Is your dog living his best life this summer?

Let's be honest, COVID-19 sucks.  This "new normal" isn't acceptable. But maybe there is a silver lining that we can all appreciate.  Being home more, means more time spent with our pets, and perhaps even creating better habits such as dog walks and/or grooming! Undoubtedly, your dog is appreciating your being home more. Have you noticed your dog scratching or feeling itchy? Sometimes these expressions of allergic response are seasonal, but also many dogs suffer from chronic allergies or atopic dermatitis.

Good news! VetriMax Veterinary Products is here to help!  First, be vigilant about ecto-parasite prevention all year.  This means making a trip to your veterinarian and purchasing some of the "good" stuff! Products like "Bravecto" or "NexGard" are excellent choices to keep fleas and ticks away.  Don't forget to protect your dog on the INSIDE as well, with a monthly heartworm and internal parasite preventative.

Now, about the skin.  Yeast (or malassezia) is common in dogs and in small colonies, may even go unnoticeable.  But when you add underlying allergies, these little stinky microbes can cause discomfort in the ear canal or in between the toes and may cause your dog to itch or lick his paws.  If left untreated, the problem gets worse and the itch cycle is harder to break.  A broad-spectrum antimicrobial shampoo like COMMAND™ Shampoo from VetriMax® is an excellent choice for keeping yeast away.  It is intentionally fragrance-free and is also free of other unwanted chemicals. It may quite possibly the world's most simple and effective veterinary shampoo ever made!  (Speaking of made, it is made in the USA!).

Worse than yeast, bacteria can really create a skin problem.  Command™ Shampoo contains sodium hypochlorite. This handy, trusted ingredient is very powerful, yet very mild when used in small concentrations.  Command™ contains just enough to be effective, but not so much that it is offensive to the skin or user. Give it a try and remember, that for superficial pyoderma involving bacterial species, it may be necessary to give frequent baths (up to 3 baths a week for a month) if your dog has a severe infection. 

If you have a dog who's skin is not getting better despite all of the supplements, baths, food changes, topical treatments, etc... it may be time to refer yourself to a board-certified veterinary dermatologist!  Yes, you can refer yourself, especially if you have seen your primary veterinarian for the same issue multiple times, it may be time to let a specialist perform an exam.  See www.acvd.org to locate a vet dermatologist near you!