Why are my husky's recurring hot spots not healing with shampoo?

This is probably due to a severe allergy, although it could also be fleas or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat Koda with a high quality flea treatment (e.g. advantage), then get him to the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try discovering the cause of the allergy. Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). simultaneously you should start him on a prescription hypoallergenic diet for at least 2 months. Hopefully you will see some results after all this, if not you and your vet should consider putting him on a long term allergy treatment (Atopica or Apoquel).

A lot of skin conditions can look like hot spots, bacterial skin infection, ringworm, even mite infections, and allergies, flea bites and other itchy lesions. each on of these is treated with a different medication or avoidance of allergens, etc. Therefore it is very important to have a correct diagnosis, ie know what is causing the hot spot so the proper treatment can be initiated. I strongly recommend you schedule an appointment with your veterinarian for an exam of the hot spots. Your vet may want to do a skin scraping or a take a swab or brush sample to help determine the cause and then specifically address the problem.

Hello. If his skin is damaged, then you want to use an antibacterial shampoo until the lesions heal. Anything with Benzoyl Peroxide or Chlorhexidine will work well. You will need to probably bathe him every few days, so alternate with a shampoo that has anti-itch properties such as Pramoxine or 1% hydrocortisone. The key to using any medicated shampoo is to make sure you leave the lather on for 10 minutes before rinsing. Finally, you should use a skin barrier preparation that contains ceramides. Allerderm Spot-on by Virbac & Dermoscent Essential 6 Spot-on are 2 highly rated products. Ueing these products along with diet & appropriate medications should make Mumble much more comfortable. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The zinc/methionine are not likely causing this. 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. Other possibilities such as mange need to also be considered and a physical examination and basic diagnostics should help sort that out. 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!

Continued hotspots are generally a sign of an underlying allergy. This allergy could be related to flea bites, a food allergy or an environmental allergy. Hypothyroidism is uncommon in a young dog but is possible as well and will result in hotspots. Until you determine the underlying cause, it will be impossible to stop the hotspots. You can rule out flea allergy by using an oral flea preventative and such as Simparica or Nexgard. Food allergy is often rolled out with a prescription hydrolyzed diet. Environmental allergy can be tested with a blood sample or a response to therapy. Thyroid conditions are detected with a blood test. I recommend to call your veterinarian to discuss which option is the best one to start with. At home providing quality food and an omega-3 fatty acid supplement for pets can help maintain skin health which can provide some protection. Royal Canin and Nutro are both good diet. Keeping him dry and drying him off quickly when he gets wet can also help. Lastly, make sure to protect any hotspots from licking or scratching. He may need to wear an elizabethan collar. I hope this helps.

Hello, and thank you for your question. A recurring hot spot may be caused by a stubborn bacterial infection, or underlying allergies, or both. Did you keep Dewey on the new diet for a minimum of 8 weeks, with no other treats or table scraps, and did the spot come back after you stopped the food? If so, he may have a food allergy and need to stay on a hypoallergenic diet for life. It is also possible he may need something stronger than a topical antibiotic. I would take Dewey back the vet within the next 2-3 days and discuss if he should be on an oral antibiotic for a longer time period, if they suspect a stubborn bacterial infection. They may also want to conduct other tests such as a skin scraping or fungal culture, to rule out other causes of itchy red skin (e.g. mites, ringworm). In the meantime, I would put an e-collar (cone) on Dewey to ensure he does not further damage the skin. I hope this helps, and that your pup is feeling better soon!

Its possible this is a skin infection versus the typical lesions Pheobe gets with her allergies. It could be related to her allergies (they can get worse over time) but they can also be more common in thick coated breeds like huskies. I recommend to call your veterinarian. They may want to examine her again or they may recommend a medicated shampoo or other topical therapy. Then again, since she has thick hair, they may also recommend systemic medications. Ask your vet about any additional supplements, diet changes or antihistamines which may also help. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.