My 6-month-old dog is scratching himself raw. What should I do?

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!

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 him with a high quality flea treatment (e.g. advocate or advantage), then get him to the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might revile 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 stop the chewing and 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).

It is possible that Zuco has environmental allergies. As he is currently in discomfort, I would recommend taking him to a veterinarian, putting him on an oral prescription flea/tick preventative such as simpsrica, bravecton or nexgard to rule out flea bite allergies, inquire about a minimum of a 2 week trial of an allergy medication called Apoquel if indicated based on your vet's examination +/- a monthly allergy injection called cytopoint. Both medications have been life changing for many dogs with environmental allergies. If Apoquel +/- a topical prescription steroid/antibiotic/antifungal ointment such as dermavet does not alleviate the itching, a food trial with a prescription diet such as Royal Canin Ultamino for a minimum of 2 months may be indicated. Home remedies if you are not able to bring him to the vet immediately can include placing an e-collar to prevent biting/worsening of lesions, a moisturizing oatmeal shampoo such as Aveeno every day and a gradual transition to Purina Derm Defense diet. Additionally your regular vet may be willing to cite a dose for OTC Benadryl to give prior to your appointment if he/she already has an established relationship with your pet.

It sounds like Hatch is itchy. You need to treat the cause of his scratching in order to prevent the wounds. This scratching can be caused by fleas, mites, ringworm, or allergies. If he isn't up to date on his flea treatment, I can give you one for him. First, I would give him Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, such as Advantage or Revolution. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash his bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. If he is up to date on his flea treatment, I recommend taking him into the vet for an exam today or tomorrow. 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. Best of luck.

Poor Cody! It sounds like he has a bad case of allergies. He could have fleas or allergic to something outside. He may also have mange, secondary yeast or bacterial infection. You could try to give him benadryl twice a day, start giving him calming baths using an anti-itch shampoo like duoxo calming shampoo, and start him on an omega 3 fatty acid to see if there is any improvement. I would also get him on a high quality flea preventative like comfortis, bravecto, or nexgard. See both links below for more info. If he isn't improving or if the area on his booty continues to bleed, I would have your vet look at him. Your vet will be able to determine the cause and get him started on the proper meds to help him feel better. They will also be able to start him on a strong allergy medicine like apoquel, cytopoint, or steroids. I hope this helps! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/#! https://www.petco.com/brand/vetriscience

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!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on your description, it does sound as though Chester is dealing with allergies. I would recommend using the below following products and see if these help. If the symptoms worsen and the products do not help, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine Chester so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope these help! Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. 1. Douxo PS Calm shampoo and bathe twice weekly 2. Pramosoothe spray and apply to the affected areas to relieve any itching / irritation 3. Essential 6 spot on by Dermoscent 4. Welactin omega 3 fish oil capsules for dogs