My dog scratches and bites every summer, no fleas. Is it allergies?

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!

I agree that allergies are one of the most likely causes for your dog's scratching - this is a very common problem for many dogs in the summer. But there are other possible causes also that should be ruled out first - itching can also be caused by skin mites (mange), or bacterial or fungal infections. If the itching is allergy related, you can try bathing in a dog shampoo with either cortisone or aloe and oatmeal to help soothe the itching. But most allergy problems in dogs require prescription medications to treat successfully, so I would recommend having your dog examined by a vet if bathing her isn't helpful.

Poor Logan! Even though you are not seeing fleas, Logan may be sensitive to even 1-2 flea bites and could be scratching as a result. Make sure that he is receiving a high quality flea and tick preventative, such as Nexgard, Bravecto, or K9 Advantix II regularly. It is also possible that Logan has an allergy to something in his new environment, either inside the house or different plants/allergens outside. Instead of coconut oil, you could try using fish oil supplements ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=19121 ) in his food to improve his coat. Fish oils tend to be far more effective than coconut oil. Logan may also benefit from a bath in a medicated shampoo ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27980 ) to manage his itching. However, if his itching continues or becomes more severe, he could develop a skin infection from ongoing skin trauma. Moderate to severe itching is absolutely a vet-worthy issue, so if it continues, take him in to be checked. I hope that all goes well!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. First, make sure that Riley is on approriate flea control. Even if you don't see fleas on her, flea allergies can flare with only one flea bite. There are oral flea and tick products available from your veterinarian or topical products such as Vectra or Advantage are very effective against fleas. If flea control doesnt work, then I suggest a visit to the vet to find out what Riley may be allergic to that is causing her to bite and lose hair.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This could be due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but 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. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

This is probably due to an allergy, although it could also be fleas or mange. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat Piper with a high quality flea treatment (e.g. advantage), then get her to the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try discovering the cause of the allergy. Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). simultaneously you should start her on a prescription hypoallergenic diet for at least 2 months. Hopefully you will see some results after all this, if not you and your vet should consider putting her on a long term allergy treatment .

Looks like your little lady is giving herself some hot spots there. If there is a hot spot forming under the hair then the best thing to do is to remove the hair and cleanse the area with an antibacterial solution. Some dogs require topical and/or oral antibiotics and other dogs benefit from some steroids to stop the itch. Most hot spots are secondary to underlying allergies (inhaled/environmental, food, or flea). If seasonal environmental is most likely. The best way to help her would be to see your family vet to have the areas addressed topically and so that medications can be prescribed to treat any infection and stop the itch. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!