My old dog has itchy ears, feet, and bad odor. Are allergies to blame?

Hello, and thanks for your question about Mya. Allergies are very common in dogs, and they can be frustrating to control! I recommend asking your vet about Cytopoint, which is a monthly injection, and Apoquel, which is a daily pill. These are very effective non-steroid allergy medications that can either be given individually or (in more severe cases) together. For young dogs like Mya, I usually prefer the cytopoint injections, and then add Apoquel if necessary. If the a strict feeding trial with the Royal Canin Ultramino diet didn't help, then her allergies are less likely to be related to food, and are more likely environmental. Of course, also make sure she's kept current on a high quality flea/tick preventative, to make sure an external parasite can't be complicating things! And if a skin scrape has never been done, that may be advised as well - I've had skin mites get misdiagnosed as allergies before! If it comes to it, I've certainly had patients who did best on steroids - and that can be done pretty safely if you're weaning to the lowest effective every-other-day dose. Hopefully this helps! Of course, I'd defer on all points to a vet who has seen Mya in person!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Be. If you are being mocked by your veterinarian, then I suggest finding another veterinarian with whom you can have a better relationship. That is a terrible eay to feel! Apoquel and Cytopoint are two newer veterinary drugs that can help to mange seasonal allergies if that is the case. They control itching and can potentially help with ear infections. Diet should be evaluated as well as this can contribute to chronic ear infections. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Zoey. If your at home treatments have not helped, then it is time for her to see her veterinarian. Her skin will be assessed and tests may be performed to ensure that she does not have mites or ringworm. If not, then allergies are common this time of year. Based on her skin, she may need antibiotics if there is a secondary infection. There are potent anti-itch medications that will improve her comfort dramatically as well. I hope this information helps!

Hello, thank you for your question about Brownie. Based on the photos you've attached and the symptoms that you describe I would be concerned that Brownie has allergies. Allergies can be secondary to food or the environment, among other things. Often when dogs have bad allergies and they lick and chew alot they can develop secondary bacterial skin infections, which could explain the odor that you are noticing. Since this has been going on for a while and has not improved I would recommend having Brownie evaluated by a veterinarian. They can perform an examination and discuss the need for any additional skin testing such as skin scrapes, impression smears, etc. Depending on the findings of these tests they can then determine the appropriate treatment for Brownie. Hope this helps, good luck!

Allergies can be frustrating to diagnose and treat, for the pet, the pet owner, and the veterinarian! It is the most common cause for itching in dogs. Medications like Apoquel can eliminate the itch due to allergies, though it won't work if there is a secondary bacterial or yeast infection. Food allergies won't be treated simply by a better diet, they need to be strictly on a prescription hypoallergenic diet without other dog or human treats, and even then it can take 3-6 weeks to see positive effects. Until then, anti-itch medications, steroids, or shampoos/topical mousses can be used to minimize the itch and treat any present infection. I would recommend continuing to work with your vet to find the best solution to Toes's itch issue.

Hello! And thank you for your question and photos. It looks like Zeus is having a flare up of his allergies, worsened by secondary bacterial infection. It looks severe enough to require antibiotics, so I would recommend going to see your vet. They can perform a microscope test for bacteria or yeast in the ear and between the paws, and from there prescribe the appropriate ear drops and antibiotics, as well as anti-inflammatory allergy medicine. In the meantime, try soaking his feet in a shallow bath of Epsom salts and lukewarm water for 10 minutes twice a day. This will help provide some relief for his irritated feet. I would also use an ear cleaner designed for dogs to gently clean out some of the ear debris, if he will let you. Finally, I would recommend putting an e-collar (cone) on his head to prevent further scratching and licking of his skin. I hope this helps, and that Zeus feels better soon!

Scabies is VERY itchy, in both pets and the humans that it can also affect. I suspect that Trisha is having issues with allergies at this time. The brown staining around her ears is often caused by a yeast infection, which is usually from allergy inflammation. The brown staining around her vulva can be caused by excessive licking (because of itch), UTI, yeast infection, among a few other things. With a history of severe FAD, she should be on a monthly flea preventative, even if you aren't seeing fleas, since it only takes 1 flea bite to cause a flare-up of total-body itching. The most common cause of itching feet and ears is food allergies, so it is a good idea to discuss a food trial or a prescription hypoallergenic dog food with your vet, in addition to medications to help with the itching in the short term. Here is some more helpful information: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2499 https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-things-you-can-do-at-home-to-keep-your-dog-s-allergies-at-bay-t/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/most-common-reasons-why-dogs-chew-their-paws/