How to soothe my senior schnauzer's itchy, dry skin and fur loss?

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. From the pictures that you provided my primary suspicions would be a skin infection. There are some things that you can do at home if you are unable to get to a vet right away. I would suggest starting with a shampoo that is medicated such as Duoxo chlorhexidine PS combination and bathe him twice weekly until the infection is resolved. I would also suggest starting welactin omega-3 fish oil and essential 6 Spot On by dermoscent. If there is no improvement then I would see your vet for further testing and treatments. I hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I am also available via phone or text base consultation if needed

Allergies can be frustrating to diagnose and treat, for the pet, the pet owner, and the veterinarian! It is the most common cause for itching in dogs. Medications like Apoquel can eliminate the itch due to allergies, though it won't work if there is a secondary bacterial or yeast infection. Food allergies won't be treated simply by a better diet, they need to be strictly on a prescription hypoallergenic diet without other dog or human treats, and even then it can take 3-6 weeks to see positive effects. Until then, anti-itch medications, steroids, or shampoos/topical mousses can be used to minimize the itch and treat any present infection. I would recommend continuing to work with your vet to find the best solution to Toes's itch issue.

Sometimes diet, underlying allergies, or endocrine/metabolic disorders can change the overall condition of the coat. Make sure that Schmidty is eating a high quality diet and consider adding in a fish oil supplement. Welactin is one of my favorites ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=19121 ). Medicated shampoo my also be beneficial ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=21564 ). However, if Schmidt is drinking and urinating more than usual, experiencing lethargy, weight changes, or changes in his appetite, he should go to his vet because underlying organ/endocrine issues may be occurring. I hope that all goes well!

The first thing to do is figure out the underlying reason for the skin problems. Those spots on Ariel could be several things including allergies to fleas, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the lesions should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Ariel wear an elizabethan collar at all times if needed. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello, and thank you for your question. Possible causes of itching and hair loss in dogs include parasites (fleas, mites), skin infections (bacterial, fungal), or allergies (food, environmental). If she is very uncomfortable due to itching, this may explain her low appetite. I would suggest a vet visit in the morning to help determine the cause of her skin problems. They may perform a skin scraping, skin cytology, or culture. They may be able to provide medication to provide her some relief and comfort from her itching, and treat the source of the problem as well. I hope this helps, and that Sophie is feeling better soon!

Hello, I am sorry to hear about Scooby! If his skin is just dry with no lesions or hairloss or itching, you could consider adding a fatty acid supplement to his diet. Some are available over the counter for dogs, such as Welactin for dogs http://www.nutramaxlabs.com/dog/dog-skin-coat-health/welactin . You could also use a creme rinse and conditioner to moisturize his skin, such as epi-soothe https://us.virbac.com/product/dermatology/epi-soothe-cream-rinse

Poor Tasha. With an older patient I think it is important to focus on simple problems like fleas and parasites but not forget hair loss can be secondary to something more serious going on. I would make sure to use flea prevention every 30 days and look her over for any sign of parasites. If you do not see fleas than a vet visit would be your next step. Hair loss in older patients can be secondary to endocrine disease like hypothyroidism, cushings disease, Zinc deficiency and even bacterial/fungal issues. hope that helps