I was wondering if anyone could tell me what kind of skin condition my dog has? Pet's info: Dog | American Pit Bull Terrier | Male | unneutered | 10 years and 10 months old | 60 lbs

Treatment for allergies varies due to the underlying cause. With any allergy, if Gidget becomes overly itchy, she could develop skin infections from excessive scratching. These cases should be evaluated by her vet for appropriate antibiotic treatment. More common allergens include fleas, food, or those in her general environment. Give Gidget a high quality flea preventative every month (Nexgard, Bravecto, Advantix, Revolution). If you are concerned about food allergies, consider transitioning her to a novel protein diet with one protein source and one carbohydrate source. Choose a protein that she has never had before and gradually transition from her old diet over a 5-7 day period. It can take 2-3 months to see full effect from a diet change. Consider discussing antihistamines with your vet. Feel free to request a consultation if you have further questions.

My dog has itchy skin. What are common causes and treatments?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

I was wondering if anyone could tell me what kind of skin condition my dog has?

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Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM 191

Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

Published on August 10th, 2019

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

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My dog has itchy skin. What are common causes and treatments?

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