My dog's face is itchy and losing hair. What helps her allergies?

Hello, and thank you for your question. Possible causes for Millie's symptoms include skin allergies, skin parasites (mites, fleas), bacterial infection or fungal infection, or a combination of these. Was there any new food or treat introduced prior to these problems starting? If so, I would start by eliminating this. You can also try soaking Millie's feet in a shallow bath of Epsom salts and lukewarm water, to help provide some relief. Bathing her with a gentle aloe and oatmeal type shampoo may help to wash off any surface allergens causing irritation. If she is chewing or biting at her skin or paws, you wil need to put an e-collar (cone) on her head to prevent further damage. If these suggestions do not help, I would recommend taking Millie to the vet. They can perform tests to check the underlying cause, such as a skin scraping, skin cytology or fungal culture. At minimum, they can prescribe medications to help with her itchiness and treat suspected bacterial infections. I hope this helps, and that Millie is feeling better soon!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I can see a lot of redness and bumps on Millie's skin, which can be indicative of a skin infection (bacterial or fungal) or skin mites. Unfortunately, dogs with skin allergies can easily develop infections. The reason for this is that with the chronic scratching, the natural barrier of the skin is compromised, allowing bacteria to enter. Millie may need antibiotics or a medicated shampoo to clear up the infection, so she does need to see a vet. I recommend showing your vet these photos, especially if Millie doesn't like being examined. You can also try an omega-3 supplement for her along with Apoquel to keep her skin healthy.

The most common problem causing Milly's symptoms is a severe flea allergic dermatitis. Regardless I recommend brushing her to remove the old fur and skin, giving a bath with a hypoallergenic shampoo and using Advantage flea prevention on her. You can purchase it at PetCo. She may need antibiotics to heal the skin and your veterinarian will do an exam to determine the cause of her problems. They may run a blood panel in addition to determine if she is anemic or has a metabolic problem. Once they have a diagnosis they will give her the appropriate treatment and hopefully she will recover quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Milly.

Hello! A picture of the lesion would help us give more helpful input. However, if Shiloh's skin is flaky and itchy, it could be a number of things, including superficial pyoderma, demodicosis, sarcoptes, yeast dermatitis, and ringworm. It is difficult to narrow down the causes without doing an exam on her or at least seeing the lesions, but it is very likely some sort of infection (whether bacterial, yeast, or parasitic) so I do recommend bringing Shiloh to the vet. Your vet will be able to determine the cause, and Shiloh will likely need prescription medication (antibiotics, antifungals, or anti-parasite, along with possible medicated shampoo) to clear the issue. Depending on the severity of the issue on her skin, it very likely might not improve without prescription meds, so it is worth having her seen as soon as possible. Additionally, depending on her age, she may have some underlying condition that might be making her skin susceptible to infection, such as allergies or hypothyroidism. I hope this helps.

First, place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent further scratching. Keep it on her 24/7. You can take it off when she eats or drinks, but monitor her closely so she doesn't start scratching again. Next, have her seen by your veterinarian. The licking, biting, scratching and hair loss may be due to allergies ( https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/canine-allergies ). These can be difficult to diagnose since there are many causes (inhaled, environmental, food, fleas). Discuss allergy testing, food elimination trials and antihistamine use with your veterinarian. The doctor may prescribe medications to treat the wounds and stop the scratching. https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/food-allergies/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/4-great-strategies-for-relieving-your-dog-s-allergies/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/seasonal-allergies-in-dogs-what-you-need-to-know/

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.

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.