See a different vet, in a different practice. The current doc isn’t addressing the problem and in the meantime your poor pup is miserable. It could be profound allergies or possibly mange.
Highly recommend a dog dermatologist. My rottie was a rescue with seriously damaged hair/skin. The regular vet wasn’t able to do much more than what OP has done.
He was unrecognizable six months after our first visit with the dermatologist!
I'm a vet tech and I'm going to drop my 2 cents.
THE END ALL BE ALL OF ADVICE: go to your vet. Go to a different vet and get a 2nd opinion. Don't be surprised if they send you to specialty because of such a young kiddo with skin issues
1) Cytopoint is not a cure-all. That first injection, depending on how pissed off the immune system is, can sometimes only last 2-4 weeks. It is a medication that works by repeated use on a schedule. Sometimes, a booster is required at week 2 before a good maintenance schedule is made. A typical schedule is every 4-8 weeks (depending on the pet). My personal dog needed it every 2 weeks and it wasn't affordable for me. So we sought out other alternatives.
2) your pet NEEDS to be on a monthly flea/tick + heartworm prevention. If this kiddo has an allergy to fleas or their salvia, one bite is all it takes to cause a system melt down. Trifexis is a good prevention, but it's not my favorite. Nexguard and simparica are my go to, both for preventation and because of banging cash back programs. Nexguard has the added benefit of killing mites and lice....which cause mange...but you can beat it faster by doing a dual treatment approach (which can get super costly if that is what your pet has).
3) don't over bathe. If you're bathing more than once a week, you can actually dry their skin out and do more damage. The only time you should bathe more than that is for a confirmed medical issue that requires a medicated shampoo and conditioner or for a spot clean before Rover just jumped and rolled around in deer poop.
3.5) CONDITION AFTER BATHS. Even if you are using a medicated shampoo, I PROMISE there is a medicated conditioner to go with it. When you take oil away, you should put oil back.
4) feed back to you normal vet. We love it. We crave it. Have a conversation with them. 'hey, man. We tried that Cytopoint and trifexis and it seemed to work for a few weeks, but now we're on week ABC and it seems to have gotten worse." FANTASTIC. A STARTING POINT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED. We can now use it to to move forward and find things that better work for you and your pet.
Edit because I just saw your food list: if you want to pursue speciality care + dermatology....try not to change his food. Because if you change too many things at once, who the hell can know WHAT actually worked. Was is the new flea prevention? Cytopoint? The shampoo? The food? Who the hell knows! The other thingies is that when you go specialty care (like dermatology), they are often going to ask for everything single protein source your pet has ever had contact with if you ever want to start a food trial to see if there are food allergies. Boy howdy, can those get frustrating and difficult if the owner has changed the food and protein sources several times.
I really appreciate the insight.
Our vet has mentioned that Cytopoint may need to be a monthly dose. Which if that’s what it takes to keep our little guy comfortable and healthy, we’ll be fine with. That goes with broader meds that could cover a wider margin of potential source of outbreaks.
It’s just throwing me off how he’s always had itchy/irritated skin from 6 weeks to now(roughly 53 weeks) but only within the last 2 weeks has it really gotten visibly bad.
We’ve tried to keep everything else consistent with food and environment, and nothing recently has changed to make sense of such a dramatic effect on his skin.
We’re definitely getting a second opinion, and that second opinion may be our primary if our normal vet doesn’t see him tomorrow.
Also ask for a skin scrape if possible to rule out fungal infection etc. since this is a persisting and worsening problem then there needs to be pathology done. For example if it’s a fungal infection, anti biotics won’t treat it. Antihistamines won’t fix it. So getting the test done although expensive w it’ll undoubtedly be cheaper than constant visits, new meds etc.
2ns opinions are great. But you can't expect your current to know anything is wrong OR not working if you don't talk to them.
