Why is my Maltese licking, red skin, and straining after his shot?

Poor Guy! He could have an allergic dermatitis and a skin infection. He definitely needs to be examined and treated by a vet. If your vet is not able to manage the condition then you could take him to a veterinary dermatologist. I am not sure what medications he has been prescribed in the past, but it looks like he needs an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory. You could also talk to you vet about trying a new allergy medication called Apoquel or Cytopoint to see if that helps, too. Your vet could also do a skin scrape and/or biopsy of his skin to help rule out other potential causes. Hope he gets some relief soon!

Hi, I am sorry to hear about Marley. Based on your description and the pictures you took, it appears that Marley may have a "hot spot". This is a moist dermatitis that causes discomfort, inflammation, and a secondary infection. When you say that he "received an allergy shot", I presume this is a steroid injection. If that is the case, the steroid injection should help to reduce his discomfort within less than 24hrs after the shot. Generally, I always treat a hot spots with a prescription of oral antibiotics, rather then topical. I allow the affected area to "dry out", as this is considered a "moist dermatitis" and we want it to no longer be "moist". Steroids are key to helping him feel more comfortable. Make sure to keep the ecollar on at all times to prevent him from chewing or licking at that sore area. I would recommend to contact your vet and ask if a prescription of oral antibiotics is warranted in Marley's case. They are the ones who can get this medication for you if it will help him and is indicated in his case. Best of luck to you and Marley.

Hello. I am sorry Max isn't feeling well. Very red gums can be either from severe vasodilation (peripheral blood vessels opening up) and can be related to an allergic reaction, or can also be due to a severe infection present within the body. Some toxins can also cause this as well. Red skin on the belly and the ears can also be due to allergic reactions or sepsis. The discharge from the ears may or may not be related to the redness on the belly and gums. With very red gums I would recommend having Max seen by a vet immediately, as if this is an early reaction, early intervention can significantly help. This is especially important if Max is lethargic, weak, not wanting to get up or move, is having trouble breathing or breathing very quickly, or if he is sore when you touch him, especially his abdomen. If any of these signs are present please don't hesitate and have him seen by a vet immediately. I hope he feels better soon.

Oh no, poor Lucky! That certainly doesn't sound like a normal reaction to the vaccine, and I could check to see if he has any hives on him. If he does, that can be a sign of an allergic reaction to the vaccines and he should see a vet immediately. If he doesn't have any hives, I would keep an eye on him for now. If you see persistent vomiting or diarrhea, swelling around his muzzle, face, and eyes, or difficulty breathing, then he will need to see a vet right away. I see you live in Yonkers, NY and just in case, I have found the name of a 24 hour animal clinic in that area. It's called the Animal Speciality Center and the phone number is 914-457-4000. Take Lucky into them if you see any of the signs I mentioned above. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Hello. Without knowing what was previously used, it is difficult to make any recommendations. If you want to try a different food, it must be a hypoallergenic diet recommended by your veterinarian, not just another brand from the pet store. Medications include Apoquel, Atopica, & judicious use of steroids. Cytopoint is a relatively new injectable anti-allergy treatment that can last 4-8 weeks. High dose of Omega 3 fatty acids is very helpful, as is bathing 2-3 times a week in a Hy-Lyt type shampoo & conditioner. Use of topical ceramides is also great to heal the moisture barrier in the skin. Jot this all down to discuss with your veterinarian, or ask for a referral to a board-certified veterinary dermatologist in your area. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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!

Poor guy. This sounds like he may have a common condition called “happy tail” and likely injured the end of his tail due to hitting it on hard surfaces. Another possible cause is a fungal infection, but typically this causes hair loss as well. The hair needs to first be shaved to get a better look at the skin and also allow the area to be cleansed antiseptically and apply topical ointment or spray if needed. Oral antibiotics will also likely be needed if the infection is deep. This would be best taken care of by visiting your vet. Proper wound management is essential for wounds like this to heal well and since it is the tail area it already proves difficult to shave without causing further harm. Your vet will be able to do this quickly and efficiently and also be able to provide a prescription for antibiotics which is often needed for tail wounds to prevent the infection from seeping into the bone and causing further issues. Until you can get Louis seen, you can clean it with Betadine diluted 50:50 with warm water. Best of luck with your pet Louis and his tail wound. I hope this heals well soon! Take care.