Medicated Shampoos
Medicated shampoos work well for some canine skin conditions, but are especially helpful for treating hotspots.
Clipping the hair away from the sore area gives you better access before washing.
Most medicated shampoos have drying agents or antiseptics in the soaps that not only clean, but also help to dry the wound up and minimize itching.
Follow all directions carefully and stop use immediately if your dog’s skin condition seems to become worse or shows signs of redness, inflammation, or ulceration.
Benadryl
Benadryl is an antihistamine, a drug that may be helpful for dogs with intense itching.
It is especially useful for pups who are having trouble sleeping due to itching. It has the unintended side effect of relaxing via sedation – something that may be desired if your poor pup is driving himself crazy scratching.
Vets will often recommend dosing regular adult or children’s Benadryl for your dog, but don’t eye out the dose or assume the same dose is accurate for your dog just because he weighs the same as your child.
Ring up your vet and ask them to give you the correct measurement to ensure you don’t over or underdose.
Exercise and Play
A distracted dog is a happy dog (as long as you aren’t trying to get them to focus).
Dogs who are out walking, running, playing fetch, and enjoying time with their people are less likely to become bored and worry about their sore spots.
Exercise is critical for your dog’s health anyway, so make sure they’re getting extra attention during skin flare-ups.
Ask a neighbor, friend, or dog-walker to help out if you are having trouble fitting additional activity into your schedule.
Exercise won’t make your dog’s skin problems go away, but your well-exercised pup will sleep better despite the irritation, too.
6 Best ways to cure your Pit bull’s skin allergies at home!
Just like us humans, dogs can sometimes suffer from the seasonal perils of dry skin. This usually happens in the winter or when exposed to a lot of wind or dry air. Dry skin that is just accompanied by mild itchiness and flaking is nothing to worry about, but additional symptoms or signs of discomfort could indicate something more serious.
While there are a wide variety of potential reasons why your dog has dry skin, some are easy to fix while others are more challenging.