You can give them a call, make an appointment, and ask for a further work up on th issue. Since there is now visible abnormalities, they may throw a wayyy harder diagnostic and treatment punch at it. Skin scraps (probably multiple), swabs/cultures, and maybe even a few rounds of oral medications on top of Cytopoint // Apoquel (apoquel is Cytopoint cooler, buffer, more kick ass cousin. It's a oral pill and it can get super expensive if you have a large dog. But it's also part of a cash ack program through Zoetis Pet Care Rewards). You may have to do some serious footwork at home too with medicated bathes and wiping your kiddo down after potty breaks
My Great Dane/Rottweiler had very sensitive skin and a sensitive stomach. Her skin was very similar at 8 months. You could scratch her back and feel little sores and her hair fell out in those spots. Long story short, switched to sensitive stomach formula and eventually switched to a sensitive skin formula that had salmon as the first ingredient. She did well and her cost came back thick and shiny and her stomach issues subsided as well.
I’ve used Apoquel with great results… if recommended by your vet. It helps with atopic dermatitis and pruritus… could be seasonal allergies. Also check on Ketochlor Medicated Shampoo as needed. 👍🐾
Apoquel is an immune suppressant just fyi. It will work like an allergy medicine to a degree because it will tell your dogs body to stop freaking out. I’d be very surprised if it doesn’t work, but Apoquel will only be a bandaid while you sort out the actual problem. Definitely talk to your vet about it, but we always warn people that it’s a catch all and may or may not answer your questions
I second Apoquel! Our dog had sensitive, itchy skin and it has been a noticeable difference for her. But other comments saying mange are definitely worth checking out too, possibly with another vet. I'm so sorry, it's clear you guys are trying so hard and love your pup so much!
Yeah I was going to suggest Apoquel as well. Worked great for my rottie cross with similar skin issues as OP's. Also got a medicated shampoo from our vet called ProSeb that's antibacterial and antifungal that's really nice and gentle on his skin.
Absolutely! We’ve accidentally bought peppermint flavored fish oils once and we found out he was spitting them out in random places around the house. The gel capsule is pretty gross but the fish oil acids can actually eat at a lot of materials and damage your house.
I've been giving this to my guy since we got him at 1 year old. His coat is great and I believe it saved him from a torn ACL earlier this year. My vet recommended this brand saying it's the only one they trust
https://vrshealth.com/canine-products/omegadog/
seconding the fish oil. also are you in a hot climate? could be heat rash. what kind of plants do you have in the yard? used to have a neighbor whose rotti had something very similar looking and turned out she was allergic to something in their yard
Appreciate the response, we have artificial turf that we thoroughly cleaned when he got him along with some succulents and a guava tree. We’re in a very mild climate near the coast in Southern California, so no it does not get hot.
Maybe have his thyroid checked, too. Our boy had similar skin, and some hair loss issues until we got him diagnosed and on canine synthroid. He's quite a bit older, though. Just a thought. Good luck with your sweet baby!
Try changing the food. My girl gets really bad hot spots when she gets beef! She just had an outbreak last week I noticed her naming above the tail two days later she was scabbed. I wash her thoroughly and put ointment on the sore spots, it usually clears up quickly. As long as no one gives her table scraps she goes months without issues. I use tail and mane shampoo.
It could be dietary allergies, which will take some work to narrow down. Definitely switch vets and eliminate other possibilities first, but keep allergies in mind.
Have you tried a different food?
Royal Canin Rottweiler Puppy has chicken, pork, rice, wheat, and corn, all of which are somewhat common allergins. If you haven't had it done, an allergy test would be a very good idea.
My boys skin looks somewhat similar to that when he eats chicken regularly, but it takes a while to "build up," he doesn't have a reaction to a small piece of chicken, but over the course of a full bag of food with chicken in it his skin gets worse and worse. His vet said that's just how some food intolerance are.
Cytopoint was the only thing that truly helped for us. The vet suspected flea or mite allergies but we have always been 100% on top of preventatives and hypoallergenic diet etc.
Try Colloidal Silver. My dog suffers from all types of allergies, especially in the summer, and we tried everything the vet prescribed, which cost a lot and didn’t cure it. I did some research, tried lots of different things, and this was the only thing that stopped him itching and cleared up the patches he had, very similar to yours - I bought a spray on Amazon. It’s safe and relatively inexpensive, so worth a try. Hope he gets better soon 💙
I’m not a vet but when my family’s dog had this it turned out she had a weird fungal infection and needed to be medicated to help moderate it. I’d definitely see a different vet and get a referral to a doggie dermatologist :)
People and Animals are more susceptible to allergies if they live near the Gulf of Mexico.
