My dog's skin is red and itchy. Is it yeast infection or allergies?

It is possible we could have yeast or bacteria here. The only way to tell for certain is to do what is called a cytology on the area. Your vet can take a sample (they may use a piece of tape or press a microscope slide directly on the skin) and look at it under the microscope. They can then determine if we have infection present and treat appropriately.

Skin problems in dogs are usually related to allergies. They can get secondary bacterial and yeast infections. Unfortunately there is no way to know if Minnie has a yeast infection just by looking at the a picture. I would recommend taking her to a veterinarian where they can do a thorough exam and skin cytology. They place a slide against the irritated skin and then stain the slide and examine under a microscope. They can then give medication based on it is bacterial or yeast. If the primary areas are the armpits and the belly- I suspect that Minnie is allergic to something in the air which has caused a secondary infection. One thing to remember with allergies is that there is not one magic treatment . Do not get frustrated when the first treatment doesn't' work, each dog is different. Allergies can be controlled, but not cured. Thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Red, itchy skin can be from any number of things. * allergies * skin infection (bacterial or yeast) * skin mites (mange) * flea allergy * hormone related * autoimmune disease These are things I can think of right off the top of my head. It is best to have Oreo examined by your vet.

This could be an allergic reaction, a skin infection (bacterial or yeast) or even a skin tumor. You should have it examined by your veterinarian, as it is not possible to distinguish these by just looking at a photo. An bacterial skin infection can usually be treated with antibiotics , a fungal infection (yeast) with a fungicidal medicine. To identify a tumor, your vet may want to do a fine needle aspirate (he takes some material from the area in question with a needle and then looks at it under the microscope) to determine whether this is concerning.

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 Rufus 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).

Hello, sorry to hear about Tucker. It looks like he has a local skin infection there which could be assocaited with multiple things such as an insect bite, trauma, allergies, etc. You can clean the area with soapy water then monitor it for any progressive swelling, redness, or discharge. Do not allow him to lick at it. If you note any worsening signs, then have him seen by his veterinarian as he may then need either local or systemic antibiotics/other medications. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Hi there! I'm so sorry to hear about Tucker's troubles. First off, I'm not sure if Tucker is eating a prescription hypoallergenic diet. If he isn't, and it's over the counter, there is always the possibility of allergy-causing contaminants getting into the food. Also, since Tucker is so sensitive to food, I would avoid the rice and pasta for now. Since Tucker is very itchy and uncomfortable, and and to also check and make sure that he hasn't caused a secondary infection. chewing and licking at himself, I would definitely make an appointment for him to see his veterinarian to get him some stronger medications than benadryl to control the itch, Even then, his allergies may only be somewhat controlled, and his veterinarian may recommend that he see a dermatologist. The dermatologist can test him and see exactly what he is allergic to. In turn, they can create injections to help reduce his sensitivity to the allergens that bother him. In the meantime, I would get a cone for Tucker that goes a few inches past his nose. This will help prevent him from licking and chewing himself and like I mentioned above, causing a secondary infection. I hope you find this answer helpful. Best of luck!