Itching time again

[Kathy Janes]

Some of you may remember me complaining about Mater itching all last winter, pulling his coat out in clumps. It finally stopped after we tried various diet changes, benedryl, extra exercise - the whole gamut of possible "cures". Over the summer his thin spots filled in and he was the same hairy boy as always. This year I paid closer attention - and I think I found the cause. The moment we turned the heat on in October the itching began again, non-stop. It would appear that he suffers the same malady as the rest of us Midwesterners in the winter - dry, itchy skin! Anyone have any suggestions for that? He gets salmon oil in his food and eats Taste of the Wild with a little Evangers beef. I have a feeling it isn't diet related at all, but purely environmental. I'm open to suggestions though!

[F, Calla & Luca]

I'm wondering what kind of heat you have? Do you have hot air heat? Also, do you have central air conditioning? Dust mites are present year round in fabrics, mattresses etc. According to the Mayo clinic, as well as other sources, dust mites thrive on high humidity and you have said your home has low humidity in the winter. Since the itching occurs in the winter, when the air is dry it may indeed be due to dry skin. Also, it seems much easier to treat Mater as if he has dry skin and see if he improves rather than doing more expensive and difficult tasks first. Giving him evening primrose oil or omega 3 fatty acids would be good. A little edible oil, like olive oil, can be rubbed into his skin. Adding humidity to the air will help everyone.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Kathy, it's very possible that Mater is allergic to dust mites. That's one of Jack's most severe allergens, and it's pretty common.
Have your air ducts professionally cleaned and change your furnace filter more often than you normally would. Wash all of Mater's bedding frequently. Try to keep his sleeping areas and other areas where he spends a lot of time as dust free as possible. I threw away my bedskirt because jack often sleeps next to my bed. (They tell you to keep the dog out of your bedroom altogether, because that's where the most dust mites are, but...)
Seasonal allergies are never food related, so you can relax on that score. But dust mite allergies often go hand-in-hand with storage mite allergies. Try debagging Mater's kibble into clean, dry airtight storage containers, (get the bags out of the house) and wash the containers regularly with hot water & soap. Wash his food & water bowls frequently, too. Buy a bottle of 500 mg evening primrose oil capsules and give him one a day.
When he's groomed, make sure a hot dryer isn't used...it should be a cool temperature, or let him air dry. A calming shampoo like Douxo is best.
I hope some of this helps, and Mater finds some relief from his itchiness! Good luck!

[Joyce & Wilson]

I live also where its very cold and dry in the house...You can get an automatic humidifer attached to your furnace that helps alot..(aprilair is the name of mine)..or just try a couple of humidifers in a couple of rooms ..less baths or apply a leave on conditioner after bathes.. hope this will help.