Why is my dog scratching, losing fur, and bleeding from scabs?

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.

Excessive scratching like this is probably due to skin allergy. It is often very hard to say what the dog is allergic to. It could be pollen, plants, chemicals used at home and outside, cosmetics, carpets, fleas, food the dog eats etc. In Sluggo case the skin changes and the symptoms he has got strongly suggest an allergy. You need to take him to your local vets to confirm the diagnosis (your vet may want to examine skin scrapes under a microscope) and to start treatment for him. Treatment for allergies is usually a form of anti-histamine or/and anti-inflammatory medications that give a quick relief to dogs regardless of the cause of the allergy.

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.

Thank you for your question. Patches must be pretty uncomfortable. There are several possible reasons for this type of itchiness. The first thing I recommend is make sure he has been treated for fleas. Even one little flea can trigger massive itching in a dog that is sensitive to them. Other things that can cause this type of itching are food allergies, environmental allergies, mites, and bacterial skin infections. When the skin becomes this damaged, a trip to your veterinarian is necessary. We often have to prescribe antibiotics to control local bacterial infections that can result from all the scratching. We also need to get the itching under control. Sometimes this means steroids, and sometimes we prescribe a medication specifically to control itching. A t-shirt can be used to protect the skin from further scratching while it heals. There are some over the counter anti-itch sprays you can try, but many times they are not strong enough. I hope this helps, and Patches is feeling better soon!

Oh no, poor Hookie sounds very itchy! This itching could be caused by fleas, mites, ringworm, or allergies. If he isn't up to date on his flea treatment, he will need a spot on treatment such as Advantage or Revolution. You will need to disinfect the environment as well. Even if he's up to date on his flea medications, he should see a vet. The vet can do blood tests, skin scrapings, and use a Wood's lamp to diagnose allergies, mites, and ringworm if he is up to date on his flea treatments. he will also need his raw skin treated, and it may be infected from all the scratching. Once the cause of the itching is found, the vet can prescribe the appropriate treatment.

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. What you can do in the meantime is use an e-collar to prevent further self-injury. 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!

Considering the signs you described and the pics, this presentation is likely to be due to an allergy, although skin infections or mites could be responsible for it as well. First, to rule out skin parasites, I would recommend to ask your vet to prescribe a good quality flea treatment and perform some skin tests to rule out infections and mites. If all the tests are negative, allergies can be considered and treated.