How To Heal Your Dog's Skin Rashes

Say you have an annoying itch that just won't go away. What you'll probably do (after almost scratching off your skin!) is go to the pharmacy and get a powerful antihistamine or cortisone. Then, you'll apply or drink the medication like there's no tomorrow.

Now having a painful back problem or headache is annoying but when you've got a skin rash, you feel incredibly itchy - like you're in a living hell - and nails can't do justice to what you're feeling.

Now take that same unbearable skin rash, but now, you can't go to your pharmacist or tell your doctor because you can't speak. Sounds dreadful, right? Well, that's exactly how your beloved dog feels when (s)he has a skin rash!

CAUSES

Dog skin rashes are often difficult to treat just because you can't tell what causes them. So, the best thing to do for your precious pooch is to prevent the skin rashes from occurring in the first place. Here's some ways to avoid this from happening:

1. The #1 cause of dog skin rashes are external parasites like ticks, lice, fleas & mites. To avoid these, don't let your dog play around with a 's pet unless you're absolutely sure that they're not infected. Always keep your house parasite-free by cleaning it thoroughly. If parasites do attack, make sure to treat your dog with a tick and flea shampoo or lotion.

2. Internal parasites can also cause rashes so try to avoid intestinal parasites. You can do this by making sure that your dog's water & food are kept clean.

3. Comb or brush your dog's coat on a regular basis especially if your dog has very thick and/or long hair. Tangled hair can irritate the skin that can lead to scratching and rashes.

4. Use shampoo that doesn't dry out your dog's skin when you bathe your dog.

5. Buy high-quality dog food to boost your dog's immune system. Commercial-grade dog food is typically filled with extenders that provide no additional nutritional value so try to keep away.

SOLUTION

Despite all your best precautions, dogs usually can't avoid skin rashes forever. So what can you do when your dog is scratching, biting & gnawing at his or her skin like crazy?

1. First, try giving your dog a proper bath. Use a shampoo that is anti tick and fleas and medicinal too.

2. If you've recently changed your dog's food, you may need to switch back to your old brand back since the new one could be causing your dog's rash. Better yet, you may want to consider a natural diet. For example, type in "BARF diet" in Google and you'll find a wealth of information. Also, certain breeds are pre-disposed to specific allergies (for example Shih Tzus are usually allergic to chicken). If in doubt, talk to a holistic-minded veterinarian or nutritionist as they can help you with a proper meal plan.

3. Some dogs itch because they are bored & restless. Giving your dog enough or added exercise might just do it.

4. You may also want to consider buying a product that specializes in treating your dog's annoying skin rash to help ease the pain sooner. There are a variety out there but one of the most effective ones I've ever seen contains the Mayan traditional herb Tepezcohuite. Just make sure the product you buy is natural and has worked successfully on other dogs with the same issues.