| | Dog continually scratching ...Page 1 of 2 (1, 2) | I am watching my buddies dog while she's off camping.
The poor thing has allergies, and is scratching himself raw.
I'm giving him the Allergy medication every 3 hours, however it is not really working.
I searched the internet for some home remedies.
I gave him a cool bath last night with Tea Tree and Peppermint Oil.
And today I am lathering him with cold Aloe Vera from the fridge.
Has anyone come across this?
If so ... got any more ideas for me to try. | |
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| Dog continually scratching ...
Posted: 9/4/2011 3:19:36 PM | | If your friend has a cell phone with her, OP, I would call her and ask. The reason I say this is, if the dog already has bad allergies, you shouldn't be putting anything on its skin without knowing what affect it will have on the dog. You may inadvertently be doing more damage than good by trying the home remedies since you aren't familiar with the animal. Or, if you know who her veterinarian is who prescribed the medicine, you could perhaps phone him and ask for advice first opportunity you get, if he's not working on Sunday. | |
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Posted: 9/4/2011 3:26:49 PM | Sweetness ... she's non accessible.
Doing inland canoeing in Algonquin.
She'll be back tomorrow morning.
Till then I'll just put some cold dishtowels on him.
Man ... if these guys could only talk.
Gotta give credit to the veterinarians,
It's like they can read minds.
The allergy pills are just over the counter ones for "people".
Thanks for posting! | |
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| Dog continually scratching ...
Posted: 9/4/2011 3:52:55 PM | | fish oil capsules seem to really help, although it can take a few days to see relief . Did you make sure that your giving the dog the maximum dose allowed for it's weight? Usually things that wet them dry the skin out more and cause more itching. It is a crazy cycle! Without knowing what the dog is allergic to it is really hard to say. Usually if it is a food allergy it is products with corn in it. It is very common to see new treats be a culprit. If it is seasonal allergies the bath would have helped. Hope it is better tonight. | |
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Posted: 9/4/2011 5:13:15 PM | I had two terriers-a Westie and a Cairn and they have horrendous skin allergies-nothing really helped-hate to see a dog scratch itself raw to the point of infection. Oral and topical flea meds help some.
They used to give steroids for that which caused much damage. Without seeing a vet to find out the reason for the itching there's not much that can be done. Motown is a dog lover with a lot of knowledge, she'd maybe be able to help.
I think the bath you gave was perfect. If there are raw spots I put the kind of Neosporin with numbing ointment on them (not sure if you have that in Canada?)
Bless your heart for taking such good care of your friend's dog. | |
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Posted: 9/4/2011 5:16:36 PM | Thanks pikoleander.
My friend and I do the doggie swap whenever we need one another.
Great arrangement.
Snoopy is a good dog.
They were both lying at my feet while I was quilting all day.
The Aloe Vera seemed to tone it down a bit.
I thought of motown.
I think I'll give her a buzz.
\/\/\/
No ... no change in diet.
Snoopy gets this every year at this time.
She thinks it has to do with pollen.
She took Snoopy to the vet last year,
and they made her purchase some product for his eyes,
saying the tear ducts were not working.
Actually he scratched his eyes, and they misdiagnosed him.
So she's frustrated and just gives him antihistamines.
He gets them every 3 hours
I put them in a hotdog.
I just want to keep him comfortable till this blows over.
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Posted: 9/4/2011 5:17:11 PM | Most allergies in dogs are food-related. More specifically it's usually grain-rich food that causes the allergies. What are you feeding the dog? Has the dog's diet been changed recently?
Generally, if the dog doesn't get BARF, I would at least try to switch to a grain free dog food brand. Take a look at this link; you might find a brand that works for the dog.
