Puppy skins so itchy! You guys have any remedies

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

My puppies skin is so itchy he won't stop scratching. And if I scratch him he does what I call "shifting gears" anyone have any suggestions for what I can put him on to help his skin? He doesn't have fleas or anything. He will do what I call is "corn scratching" and will nibble on his leg and shift gears at the same time with his back leg so I know he's incredibly itchy and not sure what I should do to help him.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Has he been seen by a vet for this problem? There are several possible causes besides fleas. 

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Has the itching just started or has he been itching since you got him..if the onset was sudden he may have been bitten by something or got into something that has caused a skin allergy. Have you bathed him and if you did what shampoo did you use and did you pay particular attention to rinsing it out really well. Have you checked him over with a fine tooth comb. Are there any black specks in his coat, if you put a comb thru the coat what comes out? Black specks are digested blood and indicate fleas. He may have mites, he may have a contact allergy. You may wish to bath him in an oatmeal shampoo and rinse really well before you bring him to the vet. I would not be confident telling you to give him an antihistamine as he is so young and I am unsure of the dosage. It is most certainly not a food allergy though so don't change his food for now. It is horrible to watch pups so uncomfortable but really only your vet can shed some real light on this.

[F, Calla & Luca]

What is this shifting gears thing ? If he moves his leg while you scratch him that is just a reflex and it has nothing to do with how itchy he is.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

 Ashley, your puppy is too young to have developed an allergy to anything. The most likely cause of his itching is mange mites and those can only be diagnosed by doing a skin scraping and then examining the slides under a microscope so it is not something a lay person can rule out.  Until you get him to a vet there is no point in speculating further. As for the collar that is a total red herring though you could take it off if it is a cause for concern. Monday is only a couple of days away so we look forward to updates following the vet visit.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Tara had an itching problem when she was tiny and it was triggered by the shampoo we used for her bath. She is 6 years old now and we still have to take care when choosing a shampoo for her. Perhaps your baby has sensitive skin too.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Right now we are using Aroma Paws Hypoallergenic and Fragrance Free Shampoo/Conditioner. It is the Sensitive Skin Formula.  But even so if we leave it on her too long or wash her too often she will develop little red bumps that itch. I don't know if we can find anything more gentle that will still get her clean!

[Willow and J]

Ear infection, by any chance? Willow came to us at 10 weeks with yeast infection in her ears, and until when I read someone mentioning it, I didn't think to suspect itching and scratching could be related to ear problem. Please check if his ears are normal (i.e. normal pink color, not read; no smell; not hot.)

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

There are some possible answers here for you. When you go to the Vet tomorrow you will have lots of information under your belt and you will have all the right questions too... check out this link:

http://www.petmd.com/blogs/purelypuppy/2011/may/why_does_my_puppy_i...

[Denise Murray]

Baking soda barht

[Denise Murray]

Baking soda bath

[Denise Murray]

Salt water bath.. Like the ocean so good for your skin

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

A salt water bath on sore skin from scratching is excruciatingly painful.