My dog isn't improving after vet visit and medication. What's next?

This does look like a severe skin disease. Dogs can develop environmental allergies similar to eczema, but I would expect that he would have responded some to the medications prescribed at least temporarily if this was the case. Buddy could have a parasite, resistant infection, or an autoimmune disease causing these symptoms as well. You may want to recheck with the vet to see if there are any other tests they might recommend - a skin scrape, fungal culture, skin cytology and culture, or biopsy might be the next steps. If Buddy is not on a good flea and tick preventative I'd recommend starting one as well just in case of parasites.

If you and Savage have gone through that many rounds of treatment at such a young age, I would consider getting more aggressive with the diagnostics and treatments to get to bottom of the problem You should consult your regular vet to see what testing they can perform at their clinic before you get referred to a dermatologist specialist. They can take skin scrapings or do a skin biopsy or start allergy testing to find the underlying cause of her problems.

Hi. If she isnt getting better on the treatment, I would recommend getting her back in to see your veterinarian. It could be that it isnt a skin infection. It could be an autoimmune condition or even a type of skin cancer. I would recommend a biopsy as well as the recheck

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!

A food elimination trial should last a minimum of 6-8 weeks feeding one food exclusively, no other treats or foods. Afterwards, the condition should be reassessed. If this is the case with two different diets containing a novel protein/carb combo and still no improvement, then a consultation and exam with a veterinary dermatologist may be your next step. If Samson is licking or chewing excessively, an e-collar (cone) should be used. Consider an essential fatty acid supplement, such as DermCaps or EicosaCaps, to promote healthy skin and coat. If allergies are the underlying cause, they can be frustrating to diagnose, but once you determine specific allergens then management may be easier.

Unfortunately, without an exam it would be impossible to determine what medication is best, and medication can't be prescribed without an exam anyway. A skin scraping of the affected skin areas to see if it is mange, bacterial, etc, can help determine what treatment to give. Bloodwork to rule out other health issues that also need to be treated is also best.

Hello. I am so sorry for your concerns with Brandi. I wish I could just diagnose her skin problems from just a picture, but this is quite impossible. If this has been a chronic issue, my recommendations would be to either get a referral to a veterinary dermatologist who specializes in unusual skin problems, or have your veterinarian biopsy one of these lesions. It is not unusual to have to go this route when you have a frustrating case that just does not want to resolve using conventional therapy. Skin scrapes are good first step, but I think your veterinarian needs to look deeper into Brandi's skin problem. Good luck & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.