What's the best way to treat my dog's itchy skin and stop scratching?

Hello. If his skin is damaged, then you want to use an antibacterial shampoo until the lesions heal. Anything with Benzoyl Peroxide or Chlorhexidine will work well. You will need to probably bathe him every few days, so alternate with a shampoo that has anti-itch properties such as Pramoxine or 1% hydrocortisone. The key to using any medicated shampoo is to make sure you leave the lather on for 10 minutes before rinsing. Finally, you should use a skin barrier preparation that contains ceramides. Allerderm Spot-on by Virbac & Dermoscent Essential 6 Spot-on are 2 highly rated products. Ueing these products along with diet & appropriate medications should make Mumble much more comfortable. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This all depends on the severity and cause. If it’s very mild allergies, a shampoo like Duoxo Calm can help strengthen the skin barrier and decrease itching. (Bathe once to twice weekly during flare ups and try to leave the lather on for 5 minutes if possible.) If there is already a skin infection, hot spot, or it’s a hypersensitivity or flea/tick problem, you’ll need to visit your vet to get the proper treatment. Hope this helps and best of luck to you and Aurora!

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach. Regular lotion is not the best idea because of added chemicals and other products that can harm the skin or dry it out. I recommend using a shampoo such as Douxo PS calm shampoo to help strengthen the skin and prevent dandruff. I also recommend using essential 6 spot on by dermoscent and welactin omega 3 fish oil capsules. I would bathe with the shampoo twice weekly. All of these can be found online quite easily. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Hydrogen peroxide is not recommended it put on your dog - this may be part of the reason why he is itching so much. It is very irritating. You need to use a shampoo with BENZOYL peroxide like the one in the link below. Follow the instructions closely - you must leave the shampoo on the skin for 10 minutes before rinsing. It will not help if you rinse it off right away. This benzoyl peroxide helps to flush the mites out of the hair follicles where they live. It is recommended to bathe him with this every 3 days. You can use the Duoxo Calm spray in between baths. ( https://www.chewy.com/davis-benzoyl-peroxide-dog-cat/dp/152853 ) ( https://www.allivet.com/p-6674-douxo-calm-micro-emulsion-spray-for-dogs-and-cats-68-oz.aspx )

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on your description, it does sound as though Chester is dealing with allergies. I would recommend using the below following products and see if these help. If the symptoms worsen and the products do not help, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine Chester so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope these help! Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. 1. Douxo PS Calm shampoo and bathe twice weekly 2. Pramosoothe spray and apply to the affected areas to relieve any itching / irritation 3. Essential 6 spot on by Dermoscent 4. Welactin omega 3 fish oil capsules for dogs

I would use this medicated mousse on him for a week or so. If no improvement or if he seems worse then get him to your vet for an exam. ( http://www.allivet.com/p-6679-douxo-calm-mousse-for-dogs-and-cats-68-oz.aspx ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I would try a prescription hypoallergenic diet. Your vet will be able to recommend the one they think will work best for her like science diet Z/D or purina HA. This will be your best shot to rule out any food allergies. I recommend to do a minimum of a 12 week food trial with NOTHING else except for the Z/D. Even her heartworm prevention, if you give it, needs to be hypoallergenic. Unfortunately, most of the oral ones have chicken or beef flavoring in them. For treats, you can take the canned version of whatever food you choose and put a small amount into an ice cube tray and freeze them. Then popped them out and put them in a bag in the freezer for treats. I would also consider putting her on both apoquel and cytopoint at the same time to help control itching. I would also talk to your vet about whether or not they think there is any yeast on her. Yeast can be very itching. There is a anti-fungal that can be given long term and be safe. It is called terbinafine. I had a dermatologist to give it once a day for 4 weeks then every Monday and Tuesday long term to keep the yeast under control in my really allergic patients. Your vet will be able to determine the best dose and whether or not she even needs this. Finally, if this doesn't help, I would strongly recommend to find a veterinary dermatologist in your area to see if they can do different types of treatment. Most dermatologists can do skin allergy testing and get her started on allergy injections if needed. I hope this helps!