My pitbull has an itchy mouth and red eye. Is it allergies or fleas?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. 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!

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). 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.

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!

Pits are prone to allergic skin disease, and everything you describe can be symptomatic of this condition. Lex may benefit from a prescription allergy diet trial on something like Hills z/d fed exclusively for 9-10 weeks. He may need to be on allergy medication like apoquel to help stop the itching, and if he has a secondary bacterial or fungal/yeast infection in his skin, this needs to be addressed as well. See your vet for a skin allergy workup and proper medications. Hope that helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely allergies because of the multifocal nature of the lesions and the appearance. Generally allergies are broken down into 3 big categories: flea allergy (dogs can still get fleas even if they do not go outside much), food allergy and environmental allergies. This is not necessarily life threatening but it is a matter of quality of life so working up is recommended. 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! Good luck and have a great day!

Most pitbulls have atopic dermatitis (environmental allergies). One of the main symptoms of allergies in dogs is licking/chewing at the paws and scratching everywhere. Often allergic dogs also have chronic allergies and recurring anal gland issues too. I recommend making an appointment with your vet about possible allergies. There is an allergy medication called Apoquel that doesn’t have the same effects as steroids on increasing thirst and peeing, but usually works on significantly alleviating the itch within a few hours. There is also an injectable allergy medication called Cytopoint that is given every 4 weeks and can be given in conjunction with Apoquel that has had amazing results in most atopic dermatitis dogs. While on these allergy meds, Vega should be on an oral flea and tick medication such as Bravecto, Simparica or NexGard as even a single flea bite can cause a similar allergic reaction. The trembling and vomiting may be due to a food allergy, acid reflux or possibly a liver/kidney issues. Yearly screening bloodwork is recommended to rule out more serious internal organ causes of the vomiting. A trial switch to a prescription diet such as Royal Canin GI may be recommended by your vet as well. Good luck!

This is probably due to a severe allergy, although it could also be fleas or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat Tequila with a high quality flea treatment (e.g. advocate or advantage), then get him to 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 discovering the cause of the allergy. Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). simultaneously you should start him on a prescription hypoallergenic diet for at least 2 months. Hopefully you will see some results after all this, if not you and your vet should consider putting him on a long term allergy treatment (Atopica or Apoquel).