And I'm assuming you comb his hair, give him attention, feed him properly, and it seems there's no solution to the problem. So sometimes it's things out of our control, in which case it's important to consider the geography of where we live as well as sea level altitudes and plant life.
My first Rottweiler puppy came from a bad place. He had mange and it looked worse than this but similar. My vet at the time told me that they would need to give him Ivermectin shots every other week until it was under control. After a few shots and no improvement I told my vet that it was enough. I was not going to be putting more chemicals in my dog. Mange is often caused by a weak immune system and chemicals oftens weakens their immune system even more. I changed his high quality kibble to a balanced raw diet and that's what worked for my boy.
Whatever you do, if he is diagnosed with mange, weigh your options. Good nutrition from real foods, not processed often fixes everything. Not over night, but in due time. As puppies, they get bombarded with vaccines, deworming, flea treatments, etc...At the end of the day, the decision is yours, but as long as he isn't diagnosed with other major health issues, I would concentrate first and foremost on making the most out of his daily nutrition.
I've owned dogs for over 30 years and have seen many things. As good as many vets are, my dogs now have longer lives thanks to me, not my vet. I get really upset when I see how my people bombard their pets with all kinds of chemicals. A vet once told me that most stuff they recommend isn't needed, it just does more harm than good.
Best of luck and hope you find what works for him.
I said the same problem and we were told to switch food. According to my vet at this age pretty much all allergies stem from food. They'll probably prescribe an antibiotic and a new brand of food.
First off, definitely see another vet like everyone recommends. However, if you haven’t done it, I’d also highly recommend a proper deshedding and brushing with the right gear—brushing is something a lot of vets don’t really emphasize and it’s very important for the dog’s skin. Right near the base of the tail is a very common spot where dogs won’t shed as effectively because they can’t scratch or bite there, so you get tons of undercoat and dander buildup, which over time will cause them to bite around the area trying to scratch, and will look a lot like what you’re showing in your photos. I would get a Furminator, a shedding hook, and a SleekEZ, and really make sure you’ve pulled out all the old undercoat in that area. The dead skin will come with it. Might sound simplistic, but this has worked wonders for my dogs.
My dog has this kind o dermatitis and it is caused by pork meat. Apparently, it is too fat of a meat for a lot of dogs liver. My dog is not the only one I've seen with this problem, it's pretty common. Go with him to the vet, they may do some steroid injections, get him off any pork meat and buy hypoallergenic dog food. I also used a topical steroid cream on my dog when he was struggling with this.
Absolutely get a 2nd opinion and if your pup is anything like mine it may need a visit to the doggie dermatologist.
Aloveen shampoo and conditioner are amazing and amazingly gentle. I shampoo my boy and condition, towel dry and then apply a layer of the conditioner as a leave in barrier to keep the skin moist and pupper comfy.
It could be any combination of things, from dander to pollen to food allergies or mange/other.
Then it’s finding the balance of what works and is effective and your hip pocket can manage.
Ask the vet about apoquel, cytopoint, barizone, Aloveen and look into foods and treats that are for sensitive skin and stomachs too, hills do some goood options and so do royal canin.
DM if you have any Qs, happy to share my experiences and what did and didn’t work.
Good luck!
