My Maltipoo has swollen eyes and scabs. Is it allergies or itching?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to see and hear that Buddie is having problems. Of course food can be a reason but other things may be involved also. Allergies are very high this time of year. Late summer/early fall allergies due to weed pollens affect many people and pets. This is due to an inhaled allergy or breathing in the allergens. Other reasons could be due to an environmental irritant (not an allergy), bacterial infection around the eyes involving the eyelids, or some problem directly related to the eyes themselves. Any problems in this area causing eyes to be red, swollen, eyelid changes like you describe should be investigated as soon as possible. I would advise getting Buddie seen by your veterinarian so they can gather a detailed history including food/treat changes, etc and then they can do a complete examination, eventually focusing in on the eyes. Eye tests which may be performed include corneal stain to check for ulcers/scratches, tear production, and pressure measurements inside the eyes themselves. These will assess the health of the eyes and this is important since the eyes are very important sense organs and eye problems can deteriorate rather quickly. Once a diagnosis is made or suspected, your vet can discuss and implement a sound treatment plan. Good luck with Buddie. I hope he gets more comfortable soon.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. It sounds like this possible infection may be significant though it is hard to tell without an examination. 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!

Hello. I am sorry for your concerns about Lilly. There are possibly 2 reasons for recurrent skin irritation, allergies, or the presence of a skin mite. I would recommend seeing your veterinarian who will do a simple skin scrape of the skin & look for the presence of the mite under a microscope. Depending on what is, or is not found, your veterinarian may try a steroid medication, either as an injection or a pill, & possibly use a flea & tick medication called Bravecto, that also has activity against the skin mites. Hopefully, this will take care of the redness & swelling you are seeing. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. This is quite severe and warrants therapy. The likely secondary infections need to to be addressed and the itchiness also need to be addressed to prevent this issue from getting worse. Medications like prednisone can be used for the itchiness and antibiotics for the infections. In the meantime, you can use an e-collar in the meantime to prevent further self-trauma. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his 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!

This is probably an allergic reaction due to an insect bite or a plant outside. those reactions tend to resolve within 48 hours without treatment. if the swelling becomes too large or if Bo is lethargic, take him to the vet in order to get an antihistamine injection.

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 her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. The UTI is unrelated and should be treated separately. 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!

He looks to be generally itchy. I'm suspicious of allergies causing this, but it could be due to mange, fleas, or other causes. The eye may be a separate problem, or related to the allergies. Without seeing it, it's difficult to tell the cause of this, or the severity, but the fact that it's swollen shut warrants a visit to the vet. I recommend having him seen by a vet within the next 24 hours to prevent serious complications with the eye. The vet can also help narrow-down the cause of the itch and provide medication to help give him some relief. One thing you can do for itchy skin, is give a bath with cool water using an oatmeal or aloe shampoo. You can get these shampoos at the pet store. For now, you can flush the eye with normal saline. Saline flush can be bought at the pharmacy, or supermarket in the eye care section. Flush the eye 3-4 times daily and gently wipe away the discharge with a warm/moist cotton or cloth. Below is a link to a good video that demonstrates how to flush the eye. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lXVNMcPzhs I hope that helps and Roscoe gets better soon.