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/best-dog-foods/best-grain-free-dog-foods/best-grain-free-dog-foods-dry/ | |
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Posted: 9/4/2011 5:50:28 PM | really depends on what the dog is allergic to. if it's a flea allergy, of course you will have to get rid of the fleas. even a few fleas can set off a reaction for an allergic dog. the quickest way to do it is with a pyrethrin dip. most OTC flea shampoos have pyrethrins in them, but the stuff is GARBAGE because they never make it strong enough. if you can find a pyrethrin dip, make it twice as strong as the label suggests and use that. it is a quick kill for the fleas and pyrethrins are non-toxic to dogs. i buy industrial strength pyrethrins at the farm store and mix it up even stronger. had a nasty infestation last summer after i had to board my dogs... the stuff works GREAT.
if it isn't a flea allergy, chances are it's some kind of a food allergy and i'm not sure what you can do about that in the short amount amount of time you will be babysitting this dog. has the dog always been stratching, or not until he showed up at your place?
i wouldn't put tea tree oil on raw skin.
for short-term symptomatic relief, i would try hydrocortisone cream. that should relieve the itching and buy you some time.
vvvvv i've never heard of a dog having a seasonal allergy...... unless it's seasonal fleas ;) now i am thinking it is NOT food.
you don't need a prescription for pyrethrin. i think any farm store will have it; farmers use it for their livestock to kill ticks and flies. see if you can get a bottle of 70% and just dilute it down. if you look at a bottle of flea shampoo, i think it is something like 1.5%, 2%, if memory serves correctly.... pfffft. i would use a 10% solution. then you will have to hit them with the systemic stuff because the fleas will be in the rugs... don't use the real expensive drops... that stuff is real hard on a dog's/cat's liver and the fleas build up a resistance over time. i think the brand i used was made by hartz... i tried to find a tube in the drawer but it's gone now. that will kill any fleas that jump back on after they've had a bath. it's good for about a month, and that's all you should need to break the cycle. i used this combination and i didn't even have to fog my house.... fleas are 100% gone... zero maintenance.
hydrocortisone... any drug store will have it. look where they put the poison ivy, anti-itch cremes.
sidebar issue... i had a dog who lost a bunch of her hair after the last flea infestation last summer. gads she looked like hell. bald spots on her back and ears... but the skin was healthy, and she wasn't sratching, so i dunno. i got a supplement called "missing link" veterinary formula, it's about $40 for a 5-pound bag on amazon. this is a WONDERFUL product. within about 2-3 weeks all her hair came back and her coat feels almost like velvet. | |
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Posted: 9/4/2011 5:58:24 PM | I know mine has had fleas (cat too) and I had to purchase that stuff you put on every month as the cat looses his hair.
This happens every year to this dog, at this time.
His eyes swell up and he starts scratching like nuts.
Then it goes away.
He's been scratching for about 2 weeks now.
No new food.
She thinks it must be some sort of pollen.
So your thinking it's the fleas or food.
Right.
Interesting about the pyrethrin dip.
We have a farm store in town.
Will they have it?
Can I purchase it over the counter,
or do I need a prescription for that?
I'd like to get some for my dog and cat.
for short-term symptomatic relief, i would try hydrocortisone cream. that should relieve the itching and buy you some time.
Where do I get that?
Thanks motown! | |
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Posted: 9/4/2011 7:22:57 PM | Great info Motown!
I've cut and pasted it to a document and will head over to the store tomorrow.
Hope they're not closed due to the labour day weekend.
I will also pass this on to my buddy.
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Posted: 9/4/2011 11:08:15 PM | my little Pomeranian suffered with "seasonal allergies" for 6 years ... every April, she'd pull out most of her fur out then scratch her skin raw ... horrible rashes ... beyond description ... ear infections ...
I'd gone to several different vets ... tried everything ... her diet is seriously restricted ... finally settled on Solid Gold bison little bits ... you wouldn't believe the wild diagnoses ... but she started getting seriously sick again this April ... I thought I'd have to put her down ...
as a last effort ... finally, this spring, got a new vet ... who said skin issues were her specialty ... we went thru a BUNCH of prescription meds ... to cure the yeast infection in the skin from her scratching ... her ongoing ear infections ...
turned out the underlying issue was an allergy to fleas ...
I'd never even SEEN a flea ... but I did let her play outside and there might have been some in the grass ...
after the opportunistic illnesses were cured, she's been on a prescription medication she takes once a month for dogs under 10 lbs. ... it's a tablet I dissolve in water and feed to her ... she's been WELL SINCE APRIL ... first time in her entire life that she's been well in the spring and summer!
I'm very grateful to have finally found a vet who understood my dog's issues ... yay!
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Posted: 9/4/2011 11:15:45 PM | I worked for a vet in hs and college while going pre-med.
Very simply, I ruled out food- least likely. But having a good quality food helps, just like our diet does.
