Dog Allergy Prescriptions Greenville SC

Q. My 3-year-old Shih Tzu was treated for what our vet called a dust allergy. His skin was red and itchy. He advised starting with bathing twice a week, ensuring he was shampooed and rinsed completely. That was eventually tapered down to once a week, which I do now.

The fur around the affected areas turned rusty. The vet said this was from licking. Since he was treated, the redness comes and goes with no itching. His beard is rusty, his nails look like he has been digging in the dirt and washing does not remove this "dirt". It will not come off using a soft nailbrush; only scraping will take it off. This contributes to his feet looking rusty. His eyes also tear non-stop. I wipe his eyes daily with water.

Is there any help for him (and me)? I have changed foods, and been extremely careful about keeping his bedding clean. I know some products advertise erasing tearstains, but I would rather fix the problem, if possible. I've tried contacting breeders , asking questions of other dog owners and am still at a loss. This is probably only cosmetic, but I would like to make my little guy look nicer. Is there anything I can do?

A. It sounds like your dog does have allergies, but who knows to what? Without testing, it's all guesswork. It could be dust mites , but it could be cottonseed or anything else in the air.

An allergy to substances in the air is called atopy in dogs.

Author: Jon Geller, DVM

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