How to Care for Pets With Itchy Skin Rashes

Old tried and true remedies of oatmeal baths and putting socks over hands to prevent scratching when you had the chicken pox may be just the place to start when your pet has an itchy rash to contend with. Treating your pet's itchy skin rash, sometimes called "hot spots," can involve alternative medicine methods or traditional veterinarian-based care. Either way, you will likely be using pet shampoos, creams and other medicines to sooth your pet. As with humans, pets are unable to resist scratching and further irritating itchy skin so you will want to find a soothing treatment that will eliminate the rash.

Things You'll Need

  • Allergy sensitive pet shampoo
  • Flea bath treatment or spray
  • Grooming Brush
  • Allergy medication
  • Topical allergy relief cream
  • Prescribed medicines and crams
  • Flea treatment (optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Wash your pet's linens in hot water possible. Follow up by steam cleaning common surfaces your pet uses for lounging such as a couch or carpet area.

    • 2

      Give your pet a bath and include a flea treatment. A good home remedy for itchy rashes in dogs is an oatmeal bath. Once your pet is dry, apply the topical itch relief cream prescribed or use a natural home remedy alternative such as a paste made from baking soda and water or aloe vera cream.

    • 3

      Mix a solution of tea tree oil and water into a small spray bottle to spray on your pet's skin. This will help in preventing dry skin on your pet and also help in lessening bacteria and reducing the rash.

    • 4

      Apply an Elizabethan collar, E-Collar, to your pet to prevent them from licking, scratching, or otherwise irritating the affected area and removing the creams you have applied. Many hot spots originated from a small sore that the dog has chewed and licked at so much that it becomes a much bigger area of irritation. These hot spots, or licksores, as they are also called, are difficult to treat if the dog can still reach the area.

    • 5

      Regularly groom your pet and ensure your pet's coat and skin are not dry. Brush your pet's fur as often as needed depending on how frequently your pet sheds. This will help promote natural oils in your pets skin to surface which will aid in preventing dry skin irritation. Do not bathe more than once every three weeks. Over-bathing causes the dog's skin to dry out, which causes itching.

    • 6

      Visit your pet's veterinarian and have a checkup done for your pet. Ask your veterinarian about medications or creams and alternative methods that can be used to treat your pet's rash. Fill any prescriptions authorized by the veterinarian to treat your pet. In severe cases, the veterinarian may prescribe an oral steroid or administer one via an intramuscular injection. These medicines are beneficial for short-term use. If your dog has been given a steroid, there will be an increased need to urinate so be sure to respond to your dog's cues to go outside.