My dog's allergies won't stop. Could a tiny bug be the problem?

Question

My dog been struggling with allergies for a year. Vet has tried diet change, steroid shots, Benadryl, prednisone pills, Cephalexine, Apoquel, mange scrapes (no mange), liquid med for mite(just in case), medicated shampoos, etc.Nothing works. Rocko is a lab hound mix. He does not have fleas. I wash him every 4 days with Seldom Blue which is the only thing that gives him relief. Today, I found a small sesame seed size bug on him during bath. Not a flea. Looks like beetle? Is this the problem? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | neutered | 8 years old | 80 lbs

Justin Plunk, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like Rocko has been miserable despite therapy. Skin issues are some of the most difficult to manage sometimes. There are a few, less-common diseases that could be going on in his case to include things like auto-immune disease. At this time, it seems Rocko needs to be referred to see a veterinary dermatologist to get a more pointed treatment plan. I would recommend contacting your vet and asking if they think referral is the next step. Your vet may have another next step prior to referral such as soon biopsy before sending for referral, but I hope something gives him at least some relief in the meantime. A sedative may even be appropriate to help break the itch-scratch cycle. It is hard to see whether the bug is the correct size to be anything to cause an issue, but it most closely resembles a flea. Even with prevention, some dogs are so allergic, a single bite will cause an outbreak of allergies, so environmental cleaning with vacuuming and, sometimes, consulting an exterminator, can be necessary in addition to year-round flea prevention for all of your dogs and cats. I hope this helps!

My dog's allergies won't stop. Could a tiny bug be the problem?

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