Why is my dog so itchy after grooming? What can I do to help?

By your description, your dog might have a sensitivity to being groomed and may have developed "clipper irritation" (aka "clipper burn"). Clipper irritation is not an actual burn. It is, in fact, similar to the type of skin irritation people experience when they shave too close on dry or sensitive skin. [Professional groomers](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-signs-of-a-good-groomer) may recommend the following types of treatment to help soothe the skin and calm the scratching: * Bathing in plain oatmeal or [oatmeal shampoo](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/earthbath-oatmeal-and-aloe-totally-natural-pet-shampoo) for pets * Gently applying witch hazel to affected areas * Gold Bond medicated powder or plain cornstarch * Triple antibiotic cream or ointment * [Hydrocortisone spray](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zymox-spray-with-5-hydrocortisone) for pets (available in petstores) * Bag Balm * Specific treatments for soothing clipper or razor irritation (available in petstores) - sprays, gels, shampoos * Diaper rash cream With some of these suggestions you will need to make sure that your pet cannot lick off the treatment. Rubbing creams or ointments in completely and/or wiping off excess, using an [E-collar](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/well-and-good-e-collar) (cone), or only applying when you can observe your dog closely can all help to prevent ingestion and excessive licking. If your dog has open wounds or any of her wounds worsen even with treatment or appear infected, please see your veterinarian immediately. She may have developed a skin infection secondary to the clipper irritation.

Poor Benji! This can sometimes happen after grooming, if there is some skin irritation in these areas caused by the clippers. You can try applying some topical hydrocortisone spray to the irritated areas every 8-12 hours for the next few days to help give him some relief - you should be able to find a spray labeled for use in dogs at most pet stores. I would also recommend mentioning to the groomer next time that he had this issue - that way, they can be extra careful not to give him any "clipper burn" in these sensitive areas in the future :)

Hi Julie! Poor Perry - he certainly did remove a good bit of hair from that area. Since all of this chewing and itching started after his grooming, I have to wonder if he isn't allergic to the shampoo or other grooming products that were used. Some dogs can also develop a folliculitis, or inflammation at the hair follicle, after grooming, but this typically causes some redness on the skin. It's also possible that the timing is coincidental and that this problem is associated with underlying allergies or other medical conditions. As a starting point, try to give Perry a bath with a gentle hypoallergenic oatmeal shampoo or baby shampoo to try to remove any residue that may remain from the other products. If he's still licking and chewing a few days after the bath, it would be best to have him evaluated by his vet. The vet will be able to examine his skin, perform any necessary testing, and may need to prescribe some topical or oral medication to help manage his itching/chewing. Even though this doesn't sound like a classic flea problem (and you aren't seeing fleas), it's still important to keep Perry on flea prevention consistently to be sure that fleas aren't contributing to the problem. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

Lilly Lynne may have a bit of rash or razor burn if she was trimmed close. First be sure she is on appropriate flea control as she may have picked up fleas from groomer. Benedryl is acceptable to use once or twice daily if it give her relief. She may also be having a reaction to the shampoo or fragrance the groom used. I would give her a bath in dawn to wash off any residue to see if that helps. (Original blue dish soap dawn). If no improvement then she may need a vet visit. I hope she’s back to normal quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

I would suggest giving Penny an oatmeal bath, as those are soothing to dogs with itchy and irritated skin. You can get oatmeal shampoos for dogs from a pet store. If that doesn't help, then the itching could be due to something else, such as fleas, mites, or allergies. At that point, I would take her into the vet for an exam, as the vet can determine if there is a medical issue causing the irritated skin, and can treat accordingly.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Chewbacca. It could be he has experienced an allergic reaction from something at the groomer. Typically allergic reactions require stronger medications such as steroids. I'd take him into a vet now to get this treated. By the way, he is adorable!

I would wait 24 hours or so after he was groomed to be bathedagain. This is because frequent bathing can dry out the skin and cause more irritation. If his itching continues after one bath he may have an infection and need to be seen by your veterinarian. You could also try and oatmeal-based shampoo as it can be soothing for itchy skin.