My dog's skin is raw from scratching. Vet help isn't working. What now?

If you haven't yet had him seen by a vet, ideally I would recommend that you have him evaluated. He may have a secondary bacterial infection that needs to be cleared up with antibiotics, and he may benefit from prescription medications such as Apoquel which can make a big difference for these guys! If you are unable to get him to the vet, you can try him on an antihistamine such as Benadryl. See here for dosing info: https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/benadryl/. Try switching him to a "sensitive skin" food, such as this: (this s actually what I feed my dog who has some skin allergies/dry skin/itchiness) https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/hills-science-diet-adult-sensitive-stomach-and-skin-chicken-recipe-dry-dog-food You can also give some Omega 3 supplements, as this may help as well. Bathe him once a week to cut down on topical allergens being absorbed in the skin, and follow with a dog cream rinse. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zymox-shampoo-with-vitamin-d3 https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zymox-rinse-with-vitamin-d3 If these "at home" measures don't give him relief, though, get him in to see your vet. Thanks for asking PetCoach!

I am so sorry that Charlie is so uncomfortable. I do not know what therapies you have already tried, so I will list my recommendations. I would start with trial treating for mites. Bravecto, simparica, or ivermectin would be appropriate choices. If that doesn’t help then I would test for ringworm. If still no improvement I would request an injection called cytopoint to help with the itch and I would try a hypoallergenic diet for 2/3 months. I may also consider a skin biopsy to help narrow down the diagnosis. Best of luck and I hope one of these suggestions is helpful for him! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Poor Remington! It looks like Remington has a bit of a skin infection. The patch on his face appears to be superficial moist dermatitis (commonly called a "hot spot"). These skin infections are generally secondary to the dog scratching from something else. I would make sure you used a high product flea prevention (many over-the-counter options don't work very well). I prefer the oral options such as Bravecto and Nexgard, but there are many reputable topical products such as Advantix, Frontline, or Revolution as well. The scratching could also be due to allergies or (with the sore on his face) an ear infection, so I recommend having Remington seen by a vet to help determine what is causing the scratching in the first place, and to get him started on the appropriate treatment. He will likely need a course of antibiotics to clear up his skin. In the meantime, keep all of those areas clean and dry. You may gently clean them with warm soapy water (Dawn dish soap works well), then pat them thoroughly dry with a clean towel. Hope this helps.

I would try a prescription hypoallergenic diet. Your vet will be able to recommend the one they think will work best for her like science diet Z/D or purina HA. This will be your best shot to rule out any food allergies. I recommend to do a minimum of a 12 week food trial with NOTHING else except for the Z/D. Even her heartworm prevention, if you give it, needs to be hypoallergenic. Unfortunately, most of the oral ones have chicken or beef flavoring in them. For treats, you can take the canned version of whatever food you choose and put a small amount into an ice cube tray and freeze them. Then popped them out and put them in a bag in the freezer for treats. I would also consider putting her on both apoquel and cytopoint at the same time to help control itching. I would also talk to your vet about whether or not they think there is any yeast on her. Yeast can be very itching. There is a anti-fungal that can be given long term and be safe. It is called terbinafine. I had a dermatologist to give it once a day for 4 weeks then every Monday and Tuesday long term to keep the yeast under control in my really allergic patients. Your vet will be able to determine the best dose and whether or not she even needs this. Finally, if this doesn't help, I would strongly recommend to find a veterinary dermatologist in your area to see if they can do different types of treatment. Most dermatologists can do skin allergy testing and get her started on allergy injections if needed. I hope this helps!

Poor girl. This looks highly suspicious for a mite issue (Demodexx). This could also just be a really bad allergy. I would highly recommend taking Beretta to your vet to have her skin tested. The vet needs to do a skin scrape to confirm if this is a mite problem first. If so, then you do have some reasonable options for treatment. Treatment for mites nowadays can come in the form of a flea preventative such as Simparica, Nexgard, or Bravecto. These all treat for demodexx mites given once every 30 days. These are prescriptoin only medications. It also looks like Beretta has a secondary bacterial infection on her skin. You will need to have your vet put her on a short course of antibiotics to clear this up. Until you can get her seen, it is best to get her started on a good topical shampoo. My top pick here for something that doesn't require a prescription is Duoxo calm shampoo available online. Also daily pet fish oils are best for pets with skin allergies since they are a natural anti-inflammatory. Visit your local pet store to see what options you have since all of them are equally effective in pets. I hope that Beretta's skin improves soon! Best of luck moving forward. Take care.

Poor Scrappy Brown! It's definitely a constant battle when dealing with an allergy in a dog. Unfortunately there is no cure for these allergies and they require constant management. It would be worth talking with your veterinarian about a new medication called Cytopoint. Cytopoint is an injection that has very good success in treating skin allergies in dogs. This injection lasts for about 4 weeks and could be likely be used for long term treatment of Scrappy's allergies. Medicated bathing would be another option to treat Scrappy. This bathing is done two to three times weekly to help manage skin infections and yeast overgrowths. It would also be worth calling your veterinarian to see if they can prescribe a medicated shampoo like Douxo for Scrappy's skin. You can also consider a specialized diet for Scrappy as food allergies often cause skin itching. A prescription diet like Royal Canin Ultamino may be a good option for him. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope the above options work to make Scrappy more comfortable!

It sounds like Charlie maybe having an allergic reaction, which is very common in her breed. Allergic reactions can be caused by many things, such as insect bites, food, or environmental allergens. We may not find out what she is allergic to, but a vet can help with the symptoms. Other possibilities can be a skin infection, which also requires veterinary attention. Hope she feels better!