My dog's itchy skin meds caused stomach upset; can I stop other meds?

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! While apoquel is a great drug to stop scratching and to help atopic dermatitis it doesn't do anything in the face of a skin infection. Coco should be checked to see if she now has a yeast and or bacterial skin infection. There is also the option of doing an injection for scratching called cytopoint, which lasts 30-60 days (dog dependent). I would also consider adding Omega 3 fish oils and changing her diet to a non-chicken based novel protein diet (try venison, lamb, fish). Claritin, benadryl and zyrtec can be sued in dogs, see links below: https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/ https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/zyrtec/ https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/claritin/ https://www.vrshealth.com/canine-products/omegadog/ https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=15235

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Apoquel will not work if the dog has a skin infection. I recommend anytime that the apoquel has stopped working that the dog be taken to the Vet for an exam to check for a bacterial or yeast infection. Most dogs with allergies need to be on a special diet, apoquel or cytopoint, an antihistamine and an Omega 3 supplement to keep the dog comfortable, but flare ups are bound to happen, we just hope less frequently. As for the bloody diarrhea, it is likely unrelated to her skin and the apoquel but it is fine that you stopped it. Especially if it wasn't working. The blood indicated inflammation in the colon. Common causes of diarrhea are: intestinal parasites, viral or bacterial infections, dietary indiscretion, pancreatitis, food allergy/intolerance, reaction to a new food/treat/table food. If the diarrhea is bad I would fast her for 12-24 hours to rest her GI tract then start feeding a bland diet of boiled chicken or hamburger with rice. Feed 1 cup per 20 lbs per day until 2 normal stools. I wish you the best!

Thanks for using PetCoach! I'm sorry to hear about Panda. You're on the right track with the Electromycin and NeoSoothe but perhaps we need to to more to address the underlying allergies (which are the number one reason for itching and secondary skin infections). Consider diphenhydramine (benedryl) - https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl Try a medicated shampoo with phytosphingosines in it - I like Duoxo Calm but there may be other choices in your part of the world. Try fish oil - about 25mg per pound Try putting a t-shirt or baby onesie (depening on his size) so that there is a physical barrier to protect the area. If he can reach it to chew or lick at it, he needs an E-collar immediately - about a 90% chance it will NOT heal if he can lick it. If all of these fail, you'll need to talk to your vet about more tageted allergy options such as the once daily Apoquel pill, or the cytopoint/CADI injection (every 4-8 weeks as needed). Best of luck to you and Panda!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Apoquel is a mediation that reduces skin inflammation and excessive skin itchiness. It is considered as a very safe medication with few side effects. Apoquel does not have any effect on dog's appetite. If Rocco's appetite is down, he should be checked for fever, infection, abdominal pain, liver and kidney diseases. Please, get in touch with your local vets to clarify what is Rocco's main problem and to make diagnostic and treatment plan for him.

Poor Simba. I would talk to your vet about trying a different type of antibiotics as these sound like they are causing an upset tummy. Also, be sure to tell your vet about his loose stool and decreased appetite in case he wants to start him on a probiotic or another medicine. You can try the medicated shampoo but it may take longer to heal and it may not completely heal. Talk to your vet about which shampoo he recommends. Also, talk to your vet about adding in an anti-histamine or other allergy medicines a lot of times allergies is what causes these skin infection. I have included an article about Benadryl below. Finally adding in omega 3 fatty acids can also help - see link. I hope this helps! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/ https://www.petco.com/brand/vetriscience

The Cephalexin bottle should have an expiration date on it. Also it is not recommended to give antibiotics if you cannot give them continuously for at least 7-10 days duration. So if you don't have enough or if they are expired, then I would not proceed with giving Nike the Cephalexin. Also it is good to get Nike re-evaluated because he may not even have an infection if there is no pus or bumps on the skin. The antibiotics in this case would be unnecessary and would not help with his itching. Instead he needs allergy medications +/- topical medicated shampoo's sprays available through your vet. Until you can get Nike in to the vet, you can try over the counter pet formulated fish oils, which helps to provide a natural anti-inflammatory property to the skin. You can also try an oatmeal based or aloe based shampoo topically if you want to try an over the counter approach. Just keep in mind however that most pets with true allergies require stronger meds at the vet. I would also recommend ensuring that Nike is on a high quality flea preventative such as Nexgard, Comforitis, Trifexis (flea and heartworm prevention), Bravecto, Seresto collar or Simparica. This may be a flea allergy that he is having. I hope that you get his itching resolved soon. Best wishes and take care.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Bear! Medications can mess with an already sensitive stomach. So if his decrease in appetite matches when you started medications for his skin that is likely the reason. See if adding warm water to the dry food helps or a tablespoon of canned food with in the same brand will get him to eat. Hopefully when his skin is cleared up and the medication is over he will resume eating normally. I wish you the best