My dog scratches until she bleeds. How can I stop her severe itching?

I can definitely see the small scabs and hairless on Peanut's back - those must be so uncomfortable. It can be frustrating to watch her scratch constantly and not have anything help. While the remedies you tried may help to decrease the symptoms, they do not provide a cure for what is actually causing Peanut to itch. I recommend that Peanut sees a vet who can figure out the underlying cause. Things like mites buried deep in the skin (which are not treated with flea sprays), food allergies, and chronic bacterial/fungal infections can be causing her issues. Your vet can take a sample from the skin to determine what is going on, as well as run some blood work to rule out underlying hormonal imbalances.

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!

You can try cool baths with an oatmeal shampoo every other day. But there isn't anything that will help with the itch until the parasite is controlled. Cortisone creams will actually make things worse. You can use an e-collar and socks on Simba's feet to prevent damaging the skin (but an e-collar must be used if you use socks to prevent him from eating them!(

If Bonnie doesn't have fleas, this could be caused by mange, allergies, or ringworm. I would take her into the vet in the morning. The vet can do blood tests, skin scrapings, and use a Wood's lamp to diagnose allergies, mites, and ringworm. Once the cause of the itching is found, the vet can prescribe the appropriate treatment. I hope this helps!

It sounds like Prince needs actual medications to feel better. When pets are itching to the point of bleeding, it's unlikely that an over the counter medication or shampoo will help them significantly. Additionally, there are several things including allergies, skin mites, flea bites, ringworm (which humans can get) or a bacterial infection that could be causing the itching and until those are addressed, he will keep itching badly. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Pets can take anti-histamines but you will need to get a recommendation from your veterinarian (pharmacy law prohibits online vets from discussing this with clients). Protect the areas from licking or scratching. I recommend to have him examined by his veterinarian who may prescribe medications and determine the source of the itching. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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!

Poor Hank! I'm sorry to hear that he's having this problem. It sounds like you have tried some good options so far - but since oatmeal baths, topical sprays, and changing foods have not helped, it's definitely time to see a vet. There are quite a few skin problems that can cause a rash with excessive itching like this, including allergies, a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). Prescription medication such as a steroid and/or antibiotic is generally needed to treat these problems, which is why a vet visit is essential. Your vet can do some simple skin tests to help diagnose the problem and get Hank started on appropriate medication to treat it.