My dog has a red, hairless muzzle. What can I do besides Benadryl?

The only option left at home to add is an over the counter antihistamine such as Benadryl to help with redness and itching if it is from an allergy. you may need to change her bowls or bedding to see if it is a contact allergy that is getting worse. If this does not help you will have to see your vet for prescription medications

As your vet said This is probably due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. It is very important anyway , in order to rule out skin parasites, to treat with a high quality flea treatment (advocate or advantage), then ask 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 to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Buster collar may be useful to avoid further scratching/rubbing. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

This sounds like an environment or food allergy. The red is due to yeast proliferation from moistness in the hair. I would recommend a novel protein elimination diet for 40 days. Benadryl is a good anti-histamine but may not work as it only improves a certain type of allergy. Neosporin can be damaging to the kidneys so I would avoid using it. It also only contains antibiotics and so would not be helpful. Fish oils can also be very helpful at lowering inflammation in the body and improving skin and joint health.

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!

He could have a skin infection or an allergic dermatitis. You could bathe him with a medicated dog shampoo and see if that helps. If not, have your vet take a look at him. He may need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, or a corticosteroid to help treat the problem.

These symptoms do sound likely that Nino has allergies. If it has been going on for weeks and is getting worse, he likely has seasonal/environmental allergies. Unfortunately over the counter allergy meds such as Benadryl don't work all that well, and he really needs something more effective to control his symptoms, which would need to come from a vet. The pimples you are seeing probably indicate a secondary skin infection which will need antibiotics to clear up. So, he will need a vet visit to improve. In the meantime you can keep those areas clean and dry; I recommend bathing him with a mild oatmeal based shampoo and drying him thoroughly. You can also wipe down his feet and muzzle with a damp cloth when he comes in for the night to get as much pollen, grass, and other allergens off him before he goes to bed. Hope this helps.

Allergies can have a wide variety of causes, including flea allergies, food allergies, or allergies to our surrounding environment. If possible, the first step in managing Bam Bam's signs is to determine the underlying allergen. Make sure he is on a high quality flea preventative (Nexgard, Bravecto, or Advantix) once a month year round. Consider if he has been receiving table scraps or has had a recent diet change that may be contributing in cases of food allergies. Otherwise, antihistamines (such as Benadryl) can provide some relief in some pets, but you should always speak with your vet before giving any medication to Bam Bam because they are aware of his previous medical history and any other concurrent medications that are being administered.