itchy dog
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 374
One other thought. Hormones.
Granted, it was a cat, but ....
Tinker started to itch. The cat literally licked and scratched every bit of fur off of every bit of body she could reach. The vet and Tinker's family tried everything. Then the vet suggested hormones. It turned out that very low doses of human birth control pills did the job. And, as it turned out, she didn't have to take them forever.
Funny story. The vet gave me a scrip for the pills and sent me to the local pharmacy. The pharmacist gave the scrip a quick look and cleared his throat. He said, "Ummm, ma'am, these aren't going to work for you. They are just not strong enough." When I could quit laughing, I told him that I didn't get meds for myself at the vet; that the birth control pills were for my cat who we suspected had a hormone imbalance (she had been neutered before she was rescued).
The pills went home and the cat stopped itching.
Granted, it was a cat, but ....
Tinker started to itch. The cat literally licked and scratched every bit of fur off of every bit of body she could reach. The vet and Tinker's family tried everything. Then the vet suggested hormones. It turned out that very low doses of human birth control pills did the job. And, as it turned out, she didn't have to take them forever.
Funny story. The vet gave me a scrip for the pills and sent me to the local pharmacy. The pharmacist gave the scrip a quick look and cleared his throat. He said, "Ummm, ma'am, these aren't going to work for you. They are just not strong enough." When I could quit laughing, I told him that I didn't get meds for myself at the vet; that the birth control pills were for my cat who we suspected had a hormone imbalance (she had been neutered before she was rescued).
The pills went home and the cat stopped itching.
#23
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Ohio, the land of 4 seasons. sometimes all in the same week!
Posts: 2,487
my word! there is a lot of scratching pups out there. I have 4 dogs. 2 seem to be itching from the grass. I will try the benedryl but she is a 7 lb yorkie so will have to call the vet about the dose. the other is a 30 lb mix of ????? and ????. yea, like that. they only are outside to do their business and right back in so we can try the skin so soft too. thanks for sharing your trials and solutions!
#24
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 5,397
I have two cats that is like that, to the point of pulling their hair out and one chews his hair to the skin. Looks like someone shaved him in spots. Skin looks healthy, I have changed treats, and food. Next step will be to take them to the Vet., just been trying everything else first.
My Daughter has two Labs, one very sensitive, she gives them fish oil and their skin and coats are beautiful and shiny.
My Daughter has two Labs, one very sensitive, she gives them fish oil and their skin and coats are beautiful and shiny.
#25
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 1,389
Our one of our adopted dogs is very allergic. He gets benadryl 2x daily but we still have to take him to the vet on occasion for a shot. Depending on the time of year the shot can last 1 month up to about 3 months but then he's back for another shot.
Interestingly enough, when Tramp was adopted by our friend she adopted him because he had almost no hair on his body and his skin was very red and irritated. Turned out he was in a kennel with a concrete floor and, yep, Tramp's allergic to concrete. When my friend lost her farm she had to give up 3 of her 5 dogs and we were blessed Tramp. Our schnauzer was on a special allergy food and when Tramp came along we gave him the same food and low and behold ... he now has hair thick enough he has to go to the groomer. He's a heinz-57 variety and it's really funny because the hair on the back half of his body is more wirey than the soft hair on the front half of his body ... a true mutt!
Interestingly enough, when Tramp was adopted by our friend she adopted him because he had almost no hair on his body and his skin was very red and irritated. Turned out he was in a kennel with a concrete floor and, yep, Tramp's allergic to concrete. When my friend lost her farm she had to give up 3 of her 5 dogs and we were blessed Tramp. Our schnauzer was on a special allergy food and when Tramp came along we gave him the same food and low and behold ... he now has hair thick enough he has to go to the groomer. He's a heinz-57 variety and it's really funny because the hair on the back half of his body is more wirey than the soft hair on the front half of his body ... a true mutt!
#26
My dog started the scratching and it was bad, she was making sores all over her. I tried everything I could think of before taking her to the vet. She's already on a special diet due to bladder stones (don't want to pay for that surgery again). He said it was allergies and gave her a steroid shot. It's been 3 months and she has started to scratch again. Vet also said food allergies affect the ears, the dogs will scratch at their ears and get ear infections with food allergies.
#27
I had a little chihuahua mix who scratched all the time. I gave him flax seed oil and brewers yeast once a day and he cleared up. Then had a big black cat that lost all of his hair. His skin was clear and smooth. Vet gave him thyroid meds and he grew all his hair back. Have a long hair siamese who pulls out her hair. We have no idea why she started this. My husband shaved her for the summer and decided to let her grow back her hair for winter. Yep, she is pulling it out again. She doesn't scratch or have flakey or oil skin.
#28
A couple of weeks ago I adopted a dog from the human society. Since I got him home he is constantly itching.
I've taken him to the vet and its not fleas or mites. Changed his diet to a lamb/rice but the itching continues.
Tried oatmeal bath - no improvement. Has anyone had to deal with this and how did you solve the problem.
this must be driving the poor guy crazy.
I've taken him to the vet and its not fleas or mites. Changed his diet to a lamb/rice but the itching continues.
Tried oatmeal bath - no improvement. Has anyone had to deal with this and how did you solve the problem.
this must be driving the poor guy crazy.
#29
My 9year old beagle has allergies, too... we've switched to lamb and rice... but the vet also recommends I give her one capsule of Omega 3-6-9 oil per day... After an initial steroid treatment (necessary when she was fairly acute), she's doing well and no more itching!
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06-03-2010 09:13 PM