My dog has an itchy rash for 2 weeks. What's wrong? What can I do?

The spots where the rashes are definitely fit with seasonal environmental allergies. They may not have been there before, but would not be due to the Benadryl. It's more likely that it's a progression of the allergies and a sign that the Benadryl is not working well. Dogs tend to not be helped by certain antihistamines, but may be helped better by others. Luckily there are a few alternatives that can be bought over the counter. I recommend calling you veterinarian and asking if they could suggest another antihistamine. As long as they have no other concerns with Riley, they should be happy to give you an alternative. If the second antihistamine doesn't work and you still notice the rash/itching, then he will likely need a recheck exam and stronger medication. One thing you can do for the rash and itchy skin, is give a bath with cool water using an oatmeal or aloe shampoo. You can get these shampoos at the pet store. I hope that helps and Riley gets better soon.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It’s hard to tell from the pictures but it looks like Baby might have a skin infection. The Benadryl should help if she’s itchy but she needs to see a vet to determine if it’s an infection and get her some oral antibiotics if needed. Good luck and kisses to Baby!

These symptoms do sound likely that Nino has allergies. If it has been going on for weeks and is getting worse, he likely has seasonal/environmental allergies. Unfortunately over the counter allergy meds such as Benadryl don't work all that well, and he really needs something more effective to control his symptoms, which would need to come from a vet. The pimples you are seeing probably indicate a secondary skin infection which will need antibiotics to clear up. So, he will need a vet visit to improve. In the meantime you can keep those areas clean and dry; I recommend bathing him with a mild oatmeal based shampoo and drying him thoroughly. You can also wipe down his feet and muzzle with a damp cloth when he comes in for the night to get as much pollen, grass, and other allergens off him before he goes to bed. Hope this helps.

She could have a food allergy or sensitivity to something else in her environment that is causing her flaky skin and itching. Dog allergies tend to be expressed on the skin rather than in sneezing and coughing like humans. Even if she isn't food allergic, some of the prescription diets could be beneficial to her skin. My personal favorite is Hill's Prescription Diet j/d. It is marketed as a joint support diet and is high in Omega-3 as its protein source is fish. I had a dog with bad skin and my veterinarian recommended this and he did well with it. Cool baths with a mild oatmeal-based dog shampoo can help relieve the itching.

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. Poor Snow! Her skin looks really reactive. I really think you should take Snow to your vet for an exam at your earliest convenience. She may need oral antibiotics or some anti-inflammatory medications. I don't think it is an emergency though. To me it looks like a contact dermatitis (allergy). Poison ivy is possible but it is actually pretty rare in dogs. Benadryl is fine to give but you need to make sure you are giving enough. Dogs take a MUCH higher dose than we do. The dose is 1mg/pound of body weight. For example, 25 pound dog should get one 25mg capsule/tablet. If she is 50 pounds, then 2 of the 25mg capsules. You can round up if needed as it is pretty safe to give. She can have that every 12 hours. Topically, I suggest you put this on the affected areas until you can get her to the vet: ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-plus-hot-spot-antimicrobial-gel-for-dogs ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. 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!

Hello, my name is Dr. Elizabeth and I am happy to help. Pets' can get rashes for many reasons. Some times you can care for it at home and sometimes they need to go to the veterinarian. For Boba you can try home care first. The first thing to try to figure out is how to protect the area from further scratching. It's a tricky because this portion of his neck won't be covered with the normal elizabethan collar. You would try a loosely fitting dough-nut style collar. Or the end of a tube sock cut to loosely fit around the area. A doggie turtle neck would work but it might be too hot where you live for that. Try to figure something out that covers it but not a choking/strangulation hazard. Next, wash the area once a day with either plain hand soap (like Dial) or a medicated pet shampoo. This will help to control the number of topical pathogens as well as remove oil and dead skin cells. Rinse the area well and gently towel dry. Lastly, apply a topical antibiotic twice a day. Just a dab will do and rub it in well. Make sure the skin is dry before application. Neosporin is fine to use. Keep him indoors, clean and dry. You can get hydrocortizone cream for pets and apply that once a day, try to apply with at least 2 hours after and before the neosporin. You can also give him benedrl every 8-12 hours. If the spot is not much better in 1 week, if it gets worse at any point or if the lesion is not completely healed within 2 weeks, Boba needs to be examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to reach out any time.