My Shih Tzu has constant itching and a hard skin pimple. Why?

Question

Hello! I have a shih tzu and she’s about three years old. She has been scratching a lot for about five months now and when I took her to the vet they just put her on anti flea pills and sent me the little spray for hot spots so I can put it on. I told them I thought she has a bacteria that starts with an M and they confirmed her to have bacteria under her skin and they vaccinated her for it but nothing has changed. I showered her yesterday and found this on her, it’s a hard little “pimple”. Pet's info: Dog | Shih Tzu | Female | spayed | 3 years and 8 months old | 114 lbs

Jessica Keay, DVM · Accepted Answer

I am sorry to hear about Candy! I am not sure what vaccine she would have had for a bacteria, so I am not sure what to make of that. I would suspect she likely has an underlying allergy that is resulting in the itching. We can have allergies to food ingredients, or do things in the environment (dust, grass, etc) or to flea bites. The allergies make the natural barrier of the skin weak and more prone to infection by bacteria and yeast. I would recommend having your vet examine her again and talk to them about options for allergy testing or treatment. They may recommend a diet trial with a special food, or may recommend trying one of the newer allergy medications such as Apoquel. Some dogs also benefit from daily fatty acid supplements like Welactin, and regular bathing with products like Episoothe shampoo and creme rinse (a colloidal oatmeal shampoo) or Duoxo calm products. You can read more about this at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952662 and https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951477

My Shih Tzu has constant itching and a hard skin pimple. Why?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

What fish dog food helps dry skin if my dog eats Science Diet?

My pet keeps scratching its ear. What's causing this problem?

My degu has a white bump in its fur. Should I take my pet to the vet?

My pet's ear mite treatment isn't working. What else could it be?

My rat is losing weight and has breathing issues. What should I do?

My pet has worsening sores and scratches. Could it be an infection?

Share