Dutch Shepherd Forum

I have an itchy dog.

When we got Sugar, she would chew her feet, nibble groom her legs and feet, scratch at her ears and shake her head alot. We switched her food as allergies were suggested and I thought we found one that was good because that stuff stopped.

Lately she”s been scratching alot and I thought maybe the food allergies were back (she is still on the same food) but the scratching is different. Its harder scratching and all through the day she will stop and scratch. Its not constant, but is ongoing and not going away.

We bathed her, and looked for fleas. She does not have fleas. I have checked through her fur quite a bit looking for any bugs or skin irritations and cannot find anything. A few weeks ago, one of the dogs Sugar has occasionally played with mentioned her groomer found cannine lice on her dog and it had to be treated. I googled it and found out it is not like human lice at all and much easier to get rid of. I’m wondering if that is what is bothering Sugar but I just cannot find any. I looked through her fur with a fine tooth comb...literally!

I was wondering if anyone has had experience with cannine lice or other itchy causing things that would help guide me as to what to better look for, as I am stumped. I could try switching her food again, but like I mentioned, the scratching is different then before and more like she has fleas or something.

Any ideas on what it could be?

No idea, but poor Sugar and you! Give her a scratch for me.

All I can say is, it's been a bad year for environmental allergies and dogs. You are not the only one. People are constantly asking about it on other forums. Dogs can also be allergic to molds, pollen and dust mites, not just food.

Boaz had a bad year. I have been giving him Benadryl as needed. It's usually in the morning, so I'm pretty sure I need to remove the carpet in my bedroom. In fact, all my dogs are bad after a night sleeping on the floor.

I have had some results from switching foods. I recently switched again to one of the Acana foods with chicken, and that was really bad for him, so he's on the Acana Grasslands and much better. But I really need to get that carpet removed!

http://www.benadrylfordogs.org/

Oh ya, that is what else I found on google that could cause itching; environmental allergies.

So you notice a connection with sleeping on the floor and scratching with yours? I cannot make any connection to anything. I sure could be something like that tho.

I'll look into the benadryl as that may help even if I can't determine what it is or try a different flavor of dog food again.

Thanks!

Here is an article for extra virgin coconut oil. Has a alot of properties that are good for dogs.

http://www.ehow.com/about_5506644_cocon ... -dogs.html

I don't know if this is any help at all, but environmental allergies are much more common than food allergies.

Also, there is an OTC antihistimine that's supposed to work better than benedryl for dogs. I'll try to find it and post tomorrow AM...but if that's all you have right now and want to try something for her itching, by all means, try it! (I used Benedryl a lot for my GSD, who had major seasonal allergies, before I learned of the other med.)

Wash her feet and face regularly , too. If it's something in the environment, it may help, and it can't hurt . (Just wipe down well with a damp cloth or paper towel...)

so sorry she's itching...it's always so hard when they're having issues like this and you don't know how to help them...

Sorry to hear about Sugars itching! The summer before last Thalie was sooo itchy. I gave her a bath in Head and Shoulders and it stopped instantly. I dont know what it was from but she hasnt itched since. Sadie has always nibbled on her feet, legs and rear, but I think its more nerves since she only seems to do it when she is in a down-stay. She dosnt itch at night though. Has it been since the winter? I usually add oil to their food to help with dryness, although I haven't since they have been on raw.

I know the horses would start shedding as soon as the days got longer, which has started. maybe she is starting to shed her winter coat? Just trying to throw some ideas out.

felixone123 wrote:Here is an article for extra virgin coconut oil. Has a alot of properties that are good for dogs.

http://www.ehow.com/about_5506644_cocon ... -dogs.html

Thanks, I've never heard about this. Its worth a try!

leih merigian wrote:
Also, there is an OTC antihistimine that's supposed to work better than benedryl for dogs. I'll try to find it and post tomorrow AM...

That would be great, thanks!

leih merigian wrote:I don't know if this is any help at all, but environmental allergies are much more common than food allergies.

