My dog is itchy, red, and skin darkens after flea meds. What's wrong?

Question

I have an 11 yo chihuahua/terrier mix. He's red and extremely itchy especially on flanks bilaterally. Aside from that, area behind both front legs are darkened. Can anal sac disease cause this? He has ongoing issues with them. The only other thing that seems to be tied to it is the flea medication. He gets worse about a week after application of it. I've tried Frontline and most recently Advantage. I use anti itch topicals and benadryl by mouth, but nothing is helping him. Any recommendations? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | neutered | 10 years and 10 months old | 19 lbs

Jessica Keay, DVM · Accepted Answer

Anal sac disease doesn't usually cause itching anywhere other than the anal area. Allergies is definitely the most common cause of these symptoms. It is possible your dog could also have sensitive skin and this is why he becomes more itchy after using topical flea medication. I would recommend an exam by your vet to check and be sure there isn't a secondary bacterial or yeast infection of the skin that needs to be treated. They can also prescribe an oral flea preventative such as Comfortis or Nexgaurd to help with fleas that hopefully won't cause irritation since it is taken orally. They may also prescribe a short course of steroids or a drug called apoquel to help with itching. Or they may recommend a fatty acid supplement such as Welactin and antihistamines such as cetirizine or hydroxyzine to help with the itch. Bathing with a colloidal oatmeal shampoo and creme rinse such as Episoothe can also be helpful .

My dog is itchy, red, and skin darkens after flea meds. What's wrong?

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