My dog has skin allergies with pimples and crusts. What can I do?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I can see a lot of redness and bumps on Millie's skin, which can be indicative of a skin infection (bacterial or fungal) or skin mites. Unfortunately, dogs with skin allergies can easily develop infections. The reason for this is that with the chronic scratching, the natural barrier of the skin is compromised, allowing bacteria to enter. Millie may need antibiotics or a medicated shampoo to clear up the infection, so she does need to see a vet. I recommend showing your vet these photos, especially if Millie doesn't like being examined. You can also try an omega-3 supplement for her along with Apoquel to keep her skin healthy.

In most cases these skin infections, called bacterial pyoderma, are allergy-related. The antibiotics will help, but as you've experienced the skin problems will come back if the primary allergic disease isn't controlled. The hydroxyzine Becher took was an antihistamine, and that may have helped control the itchiness, however it sounds to me that he needs something a bit stronger to control the allergies and thus the skin infections. Talk to your vet about using Apoquel or Atopica on him; these are great drugs with minimal side effects that really help allergic dogs.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If this is associated with itchiness, this may be due to skin allergies. There are medications such as Apoquel and prednisone which may help to decrease the itch. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. 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!

It looks as if your dog has a skin infection, most commonly caused by an allergy, a skin mite (Demodex) or fleas. 

The allergy could be a due to a protein in your dog’s food or an environmental allergy like to dust, pollens, grasses, etc. 

The allergy causes your dog to itch and chew at the skin which breaks down the skin barrier. This then leads to infection. Skin infections are typically characterized by large areas of hair loss, redness, crusting, flaking, and pustules. A thorough skin examination by your veterinarian should be able to determine the cause of the infection and itch so it can be treated appropriately. Because your puppy is so young I would be very concerned about Demodex as the primary problem. Your dog will most likely need antibiotics to help clear up the infection and possibly an allergy/anti-itch medication like Apoquel, Atopica, or Cytopoint to give some relief while the infection clears up. A medicated shampoo may be beneficial as well (based on the type of infection your veterinarian can recommend the most appropriate one). I would also recommend that he be on a good flea control routinely too. The thyroid gland is located in the throat area but it is probably not what you were feeling. I suspect you may be feeling a large lymph node or just severely inflamed skin tissue judging by the severity of his infection. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.



It sounds like she has allergies with a skin infection. If your vet did not prescribe any medications then you should call and give him/her an update. She may need an anti-histamine, antibiotic, and a corticosteroid to help with the itch. A collar is not actually treating the problem as she is going to continue to itch if she has an allergy. There is also a new allergy medication called Apoquel which seems to work very well. You could also bathe her with a medicated shampoo, like Epi-Soothe and see if that helps.

It sounds like he could have a bacterial skin infection. You could bathe him with a medicated dog shampoo but he may also need an antibiotic. Have your vet take a look at him to determine the exact cause and prescribe medications to treat. He may need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, or corticosteroid to help.

If Oscar is having allergy issues I would consider discussing Apoquel with your veterinarian. This is an allergy medication that works very well for dogs. The spots you are referring to may either be hives or a secondary skin infection. WIthout seeing them it is hard to say exactly what they are. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.