Itching Doodle

[Heather and Rocky]

Ok when we got Rocky last September - he had no itching issues. We bought shampoo and bathed him wiht Pure Paws Brightening Shampoo as needed and no itching ... he was fine.  Then, winter came and he began to itch when it got really cold so we switched to Dr. Harvey's Protection Shampoo and it did the trick - no more itching.

 

UNTIL - He went to the groomer a couple weeks ago and he's been itching ever since.  Just constantly scratching.  Talked to the groomer - she used Pure Paws on him for shampoo - so we bathed him again in the Dr. Harvey's - hoping it would work again and to no avail - he's still itching.

 

Poor baby!  What do I do??    

[cheryl & oliver]

Oliver gets this itching thing too, when he is bathed, he is bathed with oatmeal shampoo, and a very gentle conditioner.  I also give him 2 benedryl every morning, and it has really helped.  Oh he will itch, once in a while, and when I say cut it out, he stops...I think he just enjoys licking himself, and scratching when he feels like it.  I check him all the time for fleas, ticks, etc. and we have none.  My exterminator does our outside property to prevent tics and fleas, and my house is done too...Of course they are probably still there, but haven't had a problem in the last 4 yrs with either dog.  Oliver is only two, but Renny is 14, so I have to be ery careful with him too, his age and all....

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

The Benedry would probably help for now until you can figure out what the source is. I do know that our puppy was itchy from what we think was frequent bathing. I have been using Tropiclean Oatmeal Medicated and a Tea Tree Oil leave in spray. That helped tremendously right away. I still bath both my frequently, but with this shampoo have had no problems.

 Good luck.

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

Sounds EXACTLY like Hunter!  I had 2 bad experiences with the groomer and itching afterwards.  Terrible itching and a weepy rash on the inside of her legs that I had to take her to the vet for.  2 antibiotics and an antihistamine for 7 days she was fine.  I could not pin point if it was the shampoo they used or the blow drying possibly drying her out.  From then on I bath Hunter before I take her to the groomers and she has been fine ever since.  She is a more itchy dog on a daily basis so I do give her 1000mg of Evening Primrose Oil daily and that does really keep it under control.

[Heather and Rocky]

Thank you guys so much for all the responses.  I went and read Kona's post too - so thanks for that as well!!

 

I have been giving him benadryl and it is helping.  Can someone help tell me the dosage for Claritin?? He's 5 years old and 80 pounds.   I would prefer to give him that - because - well I have tons of it in the cabinet. How would it work vs. the benadryl?   He's itching in two spots - one place on his side seems to be bugging him and also the base of this tail where it meets his back.  He's chewed that spot until it's red and some of the hair is gone. 

 

I'm going to get the EPO tomorrow.  I'm hoping it helps.  How soon did you guys see an improvement after starting that??  If that doesn't work I guess we will go to the vet!  Also, every time Rocky starts itching I start itching!  It's making me crazy!!

 

The weather here is extremely dry right now - no rain in forever.... everyone is just watching the sky hoping it will fall and it never does.  Today it even thundered - but then it passed over without dropping even one drop.  Sigh.  We need some rain.  Maybe that would help!!

[Bonnie and Kona]

Heather, The EPO seemed to have an effect on Kona right away. Owen was a tiny bit itchy and he stopped scratching with the EPO also.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Claritin works much better for Jack (and many of the dogs in our Atopic Dermatitis Group) than Benadryl. But the dosage is higher. JD gets three 10 mg. tablets once a day. His weight fluctuates in the mid 80s, although he is down to 80 lbs right now. You might try starting with two tablets given once a day.

Make sure the Claritin (loratidine is the generic name) is NOT the "D" type...as in "Claritin D".

The combination of antihistamines and EPO usually produces a better effect than either one alone. But it can take two weeks to see the full benefits.