Best Medicated Shampoos for Dogs in 2024
Contents of Article
It is important that you use the right shampoo for your dog’s condition since medicated shampoos are formulated to treat specific problems. It’s always a good idea to check with your veterinarian about your dog’s skin and coat problems if you have any questions.
Which medicated shampoo does your dog need?
This is often the big question. Unless your dog’s skin/coat problem has been diagnosed, you may not know what the problem is. In that case, you could buy various medicated shampoos and then be disappointed when they don’t work. Plus, your dog continues to suffer. The problem isn’t with the shampoo. It’s because you’re not using the right product. That’s why it’s often a good idea to see your veterinarian and get a real diagnosis.
Once you have a diagnosis, your veterinarian will probably tell you what kind of shampoo your dog needs. She may even offer to sell you a product. This is when it can be in your best interest to buy the product online instead from a site like Chewy.com. The exact same products are commonly sold online at a much lower price than you can buy them from your vet. (Apologies to veterinarians, but this is true.) And, no, you don’t need a prescription to buy them.
Here is the Best Dog Shampoo for Itching
In some cases you may not need a veterinarian to diagnose your dog’s skin/coat problem. If your dog has a hot spot; if his skin is irritated from flea bites; if he has been scratching his skin because it’s very dry and itchy you can probably choose a good medicated shampoo without a trip to the vet for a diagnosis – unless there is also an infection involved.
Medicated shampoos may contain sulfur, coal tar, chlorhexidine, salicylic acid, benzoyle peroxide, ketoconazole, or other medicated ingredients.
Your dog’s skin is the largest organ in his body. Any illness that affects him usually affects his skin, too. So, it is important to pay attention to your dog’s skin and coat not just for themselves but as indicators of his overall health. If your dog is having skin and coat problems, consider other things that could be affecting him such as his diet, environment, genetics, stress, exercise (too much or too little), illness, and so on. Medicated shampoos can help your dog but you also need to look at the big picture of his life.
Best Medicated Dog Shampoos for Allergies
Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Antiseptic & Antifungal Shampoo
One of the most common reasons dogs need a medicated shampoo is because of allergies. Dogs can have seasonal allergies, food allergies, contact allergies, and more. If you know your dog’s triggers you can try to avoid the allergens, such as avoiding certain ingredients in dog foods, but that’s not always possible.
Medicated shampoos for allergies can provide allergy relief for your dog. They can soothe the skin to reduce itching and help your dog heal. While some mild shampoos can help relieve itching, these medicated, veterinary formulas usually contain anti-bacterial and/or anti-fungal ingredients, too.
Our choice for the best medicated shampoo for allergies is Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Antiseptic & Antifungal Shampoo. This formula relieves skin infections such as dermatitis and pyoderma. It’s formulated with benzethonium chloride to help eliminate bacteria that causes irritation and odor and ketoconazole to treat fungal infections. It deodorizes – since bad skin can sometimes have a bad odor. And it has aloe vera to soothe the skin and help speed healing. It’s 100 percent paraben-free. This shampoo some 200 positive reviews on Chewy.com.
Medicated Dog Shampoos for Bacterial and Fungal Problems
MiconaHex+Triz Shampoo
Bacteria and fungus (such as yeast) can often lead to skin infections, especially if your dog has been scratching at his skin. These infections can be hard to clear up, especially fungal problems. Your dog may develop sores from scratching which then develop a bacterial or fungal infection. Using a medicated or veterinary formula shampoo can help clear up the problem but you will need to follow the directions carefully. We suggest talking to your veterinarian if your dog has one of these problems. In other cases, a simple problem like a hot spot can grow from a tiny spot in the morning to a large red sore that is infected later in the day. Proper treatment and a good anti-bacterial, anti-fungal shampoo may be able to help heal this kind of problem, too. Try MiconaHex+Triz Shampoo. It treats topical fungal and bacterial infections. Formulated to fight dandruff, ringworms, yeast, fungus, and bacterial infections. The active ingredients are 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate, 2% Miconazole Nitrate, and TrizEDTA (tromethamine USP, Disodium EDTA Dihydrate).
Best Medicated Shampoo for Dogs with Hotspots
Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Hot Spot & Itch Relief Shampoo
If your dog has ever had a hot spot you know how amazingly fast they can grow. All it takes is a little moisture or humidity and some opportunistic bacteria looking for a place to camp and your poor dog can have a hot spot two inches wide in just a few hours. Cleaning and treating the hot spot quickly is essential. We like Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Hot Spot & Itch Relief Shampoo for treating hot spots.
Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Hot Spot & Itch Relief Shampoo helps relieve dry, itchy skin and it’s especially made for hot spots. It contains lidocaine and hydrocortisone to provide quick relief and reduce your dog’s urge to lick and chew at the hot spot. (Most hot spot shampoos don’t contain hydrocortisone.) It also has colloidal oatmeal and aloe vera to soothe, moisturize, and promote healing.
Best Medicated Dog Shampoo for Seborrhea
Douxo Seborrhea Dog & Cat Shampoo
There are two kinds of seborrhea in dogs. One results in dry skin, flakes, and dandruff. The other kind results in oily, greasy skin. Many dogs have a combination of both kinds of seborrhea. The condition is common in canines. If your dog has seborrhea it can lead to secondary infections. Your dog may also have a bad odor from the buildup of oil on his skin and fur.
Our top choice for dogs with seborrhea is Douxo Seborrhea Dog & Cat Shampoo. This shampoo is formulated especially to treat seborrhea. It helps relieve your dog of this problem and helps prevent it from rebounding. It controls inflammation and doesn’t contain any irritating ingredients. It moisturizes and smells good. It helps restore the lipid barrier and the ceramide level so your dog’s skin and return to health. It eliminates excess sebum production. It manages all kinds of seborrhea – dry, oily, and mixed.
Conclusion
The suggestions here are for the most common skin conditions that can benefit from medicated shampoos. Your dog could have some other skin problem. There are plenty of medicated shampoos and most of them will help treat multiple skin problems. Check them out and read the labels to see if one of them will help your dog. Remember to see a veterinarian whenever you are in doubt about your dog’s skin problem.
