My dog won't stop scratching and licking. Is it allergies or injury?

Excessive scratching like this is probably due to skin allergy. It is often very hard to say what the dog is allergic to. It could be pollen, plants, chemicals used at home and outside, cosmetics, carpets, fleas, food the dog eats etc. In Sluggo case the skin changes and the symptoms he has got strongly suggest an allergy. You need to take him to your local vets to confirm the diagnosis (your vet may want to examine skin scrapes under a microscope) and to start treatment for him. Treatment for allergies is usually a form of anti-histamine or/and anti-inflammatory medications that give a quick relief to dogs regardless of the cause of the allergy.

This is probably 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.

Bo may need to be on antibiotics in addition to the steroids to help clear up any skin infection present. The skin infection causes them to itch as well. You may also want to try a medicated shampoo 2-3 times a week to help the skin heal up faster as well. You could also try using an E-collar (cone) to prevent Bo from chewing and placing a tee shirt around his body to prevent damage from scratching. The tee shirt should be light and loose enough to prevent trapping moisture like you vet was concerned about.

It sounds like Sami may be having an allergic reaction to something. If she is so itchy that she is causing severe trauma to her skin, she needs to be seen by a veterinarian as quickly as possible. She may need an antihistamine and steroid injection to stop an allergic reaction and even possible antibiotics to help her skin heal without secondary infection. You can safely try to bathe the affected areas with a cool damp wash cloth to remove any irritant that could be on the surface of the skin, but if she has been licking she has already done this.

First, place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent further scratching. Keep it on her 24/7. You can take it off when she eats or drinks, but monitor her closely so she doesn't start scratching again. Next, have her seen by your veterinarian. The licking, biting, scratching and hair loss may be due to allergies ( https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/canine-allergies ). These can be difficult to diagnose since there are many causes (inhaled, environmental, food, fleas). Discuss allergy testing, food elimination trials and antihistamine use with your veterinarian. The doctor may prescribe medications to treat the wounds and stop the scratching. https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/food-allergies/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/4-great-strategies-for-relieving-your-dog-s-allergies/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/seasonal-allergies-in-dogs-what-you-need-to-know/

This coulid have been a bug bite that is still irritating her. She could also be having an allergic reaction to something her skin came in contact with. If she is licking constantly I would recommend taking her in to your vet for allergy medication to stop the itch. If she continues the lick it, the area will become more raw, irritated and possible infected. Best to take her in to have this treated since there are no effective allergy medications available over the counter for itching to this degree. I hope that Skye's skin improves soon. Best wishes and take care.

This is probably an allergic reaction due to an insect bite or a plant outside. those reactions tend to resolve within 48 hours without treatment. if the itchiness becomes too severe or if your dog is lethargic, take Chico to the vet in order to get an antihistamine or steroid injection which will stop the allergic reaction.