Why is my Schnauzer scratching with white flakes? Is it dry skin?

Congratulations on your new puppy! It sounds like Paco needs to trip to the veterinarian to check for mange and other internal and external parasites. Even puppies from good breeders can have mites or worms but especially coming from a bad environment, the risk is higher. Bring a fresh stool sample so Paco can be checked for worms and possibly giardia (depending on where you live). The doctor may recommend a diagnostic called a skin scrape to check for mites and will prescribe appropriate medication if these are found. The doctor will likely also deworm Paco as some worms can be transmitted to humans. Lastly, make sure to feed Paco a high quality diet. I recommend Royal Canin Chihuahua puppy. Its easy to break down and its high calorie so that helps to combat hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) which small breed puppies can be prone to. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Poor Chiko! There are many different things that could cause itching, scabs, and hair loss like this. Some common possibilities would include allergies (food allergies, or an allergy to something in the environment), a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). Treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is, so it's important to get a diagnosis first. Because of this, I would recommend taking Chiko to the vet tomorrow for an exam. He/she can do some simple skin tests if needed to help diagnose the problem and get him started on appropriate medication to treat it. In the meantime, you can try bathing him in an aloe and oatmeal dog shampoo if you want to - this will not treat the underying problem causing his symptoms, but may help to soothe his skin and make him a bit more comfortable until you are able to see the vet.

Hello. It does sound like Dyce is allergic to something. It is best to have him seen by your veterinarian to try & get to the bottom of his issues, whether they be environmental allergies, food allergies, or even the presence of fleas or skin mites causing him to itch. We now have very good & very safe products to treat allergies, including Apoquel & Cytopoint. If you can not get Dyce to the vet, you can start him on a good fish oil supplement made for dogs, such as Dermapet & F.A. capsules. Most large pet retailers will have a good selection. You can also bathe Dyce 1-2 times weekly in cool water using a mild oatmeal based shampoo or one that contains either 1% hydrocortisone or pramoxine. These will give short term relief & when used regularly, may decrease the incidence of his allergic outbreaks. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly 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 Jemma with a high quality flea treatment (e.g. Nexguard or advantage), then get her to the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal 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 repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). simultaneously you should start her 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 her on a long term allergy treatment (Atopica or Apoquel).

It looks like dandruff. However, if he's itchy or has any areas of skin that obviously have a rash, take him to your vet. If not, here's an article you may find helpful. https://www.petcoach.co/article/helpful-products-for-your-dogs-dry-skin/ Thanks for asking PetCoach!

This presentation is probably due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think continuing the use of a medicated shampoo would be good as he likely has secondary infections. I think this could be due to allergies and it would be crucial to identify the allergic component to try to see if he can improve. 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!