Why is my dog's itchy, flaky skin bleeding when I brush him?

Related Answers from Veterinarians

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  Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

  Veterinarian

  Published on November 24th, 2019

  Hi, and thanks for your question. This could be due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

  

  1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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  Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

  Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

  Published on October 15th, 2018

  Itching from allergies can certainly cause wounds are decrease the health of the skin, which can lead to bacterial or fungal infections. Allergies aren't contagious, and their symptoms vary from pet to pet. However, parasites can be contagious. You may want to have your vet check for external parasites that can cause itching or skin issues, such as fleas and ticks. A skin scraping for Demodex mites may be a good idea. If the vet thinks that allergies are the cause, then a hypoallergenic food trial or anti-inflammatory medications may be warranted.

  

  1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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  Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

  Veterinarian

  Published on July 26th, 2018

  Itchy skin and wounds like this are often due to one of the following things: 1) Allergies - this can happen suddenly and is usually due to an environmental (i.e pollen) cause. Below is a link to information that can help you determine if this is due to allergies. https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-tell-if-your-pet-has-allergies/ 2) External parasites - fleas, lice and mites can all cause intense itching. It's good to check her for fleas and get treatment if needed. Mites can also cause itchy wounds like this and is suspicious if the neighbor dog has these lesions too. A vet would have to check her for mites and give special treatment. 3) Over-bathing, or using the wrong product for bathing - Bathing too often can cause the skin to get dry and irritated. Dogs should normally be bathed no more than once a month with a shampoo that is labeled for dogs. If you bathe more than that, or use a shampoo, soap, or other product that is meant for people, then you could be damaging the normal protective barrier of the skin. One thing you can do for itchy skin, is give a bath with cool water using an oatmeal or aloe shampoo. You can get these shampoos at the pet store. Below is a link to more information that is helpful for treating itchy skin. https://www.petcoach.co/article/4-great-strategies-for-relieving-your-dog-s-allergies/ I hope this helps you to identify the problem. If not, then it would be worth taking her to the vet. We can usually discover the cause quickly and provide the most effective treatment.

  

  2Pet Parents found this answer helpful