My dog has dermatitis. How to prevent dry skin and manage allergies?

Question

My dog has been diagnosed with dermatitis but we don’t know the cause. We thought it was seasonal so we clear it with medicated shampoo and allergy medicine for a few weeks. Once it’s cleared, we stop but it returns after a couple months. What are the best products to prevent the dry flaky skin? How often should I bathe her? Should I keep her on allergy medicine year round? It’s kind of pricey and i’d like to know if there are most cost effective options. Thank you! Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 2 years and 2 months old

Linda G, MS, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello. I would have Emma on a fish oil supplement year round. In order to calculate the right dose, look at the label for the amount of EPA & DHA it contains. Add them together & that is the total fish oil content per capsule. A 50-pound dog would need about 1500 mg of fish oil. For example, SnipCaps by Dechra contains about 850 mg per capsule, so in this case, 2 capsules are needed per day. I would also go back to whatever shampoo worked for you before. Do not stop when everything is OK. If he clears using the shampoo 2-3 time a week, then continue to bathe him at least once a week all year round ( maybe once every 2 weeks ), but do it regularly. The allergy medicine ( which I hope is Apoquel ) can also be given all year. When he is doing well, you might be able to cut back to 1 dose 1-2 times a week, & immediately bump it up if she flares. Also, talk with our vet about trying some of the different over the counter antihistamines to supplement your allergy medications. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

My dog has dermatitis. How to prevent dry skin and manage allergies?

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