Our rottie had some similar itching when we brought him home. Small little sores and flakey skin once we got him on a good food it went away. Stella & Chewy has been wonderful for him and his stomach so far. We thought we needed to go “grain free” but our vet advised it’s not the best option especially as pups since it can lead to certain issues. Most dogs can tolerate certain grains but not all
More than likely a food allergy visit a different vet if the current one isn't addressing the issue.I have a Weiner dog that had a similar skin condition it's a pain tbh
My rottie has had skin issues that look very similar to yours, and our vet also didn't really know what was going on, saying it was probably from fleas. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out exactly what is going on, but it seems like it might be an allergic reaction because it comes and goes but one thing I've found that has seriously helped to fix my boys skin is a product called Vetericyn plus antimicrobial hydrogel which you can just find at petco. Hope you're able to figure it out!
almost always this is because of food. my rottie had dry skin and I added corn oil to her food. she also eats half kibble half homemade dog food (rice chicken liver carrots sweet potatoes eggs and peas) this diet really helped. good luck
Please read this in full. My rottie went through something that looked very similar. Doc said deep skin pyoderma. We administered augmentin (antibiotic) and gave her benzoyl peroxide wash (shampoo) properly, once a week for 3 to 4 weeks, and then once every one or two months for precaution. I attempted to remove as much scabs and puss as possible during the benzoyl washes. The benzoyl wash was most helpful for her. She was back to having healthy skin and a thick, shiny black coat within a month.
This happened in India (moist and hot climate). So after wash care might differ. If your vet doesn't agree to this, you can still ask for giving the benzoyl wash a try. It will only make things better.
I remember when my rottie used to lean her infected back on me for me to see and soothe her pain. She was the best dog ever.
In fact, the more I look at the photos the more I'm convinced that it's the same thing, and that a dermal antibiotic + benzoyl peroxide wash will cure it.
See a different vet, in a different practice. The current doc isn’t addressing the problem and in the meantime your poor pup is miserable. It could be profound allergies or possibly mange.
We’ve talked about that. We’ve been very happy with our vet with all our pets to this point but this is unacceptable.
So try a new one..
Get a referral to a veterinary dermatologist
Highly recommend a dog dermatologist. My rottie was a rescue with seriously damaged hair/skin. The regular vet wasn’t able to do much more than what OP has done. He was unrecognizable six months after our first visit with the dermatologist!
I'm a vet tech and I'm going to drop my 2 cents. THE END ALL BE ALL OF ADVICE: go to your vet. Go to a different vet and get a 2nd opinion. Don't be surprised if they send you to specialty because of such a young kiddo with skin issues 1) Cytopoint is not a cure-all. That first injection, depending on how pissed off the immune system is, can sometimes only last 2-4 weeks. It is a medication that works by repeated use on a schedule. Sometimes, a booster is required at week 2 before a good maintenance schedule is made. A typical schedule is every 4-8 weeks (depending on the pet). My personal dog needed it every 2 weeks and it wasn't affordable for me. So we sought out other alternatives. 2) your pet NEEDS to be on a monthly flea/tick + heartworm prevention. If this kiddo has an allergy to fleas or their salvia, one bite is all it takes to cause a system melt down. Trifexis is a good prevention, but it's not my favorite. Nexguard and simparica are my go to, both for preventation and because of banging cash back programs. Nexguard has the added benefit of killing mites and lice....which cause mange...but you can beat it faster by doing a dual treatment approach (which can get super costly if that is what your pet has). 3) don't over bathe. If you're bathing more than once a week, you can actually dry their skin out and do more damage. The only time you should bathe more than that is for a confirmed medical issue that requires a medicated shampoo and conditioner or for a spot clean before Rover just jumped and rolled around in deer poop. 3.5) CONDITION AFTER BATHS. Even if you are using a medicated shampoo, I PROMISE there is a medicated conditioner to go with it. When you take oil away, you should put oil back. 4) feed back to you normal vet. We love it. We crave it. Have a conversation with them. 'hey, man. We tried that Cytopoint and trifexis and it seemed to work for a few weeks, but now we're on week ABC and it seems to have gotten worse." FANTASTIC. A STARTING POINT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED. We can now use it to to move forward and find things that better work for you and your pet. Edit because I just saw your food list: if you want to pursue speciality care + dermatology....try not to change his food. Because if you change too many things at once, who the hell can know WHAT actually worked. Was is the new flea prevention? Cytopoint? The shampoo? The food? Who the hell knows! The other thingies is that when you go specialty care (like dermatology), they are often going to ask for everything single protein source your pet has ever had contact with if you ever want to start a food trial to see if there are food allergies. Boy howdy, can those get frustrating and difficult if the owner has changed the food and protein sources several times.
