Why does my senior dog have recurring itchy skin around her vagina?

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. 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!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a focal infection though an examination is needed to know. You can try to use a medicated shampoo containing chlorhexidine twice weekly for 2 weeks. If there is no improvement or in the meantime this appears to be getting worse, have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. It may be the picture but I am concerned that there may be also a lump as well. If that is the case, that should be evaluated to know if it is actually a growth. Good luck and have a good night!

Hello and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear your pet is having an issue. By vaginal infection, I am unsure if you mean she is having vaginitis, a urinary tract infection or even a uterine infection (also called a pyometra). If she is having repeat UTIs it is a good idea to have her urine cultured and also to do some imaging diagnostics like X-rays and even an ultrasound. If she is not spayed and the infection is coming from her uterus it is very important to have her spayed as this will resolve the issue. If your veterinarian is unsure as to where the infection is coming from then the next step is urine culture and an ultrasound. In some cases a resistant bacteria is present and the culture will help rule that out. An ultrasound will help determine if there are any complicating factors like bladder inflammation, bladder stones or even cancer. More information provided by you may help us make additional suggestions. I hope this helps clear some things up for you!

Yes it could possibly be due to a Malassezia species (an yeast) infection. Usually mild infection like this one, do not need an oral systemic treatment, but an antiseptic shampoo (like Malaseb shampoo - on prescription) would be enough to stop the spreading of it and resolve it. 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.

While the baths do help, I am afraid that is a skin infection at this point, likely yeast and bacterial. Generally you will need to see a vet for a sample for the correct medication. They may also discuss blood work to check the thyroid and check for Cushings disease as these can predispose them to the skin infections. It is best to give another bath and apply cortisone cream to the bad spots until you can get her seen by a vet

Oh dear, poor Sadie! Her skin issues coupled with the redness and swelling of her anus and vulva could be due to underlying allergies to fleas, food or the environment. I see that she has not been spayed, so it is also possible that her vulva is red and swollen if she is going into heat. The anus can be red and irritated from parasites or anal gland issues, as well. At this point, I recommend assuring that Sadie is receiving a high quality flea preventative (such as Nexgard, Bravecto or K9 Advantix II). You can try bathing her in a gentle oatmeal shampoo or antimicrobial shampoo, but she will likely need to go to her vet for an exam. The vet will be able to assess her changes and determine if a skin infection is present as a result of her ongoing itching. She may need to have a course of antibiotics and anti-itch medications to help resolve this issue. I hope that all goes well!

You can give him a bath in a medicated shampoo that can help. If there are sores then you can apply neosporin to them. The odor may be from a secodnary yeast infection. At her age I would have yiurbvrt check her thyroid ton make sure it is not low as it can predispose them to more skin infections. From there they can prescribe medicine to treat her