Skin Issue
 

Hi everyone! Not sure if I am posting this in the right forum...
A couple of months ago, my 9 yr old Yorkie, Phoebe, was having itchy skin and hair loss in some areas, as well as a patch of skin around the chest that was kind of scabby/scaly. Took her to the vet, they diagnosed it as a Flea Allergy. (even though I hadn't seen evidence of fleas at that point, they found one on her) I had tried a different flea med that apparently didn't work. Anyway, got her on Frontline Plus, and they prescribed an antibiotic and antihistimine. I have another dog, a Schnoodle, got him on Frontline too, and treated the house. Finally got rid of the fleas. She's not itching herself. The hair loss hasn't continued, and seems to be growing back. But this patch of skin on her chest is just awful- it doesn't seem to bother her, and I kept thinking it was just healing. But it's been over two months and it is flaky and peeling in this one area (maybe a 3 inch diameter) The skin looks kind of dark there and is rough to the touch. I've been putting a "wound cream"- like an antibacterial cream from the pet store- on it. I've tried putting coconut oil on it.
Has anyone had anything like this? I hate to take her back to the vet unless I absolutely have to, because she gets bad anxiety at the vet, not to mention the cost. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hi and welcome to YT. My poor Buster has been dealing with a flea allergy as well. The skin does get darker when dealing with allergies. I know I noticed that Buster's stomach skin looked darker and commented to my Vet and she said that happens with allergic reactions. Dogs skin is different than humans so I would consult with your Vet for the best topical cream. You have to be very careful when applying anything human medication to any area where a dog can lick and ingest it as the ingredients might be harmful, for example any antibiotic cream should not have any pain reliever medication in it as that is dangerous. They gave me a after bath rinse that helps with his itching I will post the name of it but I an not home right now. With fleas they can bite and jump off if you see fleas on your dog you usually have an infestation. I never noticed fleas with Buster but my Vet said he had a lot of bites.

Thank you for your reply! The cream I am using is especially for dogs. It's not prescription, but from the pet supply store where I buy their food. I would love to know the name of the rinse whenever it is convenient for you.
This Flea Allergy thing is so frustrating! Just one bite can send her into an all-over itching frenzy, while my other dog would have to have quite a few to even notice. I am hoping as the weather gets cooler it will get better...

Aw your poor kiddo...flea allergies sound just miserable. Hope she continues to feel better and that her skin improves. You may want to give fish oil as it helps w/ overall inflammation and w/ skin issues. I like Ark Naturals Royal Coat bc it already has the needed Vit E in it.

dog
 

When I hear skin problems I always say check the food. A lot of dogs have food allergies. I had a poodle that had real dry flaky skin and after putting her on a venison base dog food she cleared up. If there are not fleas then check the food. Hope this helps. Also use hypoallergic shampoo. I use Hy-lyte get it at my vets.

This is a great slideshow of skin problems in dogs...is it anything like #12?

Skin Problems in Dogs Slideshow: Mange, Allergic Dermatitis, Impetigo, Ringworm, More
Color or Texture Changes

Changes in a dog's skin color or coat texture can be a warning sign of several common metabolic or hormone problems. Be sure to ask your veterinarian about any significant changes to your dog’s coat.