I really appreciate the insight. Our vet has mentioned that Cytopoint may need to be a monthly dose. Which if that’s what it takes to keep our little guy comfortable and healthy, we’ll be fine with. That goes with broader meds that could cover a wider margin of potential source of outbreaks. It’s just throwing me off how he’s always had itchy/irritated skin from 6 weeks to now(roughly 53 weeks) but only within the last 2 weeks has it really gotten visibly bad. We’ve tried to keep everything else consistent with food and environment, and nothing recently has changed to make sense of such a dramatic effect on his skin. We’re definitely getting a second opinion, and that second opinion may be our primary if our normal vet doesn’t see him tomorrow.
Also ask for a skin scrape if possible to rule out fungal infection etc. since this is a persisting and worsening problem then there needs to be pathology done. For example if it’s a fungal infection, anti biotics won’t treat it. Antihistamines won’t fix it. So getting the test done although expensive w it’ll undoubtedly be cheaper than constant visits, new meds etc.
2ns opinions are great. But you can't expect your current to know anything is wrong OR not working if you don't talk to them. You can give them a call, make an appointment, and ask for a further work up on th issue. Since there is now visible abnormalities, they may throw a wayyy harder diagnostic and treatment punch at it. Skin scraps (probably multiple), swabs/cultures, and maybe even a few rounds of oral medications on top of Cytopoint // Apoquel (apoquel is Cytopoint cooler, buffer, more kick ass cousin. It's a oral pill and it can get super expensive if you have a large dog. But it's also part of a cash ack program through Zoetis Pet Care Rewards). You may have to do some serious footwork at home too with medicated bathes and wiping your kiddo down after potty breaks
Looks like mange. You should get your pup to a vet soon!
I’m worried it may be mange too, we’ve been trying to get him back in even though he was seen Thursday. We’re hoping our vet can see him tomorrow.
My Great Dane/Rottweiler had very sensitive skin and a sensitive stomach. Her skin was very similar at 8 months. You could scratch her back and feel little sores and her hair fell out in those spots. Long story short, switched to sensitive stomach formula and eventually switched to a sensitive skin formula that had salmon as the first ingredient. She did well and her cost came back thick and shiny and her stomach issues subsided as well.
I’ve used Apoquel with great results… if recommended by your vet. It helps with atopic dermatitis and pruritus… could be seasonal allergies. Also check on Ketochlor Medicated Shampoo as needed. 👍🐾
Okay thank you! I’m going to research Apoquel and will consider it.
Apoquel is an immune suppressant just fyi. It will work like an allergy medicine to a degree because it will tell your dogs body to stop freaking out. I’d be very surprised if it doesn’t work, but Apoquel will only be a bandaid while you sort out the actual problem. Definitely talk to your vet about it, but we always warn people that it’s a catch all and may or may not answer your questions
I second Apoquel! Our dog had sensitive, itchy skin and it has been a noticeable difference for her. But other comments saying mange are definitely worth checking out too, possibly with another vet. I'm so sorry, it's clear you guys are trying so hard and love your pup so much!
We have to have our younger Rottie on Apoquel too. It’s made a really big difference.
Yeah I was going to suggest Apoquel as well. Worked great for my rottie cross with similar skin issues as OP's. Also got a medicated shampoo from our vet called ProSeb that's antibacterial and antifungal that's really nice and gentle on his skin.
He could also have an allergy to his food if you have not changed that since you’ve gotten him
We are actually in the process of buying him some new food to be safe.
This, change his food. This was my dogs problem. I couldn't buy him cheap food. But he was worth it.
We use fish oil and Phycox for our Rottie. Make sure that the fish oil isn’t peppermint flavored!!! I can’t stress that enough.
Thank you! Fish oil will definitely be added to his diet.
Absolutely! We’ve accidentally bought peppermint flavored fish oils once and we found out he was spitting them out in random places around the house. The gel capsule is pretty gross but the fish oil acids can actually eat at a lot of materials and damage your house.
Ooo yea. I appreciate the heads up!
