My dog is scratching his skin raw. What can I do for relief until vet?

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 Rexxy. You can give him an oatmeal bath to see if that helps. Take a cup of oatmeal, and put it into a blender to make a fine powder. Then add it to a warm bath. Have him seen by a vet as soon as you can.

Poor Cooper! It sounds like you're already on the right track for ruling out issues, however, environmental allergens can also flare up this time of year which may be causing the excessive itchiness. Since that area is very badly irritated and inflamed, I definitely agree with getting into your vet ASAP. Since it's right on his neck, you can try inverting an Elizabethan (cone) collar so that the cone part covers the irritation and the neck park sits up closer around his ears, so that it doesn't rub against the irritated spot and protects it from further scratching. Keeping the area clean and dry can also help reduce any secondary infections that may take hold in the irritated skin. An over the counter allergy medication such as Benadryl can also help by reducing any irritation/itchiness, and may also have the added benefit of making him a little drowsy so he's less likely to scratch. However, getting into the vet like you planned is the best course of action. If there is a big wound opening up, it gets worse, it oozes debris, or Cooper seems in major distress, getting into your vet sooner or reaching out to an urgent care vet may be a good idea.

I hate to hear that Sam is so miserable! Definitely for the fleas I would recommend an oral flea product such as Simparica or Comfortis. These are the top products on the market and will kill any fleas that land on Sam within 3-4 hours. Topical products take 12 - 24 hours. You will need to use a good flea prevention on him and any other pets in the house for a solid 6 months. To help his skin to feel better, give him a cool water bath daily. You can also give him an over the counter antihistamine. If you have an elizabethan collar for him, you can also apply a small amount of cortisone cream. The collar will keep Sam from licking. You need to rub it in well and make sure he cannot lick it. You might also call the clinic daily and check to see if they have any cancelations. You might be able to get Sam in earlier. I hope this helps!

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!(

Poor Frank! This itching can be caused by fleas, mites, ringworm, or allergies. If he isn't up to date on his flea treatment, 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 Monday. 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. Good luck, I hope this helps!

You can try giving Toby an oatmeal bath, that may temporarily help soothe his skin. Unfortunately it's illegal for me to recommend using any OTC drugs without seeing him in person, I can't say it's safe. If he's still really itchy on Monday, take him back into the vet. Best of luck.