My dog is itching and scratching. Is it allergies from lawn chemicals?

Hi there! I'm so sorry to hear about Tucker's troubles. First off, I'm not sure if Tucker is eating a prescription hypoallergenic diet. If he isn't, and it's over the counter, there is always the possibility of allergy-causing contaminants getting into the food. Also, since Tucker is so sensitive to food, I would avoid the rice and pasta for now. Since Tucker is very itchy and uncomfortable, and and to also check and make sure that he hasn't caused a secondary infection. chewing and licking at himself, I would definitely make an appointment for him to see his veterinarian to get him some stronger medications than benadryl to control the itch, Even then, his allergies may only be somewhat controlled, and his veterinarian may recommend that he see a dermatologist. The dermatologist can test him and see exactly what he is allergic to. In turn, they can create injections to help reduce his sensitivity to the allergens that bother him. In the meantime, I would get a cone for Tucker that goes a few inches past his nose. This will help prevent him from licking and chewing himself and like I mentioned above, causing a secondary infection. I hope you find this answer helpful. Best of luck!

Hi there, Good to hear that you have Tootsie treated for fleas and ticks. Tootsie may well have allergic skin disease or atopic dermatitis, and she may have a secondary bacterial or yeast infection as well. Any of these could cause her to be very itchy. I'd recommend taking her to her veterinarian to be seen. They can recommend the best diagnostics and treatments after her physical exam. The two most commonly used medications for itching itself are an injectable called Cytopoint and a tablet called Apoquel. If allergies are present as well, they tend to be environmental or food based. Environmental allergies often have seasonal patterns and food based ones are typically to an animal protein such as chicken or beef. Hypoallergenic diets are based on novel proteins like fish, kangaroo, or vegetables for these reasons. Your vet can guide you through making the best choices for Tootsie after seeing her. I hope this his helpful information!

Poor Laboo! This scratching can be caused by fleas, mites, ringworm, or allergies. If he isn't up to date on his flea treatment, I can give you one for him. First, I would give him Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, such as Advantage or Revolution. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash his bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. If he is up to date on his flea treatment, I recommend taking him into the vet for an exam today or tomorrow. The vet can do blood tests, skin scrapings, and use a Wood's lamp to diagnose allergies, mites, and ringworm. Once the cause of the itching is found, the vet can prescribe the appropriate treatment. Best of luck.

This is probably caused by an allergic reaction. first of all make sure you de-flea Choco regularly every month with a high quality spot on (ex. Advantage) as fleas are by far the most common reason for these reactions. If the fleas are not the problem, it could be an allergic reaction to food or an environmental factor. this is more complicated to treat and will sometimes require medications such as Steroids, anti histamines or cyclosporin in order to stop the allergy.

It looks as if your dog has a skin infection, most commonly caused by an allergy, a skin mite (Demodex) or fleas. 

The allergy could be a due to a protein in your dog’s food or an environmental allergy like to dust, pollens, grasses, etc. 

The allergy causes your dog to itch and chew at the skin which breaks down the skin barrier. This then leads to infection. Skin infections are typically characterized by large areas of hair loss, redness, crusting, flaking, and pustules. A thorough skin examination by your veterinarian should be able to determine the cause of the itch so it can be treated appropriately. Your dog will most likely need antibiotics to help clear up the infection and possibly an allergy/anti-itch medication like Apoquel, Atopica, or Cytopoint to give some relief while the infection clears up. A medicated shampoo may be beneficial as well. I would also recommend he be on a good flea control routinely too. Once the infection has resolved a long term allergy medication (like Apoquel or Cytopoint) can be given on a regular basis to prevent any future problems. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

It looks as if your dog has a skin infection, most commonly caused by an allergy, a skin mite (Demodex) or fleas. 

The allergy could be a due to a protein in your dog’s food or an environmental allergy like to dust, pollens, grasses, etc. 

The allergy causes your dog to itch and chew at the skin which breaks down the skin barrier. This then leads to infection. Skin infections are typically characterized by large areas of hair loss, redness, crusting, flaking, and pustules. A thorough skin examination by your veterinarian should be able to determine the cause of the itch so it can be treated appropriately. A skin scraping and skin cytology should be performed to rule out mites and to determine the type of infection present (bacterial vs fungal). Your dog will most likely need antibiotics/antifungals longterm to help clear up the infection and possibly an allergy/anti-itch medication like Apoquel, Atopica, or Cytopoint to give some relief while the infection clears up. A medicated shampoo will be beneficial as well. I would also recommend he be on a good flea control routinely too. Once the infection has resolved a long term allergy medication (like Apoquel or Cytopoint) can be given on a regular basis to prevent any future problems. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.


Poor Brutus sounds itchy! This itching can be caused by fleas, mites, ringworm, or allergies. If he isn't up to date on his flea treatment, I can give you one for him. First, I would give him Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, such as Advantage or Revolution. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash his bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. If he is up to date on his flea treatment, I recommend taking him into the vet for an exam today or tomorrow. The vet can do blood tests, skin scrapings, and use a Wood's lamp to diagnose allergies, mites, and ringworm. Once the cause of the itching is found, the vet can prescribe the appropriate treatment. Best of luck, I hope this helps!