Hmmm, again, did not know that either. The vet had said seasonal allergies could be what caused occasional discharge from her eyes last summer...

Dutchringgirl wrote:Has it been since the winter? I usually add oil to their food to help with dryness, although I haven't since they have been on raw.

It has been since winter...maybe dry from the heaters, although our heaters don't work that well, but it is electric heat.

Dutchringgirl wrote: I know the horses would start shedding as soon as the days got longer, which has started. maybe she is starting to shed her winter coat? Just trying to throw some ideas out.

Shedding can cause itchyness??

Wow, I am learning a lot of things with this post! Thanks everyone! I'll let you know if anything seems to help.

Just as an FYI, had a dog who began chewing feet, scratching and didn't want to eat, but she didn't have fleas. Took her to a few different vets, then one vet--bam--asked the right questions. It happened that I had taken the dog to someone's house one day and they had fleas. A bite had caused a highly allergic reaction.

Had another dog who began gnawing on their ankles and feet. Vet gave prescriptions, but before using them, I wondered if it was something in the house or something new.... I'd begun to burn an incense stick in the pantry upon arriving home from work and although the pantry is pretty well cut off from the rest of the house, the minute I stopped the incense, the gnawing stopped.

Another dog, somewhat like Carol's example, I found was sensitive to the solutions used in the carpet cleaner.

When it comes to the skin, it's a Dick Tracey kind of thing most of the time. Vets can often only give something to help alleviate the itch as the range of possibilities for the reason is great.

I also add extra oil to the diet in the winter, even with raw feeding.
Mine get itchy just from the dry air in the winter making the skin itchy and dry. (I use oil heat and a wood stove--very drying for myself as well) A bit (Tbls.) of EVOO if you haven't anything else on hand and give it a few weeks.
We also use to make a skin spray with (of all things) Listerine and spray it on from an atomizer bottle---can't recall at this moment what else went in it tho/maybe just 1/2 water. It seemed to soothe the skin and get at some of the bacteria that can cause secondary infections from scratching.
Bathing also dries the skin, but I would try Lisa's suggestion/or maybe an iodine or oatmeal bath if things don't improve.

alspyce wrote: oatmeal bath if things don't improve.

They would probably try to eat it!

I have electric heat too and its very drying. I also have alot of wood in my house and that sucks up moisture too.

It came to mind last night about the heat being drying and irritating to the skin...wouldn't there be signs of flaking or something if that is what it is? There is nothing I can see.

I'll be away with Sugar this weekend so I will see if anything changes while in a different environment. There will still be electric heat where I'll be tho...

I really appreciate all the ideas, thanks!

Dutchringgirl wrote:

alspyce wrote: oatmeal bath if things don't improve.

They would probably try to eat it!

You can put the oats into a cloth sack, then they don't clog the drains. Also useful for keeping them away from hungry Dutchies. ( or treating itchy kids with chicken pox )

I think I'll try that coconut oil stuff if I can remember to look for it.

I have the name of the other allergy medicine at home, too. I haven't tried it yet, because vets always say to use benadryl.

OK, the other antihistamines. The recommendation I've always gone by is to do 10 day trials and see which one works best.

The two besides benedryl are hydroxyzine and chlorpheniramine. Supposedly, the these two work better for relieving itching in dogs, but all dogs vary, and some do better on benedryl.

The other main thing about skin issues (and I sure hope Sugar doesn't get to this point), is that if it seems to become serious, bypass your regular vet and go straight to a derm vet. (just my )

Just an update: I had gone away last weekend with Sugar and over the weekend her itchyness decreased. Since coming home, she will scratch occasionally but not alot. So, still not sure what it was/is, but she is alot better now!

I am going to try the coconut oil as it seems to be something worth trying as an overall health benefit.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions : )

Glad she's better!

I bought the coconut oil. I gave the dogs a taste and they didn't really like it. I'll have to remember to try to sneak it in their food.