My senior Golden has itchy skin & sores. Can a cortisone shot help?

Question

My 13 year old Golden has very itchy skin the she licks and scratches until she gets sores. Would a cortisone shot help. Giving her a bath every 3 days is out of the question. Pet's info: Dog | Golden Retriever | Female | spayed | 12 years and 9 months old | 61 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor Abby! I'm sorry to hear that she's so itchy. If her skin problems are allergy-related, it's possible that a cortisone injection might help. Oral steroid tablets such as prednisone, or a daily medication like Apoquel or Atopica would also be reasonable options that may be safer for her. These are all prescription medications, so she will need to see a vet first for an exam. It's also possible that her skin issues are related to some other problem, such as skin mites (mange), a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or even a systemic illness like Cushing's disease or hypothyroidism. In that case, treatment would be very different - so it's important to get a diagnosis first to find out what medication would be best.

My senior Golden has itchy skin & sores. Can a cortisone shot help?

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