relieve his symptoms and make him a bit more comfortable until you can see the vet.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
Help! My dog's skin is peeling, itchy, and losing hair. What should I do?
Skin problems can have a variety of causes, sometimes more than one. Allergies, parasites, bacterial or fungal infections, even contact with some surfaces or substances will cause itching, rash and/or hair loss. It is important to have the problem checked by your vet to determine if there is a medical cause for your pet’s skin issues and treat accordingly. In pets of all ages, fleas, food allergies and exposure to chemical irritants such as cleaners and soaps can be a cause. Any one of these may not be enough to trigger the breakouts, depending on how sensitive your pet is, but a combination can be enough to start the itch-scratch cycle. Finding out the cause and eliminating it is the best course of action. With flea allergies, if your pet is sensitive enough, a single bite can cause them to break out scratch enough to tear their skin. Check for fleas with a flea comb. Look for fleas and/or tiny black granules, like coarse black pepper. This is flea feces, consisting of digested, dried blood. You may find tiny white particles, like salt, which are the flea eggs. Applying a good topical monthly flea treatment and aggressively treating your house and yard will help break the flea life cycle. If you use plastic bowls, this is a possible cause for hair loss, though this tends to be on the chin, where their skin touches the bowl while they eat. If you suspect this to be the culprit, try changing the bowls to glass, metal or ceramic. Food allergies are often caused by sensitivity to a protein in the food. Hill's Science Diet offers some non-prescription options for sensitive skin as well as prescription hypoallergenic foods for more severe cases. Royal Canin carries limited protein diets that may also offer some relief. Your vet can recommend a specific diet that will help. If there is no relief or not enough, consider getting your pet checked by a veterinary dermatologist and having allergy testing done.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
My dog is chewing and scratching his red skin. What can I do?
Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on your description, it does sound as though Chester is dealing with allergies. I would recommend using the below following products and see if these help. If the symptoms worsen and the products do not help, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine Chester so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope these help! Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. 1. Douxo PS Calm shampoo and bathe twice weekly 2. Pramosoothe spray and apply to the affected areas to relieve any itching / irritation 3. Essential 6 spot on by Dermoscent 4. Welactin omega 3 fish oil capsules for dogs
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
Why is my dog still itching with hair loss and red skin after treatment?
This is probably due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask 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 to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
My dog has itchy, flaky skin and bald spots. Could it be allergies?
Hello. It does sound like Dyce is allergic to something. It is best to have him seen by your veterinarian to try & get to the bottom of his issues, whether they be environmental allergies, food allergies, or even the presence of fleas or skin mites causing him to itch. We now have very good & very safe products to treat allergies, including Apoquel & Cytopoint. If you can not get Dyce to the vet, you can start him on a good fish oil supplement made for dogs, such as Dermapet & F.A. capsules. Most large pet retailers will have a good selection. You can also bathe Dyce 1-2 times weekly in cool water using a mild oatmeal based shampoo or one that contains either 1% hydrocortisone or pramoxine. These will give short term relief & when used regularly, may decrease the incidence of his allergic outbreaks. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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