Seasonal issues- insects/fleas, which should be obvious unless the dog has been treated for fleas but if it's not a monthly treatment, the eggs will hatch and you may not see fleas yet.
The best product I know of is Revolution ( for cats- I know there's a dog equivalent)- since it takes care of fleas AND mites- another big cause of itching and allergies.
If this is treated and ruled out, and they aren't showing allergic signs to other pets, etc.,
then it's treated like people with allergies.
Good air filters. Keeping the house dry and mold-free. Keeping other animals bathed.
Limiting their exposure outside while the seasonal change occurs.
Missing link is a good product. It supplies essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, etc.
Sometimes skin issues- even dry skin can be the culprit or enhance the problem.
I give my pets a small amount of a healthy oil everyday- esp in Winter to help with healthy skin , coat, etc.
BTW- be careful with the Pyrethrin. The one at the Farm Supply is 10% and is used on cattle, who have a much larger surface area of skin and body to absorb it all.
I'd ask the vet about how much to dilute it.
I'd go with the essential fatty acids- which is why the fish oil works. | |
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Posted: 9/4/2011 11:34:10 PM |
I'd never even SEEN a flea ... but I did let her play outside and there might have been some in the grass ...
Keep in mind that a single flea is enough to drive a dog virtually insane. So not seeing flea infestation doesn't mean it's not there (and with a Pomeranian's dense undercoat fleas and/or flea eggs are hard to find). Also, it's unlikely that your dog picked up fleas from the grass - more likely it was some sort of interaction with another animal. And if you have fabric upholstery and/or carpets in your home, you might want to keep in mind that fleas/flea eggs can survive for quite some time on fabric surfaces, so it's important to thoroughly clean all of those surfaces, once you discover a flea. | |
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Posted: 9/5/2011 6:49:57 AM | Maybe
The owner washes the dog to much or in something irritating.
Maybe its allergic to over the counter pesticide flea control
Maybe allergic to fleas
Maybe allergic to food
Maybe allergic to medication it takes, If the dog takes medicam or something , they often scratch until they bleed.
Maybe mosquitoes
Internally MSM and fish oil helps with skin conditions, but takes time.
Lavender soothes, so does aloe..mix them and try if you have some.
Not tea tree as mo said. That will burn irritated skin.
I would use a very weak mild soap like Dr bronners baby soap and get whatever may be on the dog OFF..Then lube/cream with something that eases the itch.
The reason the dog is scratching is the problem and needs to be addressed.
IF the skin is RED and raw you can use neem oil and aloe and it will feel better and fight getting infected..plus it taste like a dead corpse so the dog shouldn't lick it.
I think the cream mo suggested would work also..poor poochie.
Have you a satellite collar so it wont chew or lick the product off? | |
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Posted: 9/6/2011 1:07:05 PM | She picked up Snoopy last night.
She says it happens EVERY August for the last 8 years.
And swears if it was fleas then they would be all over her cat.
I printed off what Motown wrote, and hopefully she is getting the cream to stop the itching.
Snoopy takes no medication.
It's been so sad to see this weekend.
Poor thing.
She says it stops in about a month or two.
I know my cat is allergic to fleas.
He looses all his hair, and it takes only one bit.
I put Revolution on the back of their neck (both my cat and dog).
In the country ... you're always going to have a flea problem.
I'll keep her posted on what you guys are offering.
Thanks!
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Posted: 9/6/2011 2:03:32 PM | fish oil capsules seem to really help, although it can take a few days to see relief . Yep. I gave my black lab a spoonful of cod liver oil every day. She loved it and she had the most beautiful coat you can imagine, even in old age. No itchy dry skin at all. Of course, that is if the dog is not allergic to fish.
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Posted: 9/6/2011 3:01:10 PM | You dog could be allergic to a plant you've got in your backyard.
Here in Australia, we get a weed called "wandering jew" (Tradescantia fluminernsis). My terrier is extremely allergic to it and starts chewing his paws every August/September. The vet usually gives him some antibiotic cream (I think - my ex takes the dog to the vet! - we share him, along with the kid). | |
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Posted: 9/8/2011 7:17:40 AM |
, that is if the dog is not allergic to fish.
^^^^^^
Then I would suggest flax oil..great alternative.