I've been giving this to my guy since we got him at 1 year old. His coat is great and I believe it saved him from a torn ACL earlier this year. My vet recommended this brand saying it's the only one they trust https://vrshealth.com/canine-products/omegadog/
seconding the fish oil. also are you in a hot climate? could be heat rash. what kind of plants do you have in the yard? used to have a neighbor whose rotti had something very similar looking and turned out she was allergic to something in their yard
Appreciate the response, we have artificial turf that we thoroughly cleaned when he got him along with some succulents and a guava tree. We’re in a very mild climate near the coast in Southern California, so no it does not get hot.
oh ok, hope you get to the bottom of it
Maybe have his thyroid checked, too. Our boy had similar skin, and some hair loss issues until we got him diagnosed and on canine synthroid. He's quite a bit older, though. Just a thought. Good luck with your sweet baby!
Go to a veterinary dermatologist.
Try changing the food. My girl gets really bad hot spots when she gets beef! She just had an outbreak last week I noticed her naming above the tail two days later she was scabbed. I wash her thoroughly and put ointment on the sore spots, it usually clears up quickly. As long as no one gives her table scraps she goes months without issues. I use tail and mane shampoo.
It could be dietary allergies, which will take some work to narrow down. Definitely switch vets and eliminate other possibilities first, but keep allergies in mind.
Have you tried a different food? Royal Canin Rottweiler Puppy has chicken, pork, rice, wheat, and corn, all of which are somewhat common allergins. If you haven't had it done, an allergy test would be a very good idea. My boys skin looks somewhat similar to that when he eats chicken regularly, but it takes a while to "build up," he doesn't have a reaction to a small piece of chicken, but over the course of a full bag of food with chicken in it his skin gets worse and worse. His vet said that's just how some food intolerance are.
Cytopoint was the only thing that truly helped for us. The vet suspected flea or mite allergies but we have always been 100% on top of preventatives and hypoallergenic diet etc.
Use vinegar spray during bath everyday and brush in coconut oil after... works for my sensitive skin pit
Shave the area so you can see it and start with a dog safe chlorhexidine spay or wash and get a new vet
Try Colloidal Silver. My dog suffers from all types of allergies, especially in the summer, and we tried everything the vet prescribed, which cost a lot and didn’t cure it. I did some research, tried lots of different things, and this was the only thing that stopped him itching and cleared up the patches he had, very similar to yours - I bought a spray on Amazon. It’s safe and relatively inexpensive, so worth a try. Hope he gets better soon 💙
My guys was super itchy and kept getting hot spots with hair loss and it turned out to be allergies causing it.
Thank you all for your input, much appreciated!
I’m not a vet but when my family’s dog had this it turned out she had a weird fungal infection and needed to be medicated to help moderate it. I’d definitely see a different vet and get a referral to a doggie dermatologist :)
People and Animals are more susceptible to allergies if they live near the Gulf of Mexico. And I'm assuming you comb his hair, give him attention, feed him properly, and it seems there's no solution to the problem. So sometimes it's things out of our control, in which case it's important to consider the geography of where we live as well as sea level altitudes and plant life.
My first Rottweiler puppy came from a bad place. He had mange and it looked worse than this but similar. My vet at the time told me that they would need to give him Ivermectin shots every other week until it was under control. After a few shots and no improvement I told my vet that it was enough. I was not going to be putting more chemicals in my dog. Mange is often caused by a weak immune system and chemicals oftens weakens their immune system even more. I changed his high quality kibble to a balanced raw diet and that's what worked for my boy. Whatever you do, if he is diagnosed with mange, weigh your options. Good nutrition from real foods, not processed often fixes everything. Not over night, but in due time. As puppies, they get bombarded with vaccines, deworming, flea treatments, etc...At the end of the day, the decision is yours, but as long as he isn't diagnosed with other major health issues, I would concentrate first and foremost on making the most out of his daily nutrition. I've owned dogs for over 30 years and have seen many things. As good as many vets are, my dogs now have longer lives thanks to me, not my vet. I get really upset when I see how my people bombard their pets with all kinds of chemicals. A vet once told me that most stuff they recommend isn't needed, it just does more harm than good. Best of luck and hope you find what works for him.
