• Trouble logging in? Send us a message with your username and/or email address for help.
New posts

scooterbug44

SoWal Expert
May 8, 2007
16,732
3,330
Sowal
If you are finding fleas on him I would napalm his bedding etc. and see if it helps. A lot of it may be happening when you are not able to see him.

Have found the bitter apple spray works well to keep dogs from biting/scratching themselves raw, but in this case it sounds like there is a definite bug/allergy to deal with.
 

ann hodnett

Beach Lover
Aug 8, 2008
82
4
itchy dog

The Ph balance of people shampoo is not right for dogs. Also, fish oil pills and/or flax seed oil, are very helpful. Puncture and put into food. Hope this might help!
 

criollolove

Beach Comber
Oct 9, 2009
28
0
Santa Rosa Beach
If you haven't changed anything else it could be flea bite dermatitus. All it takes is one flea to bite and that can set off all of the scratching. Keep the area clean and dry. The vet or petamart will have a shampoo called Malaseb. It is the best for itchy skin. I use it on my shepherd all the time it is very soothing. I also notice when my hands are chapped and I have used it they feel relief. The shampoo does not lather well but it works. It will also take away the smell.
 

Lady D

SoWal Insider
Jun 21, 2005
6,165
193
64
Memphis, Tennessee, United States
I found at the local pet store a shampoo called Dermasphere that I have had for a while, it is a anti-itch shampoo, I have gone back to trying it again and am also using Tropiclean Oxy Med Medicated oatmeal treatment rinse on him, bought at the same pet store, it has made a difference, his itching is way less, not gone, but way better. I have found a oatmeal based shampoo for him. I just do not like the hard bumplike place on his lower back. It was sore obviously by the way he reacted last night when I put tribiotic cream on it, I have been applying it a couple of times today and apparently it is not as sore today. Hope it goes away.
 

Lady D

SoWal Insider
Jun 21, 2005
6,165
193
64
Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Well, after a year of dealing with the scratching, chewing until raw places, and constant licking and several vet trips for cortisone shots when we could, baths in medicated oatmeal shampoo for dogs, etc., and many bumps all over the back later, we took the dog to another vet for allergy testing, results came in yesterday and I met with the vet today to go over the results. Wished we had done this a year ago. He has the typical allergies to outdoor allergens, bluegrass/june grass, not around here, johnson grass, ragweed, cottonwood, oak, elm, and sycamore trees. Not to mention housedust/mites, and a few fungus allergies, and the typical food allergies to poultry mix, no more chicken or turkey for Barns, milk, soybean, wheat, peanut, barley, white potato and green pea. So out went much of his dog food, dog bones, treats with any of those ingredients. Finding canned food without barley, wheat, chicken and turkey is not easy. Even the ones the vet marked for me to get ended up either having chicken, barley and wheat in them. I managed to find a few brands of lamb and rice, salmon and rice, etc without those things, but you think he will touch them? No way, especially the salmon and rice. Guess I will have to go and buy ground beef to cook him to eat along with the dry food I did find that is ok. Hopefully cutting these things out may help somewhat. Sorry this is so long.
 

Mango

SoWal Insider
Apr 7, 2006
9,709
1,360
New York/ Santa Rosa Beach
Blue Buffalo sells organic canned and dry food. They have lamb and brown rice and beef with garden veggies and sweet potato.

Blue Buffalo - Natural Canned Food

They sell it at Petco and if you go to the site, they will mail you coupons.

My puppy has had the itchy and scratchies too. I learned online that chicken is a common allergen with dogs. Go figure. :sosad:

I have been eliminating certain foods to see what might be the culprit. I was using Wellness puppy and that had salmon and a bunch of herbs in it. Then I switched to Earthborn Holistic which uses whitefish instead of salmon and has a few less herbs. He is not so itchy anymore. I mix the Blue Buffalo wet food with the dry Earthborn.

I also added digestive enzymes, the same ones people use. It is supposed to help with common food allergens and also aid in digestion. Vets are recommending people add these enzymes because over time dogs have lost them due to processed food, as opposed to them getting them from food in the wild. (which is why some dogs will eat other animals waste) While I am it, I add brewers yeast with garlic and it has added B vitamins. That helps with warding off fleas and ticks. It's an old wives tale, but it can't hurt. People swear by it.

Good luck.
 

ameliaj

Beach Fanatic
Jun 19, 2007
1,258
59
SoSpal (figure it out)/Seacrest
I'll give you another option to go along with all the great advice you are getting here. My groomer rubs a small about of emu oil into the fur after my dogs bath and her skin conditions cleared up in a hurry.
 
New posts


Sign Up for SoWal Newsletter