Sometimes I’ll get a phone call or text from one of my regular clients about a dog that’s chewing on itself in whimpering. Super itchy with a rash skin. A lot of things can cause that but certain things occur more commonly than others.
So, this normally happens on a Sunday when we’re closed. And they will reach out and ask what can I do until I see you Monday.
Lots of times we both know that a steroid will simmer the whole thing down but that’s a prescription so it has to wait till Monday.
There are a few things you can do between now and Monday without having to go be seen on an emergency basis somewhere, which could cost an arm leg. Depending on where you go, they’re going to do a skin workout, which includes a skin scrape for mange, a fungus culture with results four or five days from now, bacterial culture of any blisters or castles on the skin, blood work, psychology, or an impression smear of the skin lesions, and probably if the guys are standing around over there you’ll get sent for a neurology consult. Just because.
But in the meantime, management of allergy or plain skin irritation, or even infection can be started. Sure, OTC‘s are weak, but they can create comfort where there is none.
It starts with a bath, but don’t use any shampoo. Use a good quality human conditioner. You put the conditioner on like a shampoo. Let it sit for 10 minutes and then rinse it off. Nice warm water.
You can give Benadryl at 1 mg per pound. That means a 25 pound dog would get a 25 mg Benadryl. Benadryl, or diphenhydramine, can safely be dosed in dogs up to every eight hours. It does not cause quite the sedation it does in people.
Any place that he is tearing up on his skin can be medicated with hydrocortisone.
That is available over-the-counter in an ointment called Cortizone 10.
Nine times out of 10, bringing an antibiotic to bear after the bath is a smart idea. That can be done topically until I see you Monday. Neosporin or similar are often petrolatum based and can be very soothing to the skin as well as checking the growth of germs that may be in the scratched or rashy areas.
It actually works pretty well when you mix
Cortizone 10 with Neosporin. Those four things, can make him comfortable enough to where he’s not in complete misery.