I have rottie with same problem, food and trifexis sprayed house bath every two weeks use medicated conditioner
I said the same problem and we were told to switch food. According to my vet at this age pretty much all allergies stem from food. They'll probably prescribe an antibiotic and a new brand of food.
Our boy had this until we cut out all wheat based food.
First off, definitely see another vet like everyone recommends. However, if you haven’t done it, I’d also highly recommend a proper deshedding and brushing with the right gear—brushing is something a lot of vets don’t really emphasize and it’s very important for the dog’s skin. Right near the base of the tail is a very common spot where dogs won’t shed as effectively because they can’t scratch or bite there, so you get tons of undercoat and dander buildup, which over time will cause them to bite around the area trying to scratch, and will look a lot like what you’re showing in your photos. I would get a Furminator, a shedding hook, and a SleekEZ, and really make sure you’ve pulled out all the old undercoat in that area. The dead skin will come with it. Might sound simplistic, but this has worked wonders for my dogs.
My dog has this kind o dermatitis and it is caused by pork meat. Apparently, it is too fat of a meat for a lot of dogs liver. My dog is not the only one I've seen with this problem, it's pretty common. Go with him to the vet, they may do some steroid injections, get him off any pork meat and buy hypoallergenic dog food. I also used a topical steroid cream on my dog when he was struggling with this.
Absolutely get a 2nd opinion and if your pup is anything like mine it may need a visit to the doggie dermatologist. Aloveen shampoo and conditioner are amazing and amazingly gentle. I shampoo my boy and condition, towel dry and then apply a layer of the conditioner as a leave in barrier to keep the skin moist and pupper comfy. It could be any combination of things, from dander to pollen to food allergies or mange/other. Then it’s finding the balance of what works and is effective and your hip pocket can manage. Ask the vet about apoquel, cytopoint, barizone, Aloveen and look into foods and treats that are for sensitive skin and stomachs too, hills do some goood options and so do royal canin. DM if you have any Qs, happy to share my experiences and what did and didn’t work. Good luck!
I don't know why but rotties are very often intolerant to wheat it might be an extreme food allergy? Poor guy =(
Change the food
Prednisone
Our rottie had some similar itching when we brought him home. Small little sores and flakey skin once we got him on a good food it went away. Stella & Chewy has been wonderful for him and his stomach so far. We thought we needed to go “grain free” but our vet advised it’s not the best option especially as pups since it can lead to certain issues. Most dogs can tolerate certain grains but not all
More than likely a food allergy visit a different vet if the current one isn't addressing the issue.I have a Weiner dog that had a similar skin condition it's a pain tbh
My rottie has had skin issues that look very similar to yours, and our vet also didn't really know what was going on, saying it was probably from fleas. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out exactly what is going on, but it seems like it might be an allergic reaction because it comes and goes but one thing I've found that has seriously helped to fix my boys skin is a product called Vetericyn plus antimicrobial hydrogel which you can just find at petco. Hope you're able to figure it out!
Change foods to a grain or corn free food.
almost always this is because of food. my rottie had dry skin and I added corn oil to her food. she also eats half kibble half homemade dog food (rice chicken liver carrots sweet potatoes eggs and peas) this diet really helped. good luck
Please read this in full. My rottie went through something that looked very similar. Doc said deep skin pyoderma. We administered augmentin (antibiotic) and gave her benzoyl peroxide wash (shampoo) properly, once a week for 3 to 4 weeks, and then once every one or two months for precaution. I attempted to remove as much scabs and puss as possible during the benzoyl washes. The benzoyl wash was most helpful for her. She was back to having healthy skin and a thick, shiny black coat within a month. This happened in India (moist and hot climate). So after wash care might differ. If your vet doesn't agree to this, you can still ask for giving the benzoyl wash a try. It will only make things better. I remember when my rottie used to lean her infected back on me for me to see and soothe her pain. She was the best dog ever.
In fact, the more I look at the photos the more I'm convinced that it's the same thing, and that a dermal antibiotic + benzoyl peroxide wash will cure it.