Itching, scratching of body

[Betty Moss]

Any thoughts about this?

[Deb, Connor & Simon]

If I understand the question...if your dog has itching, scratching on it's body, it sounds like an allergy. It could be a food allergy -- most common allergens: wheat, corn, soy, beef, chicken. Or it could be a contact allergy. One of my dog's is allergic to ground ivy...which grows in several places in our yard. If he walks or sits in that area, he ends up itching. Contact allergies can be seasonal. Or it could be a flea allergy...it only takes ONE flea to set off a reaction. First, I would try slowly switching the dog over to a high quality food with an alternate protein source like fish, that contains no wheat, corn or soy. I would also add a little fish oil to his food. For soothing the skin, a bath with either evening primrose, prickly pear or oatmeal based shampoo & conditioner, then letting the coat air dry might give a little relief. Talk with your vet about dosage for Benadryl, Coracedin (sp?) or the old school prescription antihistamine Atarax if these other things don't help. If all else fails, ask for a referral to a veterinary allergist or dermatologist.  Not knowing any other details, I'm just guessing. Hope it helps. :-)

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Actually, the most common type of allergies in dogs are inhalant allergies, also called seasonal or environmental. Food is the culprit in only 10% of all allergic dogs; 90% of them are allergic to pollen, mold, dust mites, etc. Considering that this is the worst time of year for inhalant allergies, it's most likely that your dog's itching is due to ragweed allergies. My own guy, who has been under the care of a veterinary dermatology specialist for several years now, and has tested positive for several environmental allergies including ragweed, is having a terrible time. This is also not a contact issue; the allergens are inhaled, and cannot be avoided; ragweed pollen travels 400 miles. Best antihistamines for dogs are Claritin and Zyrtec, the generic versions are fine. Also try giving one 500 mg evening primrose oil capsule (human supplement) each day. Bathing, dusting and vaccuuming, wiping the dog down, washing food bowls, etc. can also help. Allergies cannot be cured, they are a disease of the immune system and can only be managed. Dogs with severe symptoms should see a specialist, as the itching, scratching, and paw licking causes skin infections. Allergies also get worse as a dog gets older.

This Dog Whisperer group is really more for behavioral issues than medical issues. We have lots of info on how to help control allergies in the Health and Medical group, and there is an Atopic Dermatitis Support group (the true name of the disease) that you can join.

[Patti]

Could just have dry skin, before you change anything with food. Try some GOOD oatmeal shampoo and Oatmeal conditioner.