My dog has ticks and skin rashes. Should I shave her fur to help?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lucy. I am sorry to hear about her diagnosis of mites. Medicated shampoo and drug therapy specifically for the mites should cure the problem. If this is not working, then she will need to see her veterinarian. She may have a secondary bacterial infection on her skin causing the itching. This will require an antibiotic to treat. It is very common though. I hope this information helps!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. You should not cause him any harm by shaving his fur. I recommend also giving him a good bath with warm water and Dawn dish soap to try to eliminate even more parasites. Be careful not to get any soap in his eyes, though! I hope this is helpful. I'm so glad that you were able to find him and he is home safe!

I'm sorry to say that the fleas are not under control if you are still finding them on Lucy. Fleas actually live in the environment, not on the dog. They jump on the dog to feed and them jump off. Even though you've only found one or two, I guaranteed there are so many more you haven't seen. No wonder her skin is so bad in the picture. Natural flea products do not work at all, she needs prescription flea treatments from the vet. She also needs to have her skin treated, and I'm quite concerned about her eye being red with discharge. That suggests an eye infection. Your dog is likely very miserable being so itchy, and she needs to see a vet immediately. Please take her into one now. Best of luck.

I would recommend first a good flea and tick prevention. You can use the oral medication or even the seresto collar. Even if she doesn't go outside she can still get fleas. For her skin I would bring her to a veterinarian. She will most likely need medication to stop licking and scratching and antibiotics to heal her infection. She may also be prescribed a shampoo that is medicated that you can't get over the counter. There are great medications now that help with itching also. There are pills and injections that you can discuss with your veterinarian to help her feel much better. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Lucy! This does look very irritated and she may have developed an infection in the skin which would make her even more uncomfortable and itchy. If she didn't do well with the cone, I would try a small shirt or a baby onesie to cover the area so she can't cause further damage to it. I would keep it clean by using a gentle antiseptic such as Hibiclens or dilute betadine (diluted to the color of weak tea). After cleaning, dry the area and then apply a thin film of triple antibiotic ointment. You can do this twice a day. You can also put a little hydrocortisone cream on it to help with the irritation. If you do this for a few days and it is not improving, I would recommend taking Lucy to the vet. Some infections are so deep that just topical treatment won't get rid of them and they need oral medications. I hope this helps and that Lucy gets feeling better soon!

This may be due to parasites (fleas, mites), infection (bacterial or fungal) or allergies. Lucero would need to be physically examined by your veterinarian to diagnose the underlying cause. This may take diagnostics such as skin scrapes, cultures, allergy testing or food elimination trials. In the meantime, place an e-collar (cone) on him to prevent licking or chewing. Treat him for fleas, even if you don't see any, using a topical or oral preventative. Treat monthly for 3 consecutive months, preferably year round. Treat the environment as well by vacuuming everywhere and washing all bedding. An area treatment, such as Knockout ES or Indorex, should also be used. If Lucero has allergies, they can be frustrating to diagnose. Discuss allergy testing, hydrolyzed diets, food elimination trials and antihistamine use with your veterinarian.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The smell usually indicates skin infection, so ideally you should take Jaceky to your local vets to get a course of antibiotics. Alternatively, you can first clip the wounds from the hair and use antiseptic solution ( 4% chlorhexidine would be best) and clean it twice a day. Also, make sure that your dog doesn't lick or scratch the wounds. For ticks, the most effective treatments are spot-on skin solutions that you can buy over-the-counter at pet shops or online.