You dog could be allergic to a plant you've got in your backyard.
Ahhhhhhh Yes!!! Good call ruby. | |
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Posted: 9/8/2011 9:28:18 AM | Some interesting suggestions. I know that my last dog-the Cairn-lived to be 15 and the skin stuff was every year with him too starting in the Spring, with a variety of treatments/outcomes. Flea allergy is what all the vets said but it seems by reading these posts some dogs suffer and others don't.
The mixed breed (Shepherd/Pit Bull mostly) that I have now has no skin problems whatsoever. | |
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Posted: 9/9/2011 12:21:58 PM | One of my dogs had allergies and it was food. He cannot tolerate grains or corn and most kibble uses corn as a filler. My dogs only get fresh raw meat now and voila...no more allergies.
When he was still suffering however, a soak in plain epsom salt for the feet. (dont wet the whole body all the time as thier fur contains needed oils and too much washing can cause a reaction) The epsom salts ease the itch and help pull toxins out from the skin.
Real, raw apple cidar vinegar (not containing yeast) added to drinking water...a drop in the dish also helps.
If we think the food chain is bad for humans, imagine how aweful it is for our pets, the regulations are alot more slack and kibble rarely contains enough meat to keep a carnivore healthy. Carnivores are not supposed to fill up on grains. It causes all sort of health issues and expensive vet bills. | |
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Posted: 9/10/2011 2:54:36 PM | OP - I own what is maybe the most allergic dog you will ever see. She is a very sweet pit/beagle mix with terrible skin allergies that started in the second summer I had her, and have gotten increasingly worse. There are many causes of allergies in dogs, and they can be from food, the environment, chemicals, etc.
After trying many things, including expensive food trials, steroids, antibiotics, and special shampoos, I finally had a blood serum allergen test done on my dog, and it turns out that she is allergic to mostly plants and trees, along with flies and roaches. I was pretty offended about the roach thing, LOL, and pointedly questioned the vet about that as I keep a very clean house, and she told me that most likely my dog was encountering them outside.
I am in the first month of the allergen regimen, and sadly it appears to be making her worse. But the vet said to keep it up for at least 6 months before making decisions, as it takes that long for the dog to be acclimated.
FWIW, the special shampoos did seem to help somewhat, and may work on less allergic dogs (assuming and environmental allergy), but was impractical for me - I am too lazy to bathe my dog every day. :P
The steroids are the only thing that does stop the itching completely so far, but that is not a long term solution for dogs (or people), due to the side effects.
Anyone else that has a dog with a serious itching problem should get it a blood serum allergen test to find out what it is actually allergic to, as that will save them from wasting money on food trials and the like for nothing.
Good luck, and wish my dog the same. | |
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Posted: 9/10/2011 3:22:52 PM | | Ken, whatever you do avoid steroids. They used to use them freely and my dog had a very serious chronic condition as a result. I hope this new treatment works although I'd question having to wait 6 months to find out. I wish you and your dog luck. | |
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Posted: 9/10/2011 4:32:56 PM |
Has anyone come across this?
If so ... got any more ideas for me to try.
I scanned this thread and sorry if I missed it, but what kind of dog is this?
With out that information, it is really a guess in the dark.
If it is a long haired breed with a heavy coat like a golden, then you may be dealing with hot spots. The best for this is to get the dog trimmed during the summer.
The steroids are the only thing that does stop the itching completely so far, but that is not a long term solution for dogs (or people), due to the side effects.
What side effects?
Provide it is not over used.
Taking a steroid is supplementing a hormone.
Women do it all the time, ie: Birth Control pills, with varying side effects. Which is why you may have to try a few different ones to get just the right one.
If the Steroid is the only thing that works then go with it. | |
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Posted: 9/10/2011 5:21:03 PM | Frank ...
Husky, beagle, mutt mix.
I was walking with my buddy and Snoopy this morning and he is getting better.
The weather is getting cooler and his eyes are getting back to normal.
So it really must be some sort of allergy.
Motown ...
I went to the TCS store in town and they don't sell any pyrethrin.
Just the shampoo with a low amount.
I'm going to check it out when I go down next month to Illinois.
The sales guy told me that a lot customers are ordering Advantage from www.petmeds.com.
Saving them quite a bit of money.
I'm going to check that out for my fuzzy friends. | |
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