Why is my husky chewing her fur out? Should I use medicated shampoo?

Poor Shake! Itchy skin can be very difficult to figure out the underlying cause and can be really tough to manage, so I understand your frustration. I would discuss a plan with the vet you feel most comfortable with for long term management of Shake's skin. Most dogs that have underlying allergies are managed, not cured. I would also plan to do recheck appointments to make sure he is improving and you are seeing results. You may want to consider taking Shake to a veterinary dermatologist, if one is available in your area, as they are specialists and only deal with skin issues. First and foremost, I would make sure that Shake is on good flea and tick control to make sure that is not contributing to his itching. Many dogs that have underlying allergies that will often have severe allergies to flea bites as well. Although it is difficult to see what is going on by the pictures alone, I do suspect he has a secondary infection from chewing/itching, that may need to be addressed with oral medication. I would also recommend having the vet do skin scrapes on him to look for mites if this was not done already, and possibly put him on mite treatment just to rule it out as a possibility. Many dogs with itchy skin need multi-modal therapy, including medicated shampoo, omega 3 fatty acids, and oral antibiotics and/or antifungal medication to get itchy skin under control. There are some medications available through your vet for allergic dogs that may help, such as apoquel or atopica. The most important thing to do is follow up with the vet or discuss referral to a veterinary dermatologist to make sure adjustments don't need to be made in the treatment plan.

Poor Kato! I'm sorry to hear that he's having this problem. Focal spots of redness, hair loss, itching, and scabs are often called "hot spots" - these are usually caused by a bacterial skin infection, and are often related to an underlying allergy problem. In my experience, oral medications (usually a steroid and antibiotic) are usually needed to get these to clear up - so if your veterinarian hasn't given you anything like this, I would suggest calling or taking Kato back in for a recheck to talk about starting some additional meds. In a dog this age, it's also possible that he may have an underlying hormonal problem like hypothyroidism or Cushing's disease that is contributing to his skin issues, so you may also want to talk to your veterinarian about possibly testing for these problems.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Phoebe. I do recommend that she sees her veterinarian. Her skin appears like it might be infected. In this case, she would need antibiotics and possibly a medicated shampoo to help her heal. This time of year allergies are common. Huskies as a breed though are prone to skin disease duc to a zinc deficiency. It is worth having her seen so that the cause can be identified and proper treatment started. I hope this is helps!

Hello, it looks like Lucky may be shedding his winter coat since it is starting to warm up. If he does have an active skin condition however, look for any sings of itchiness, anxiety, further hair loss, red skin, and scabs. Dogs with skin allergies may also bite and chew at their feet constantly, and environmental allergies are common during this time of the year. If you note any of these, then have lucky seen by his veterinarian as he may need medications. Please also make sure that he has monthly flea and tick control as fleas can also cause severe itchiness and hair loss, especially around his lower back, legs and belly. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to see Riku is having problems. Without better pictures I would initially guess that fleas are the problem. They typically cause skin problems of the tail, rear end, and up the back. It may be that Riku is allergic to flea bites and sometimes we don't even find a flea on the pet. I would advise seeing your vet and having them work through this case. They can assess a good diagnostic/treatment plan based on physical exam findings and history. Some of the areas look moist or starting to get infected. Your vet will direct the appropriate treatment plan. Good luck Riku!

Hi there and thank you for your post! Judging from the photos you have provided and seeing that Prince is a young dog, I would suspect demodex mites as the primary cause. Allergies is another possibility but I would have Prince examined by your vet to have the appropriate tests performed (such as a skin scraping to check for mites) to get Prince the most appropriate treatment. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via phone or text based consultation if needed.

Its possible this is a skin infection versus the typical lesions Pheobe gets with her allergies. It could be related to her allergies (they can get worse over time) but they can also be more common in thick coated breeds like huskies. I recommend to call your veterinarian. They may want to examine her again or they may recommend a medicated shampoo or other topical therapy. Then again, since she has thick hair, they may also recommend systemic medications. Ask your vet about any additional supplements, diet changes or antihistamines which may also help. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.