My dog is licking a rash on his leg. What medicine can I give?

Anything you apply will likely be licked off before it has a chance to help. Your best option is to place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent licking. Contact your veterinarian and ask about OTC or prescription antihistamines that may help if an allergic reaction is involved. A fish oil supplement may also help promote healthy skin. If symptoms persist, consider an exam to rule out infection or injury. You can also discuss allergy testing, food allergies and environmental allergies in depth with your veterinarian.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Kibou. Poor boy! That looks like a growth of some kind, and it's clearly bothering him if he keeps licking at it. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. Give his vet a call to make him an appointment. I hope this helps!

An e-collar (cone) is definitely recommended to prevent further licking. Keep the area clean and dry. A dilute betadine or chlorhexidine solution can be used for cleansing. A topical product, such as Vetericyn, can be used after cleaning. You can find it in the local Petco. This may be enough to allow healing, but if not then a trip to the veterinarian for an exam would be necessary. Systemic antibiotics may be indicated to treat infection.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could certainly be allergies. In reality, Benadryl probably would not help much in this case. Medications to decrease the itch that could help him include prednisone or a medication called Apoquel. The possible secondary infection would have to be treated as well. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. 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!

Thank you for contacting PetCoach with your question about Romeo. Poor boy. This rash could be caused by fleas, mites, or allergies. The cause of the rash needs to be diagnosed so he can be treated correctly. I do not recommend using a rash cream or anti-itch cream. Not only may it be the wrong treatment for the rash, but he will just lick it off and these creams contain ingredients not safe for a dog to ingest. I'd have him seen by a vet to have this diagnosed and treated. Tonight, put an Ecollar on him to keep him from licking. You can buy one at a pet store or make one at home. I hope this helps! http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

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 his 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!

It looks like he has a bacterial skin infection so he should be examined by your vet for treatment. Your vet can prescribe an antibiotic, anti-histamine, and/or a corticosteroid to help treat the condition. He could have allergies so he may need to stay on an anti-histamine long term. You could also bathe him with a medicated dog shampoo, like Epi-Soothe, and see if that helps. You could also add Free Form Snip Tips to his diet to help keep his skin and coat healthy.