itchy dog
#31
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Bosque County, Texas
Posts: 2,709
We had a Saint Bernard that had to take benedryl for allergies, a Maltese that nothing helped his allergies and a Doberman that had to have steroid shots for allergies. Frequently there are no answers.
#32
Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 11
Marilyn,
Was your dog tested for hypothyroidism?? Your description of his symptoms - especially the bad smell- sure sounds like it. I had a friend with a dog that smelled so and itched so much they almost had her put down. Then they tried a new vet who tested for hypothyroidism. Sure enuf - it was very low. Put on thyroid med and the dog responded almost immediately - She lived a good like taking her thyroid meds.
Was your dog tested for hypothyroidism?? Your description of his symptoms - especially the bad smell- sure sounds like it. I had a friend with a dog that smelled so and itched so much they almost had her put down. Then they tried a new vet who tested for hypothyroidism. Sure enuf - it was very low. Put on thyroid med and the dog responded almost immediately - She lived a good like taking her thyroid meds.
#33
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Cadillac, MI
Posts: 6,487
Miss Moira came malnourished to point of starvation. She had dandruff the size of my thumbnail under a faded brown mat. I doused her in coconut oil - it helped her skin, but was impossible to wash out. It took Dawn dishwashing detergent to remove it and that seemed too harsh for her. Oxymed medicated shampoo and rinse were her salvation as far as the itching. You have leave each of them on the dog for three minutes, but it's worth it. Moira is half Border Collie with a silky, shiny black coat. Who would have guessed? When she was three she developed summer allergies. Two causes - 1) flea saliva so she on a very good flea preventative and 2) something that blooms in the grass on July 25th - 27th every year. Chlorotrimton is my doctor's drug of choice for the itching. He had just come from an allergy seminar and said it was felt to work better than Benedryl. We made it though this year with no fleas and not too much itching from the mystery weed. Salmon food seems to help, but she only needs it in the summer. Generic chlorotrimton is $4.99 for 100 with no shipping from Drs Smith and Foster.
For your recent rescue in a cold climate, I'd try the Oxymed shampoo and conditioner, 1000 mg of human grade fish oil daily and chlorotrimton as needed. I assume you've brushed out any dead undercoat. That seems to cause itching on both dogs and Lily has no skin problems. Fish oil helps both Moira and my son's yellow Lab. Food - the furgirls are fed 1/3 raw, 1/3 grain free, currently Taste of the Wild Salmon and 1/3 grained food, currently Blue Buffalo Simple (chicken and rice) with fewer ingredients. I rotate foods and protein sources to avoid allergies. Lily gets 4 raw eggs a week, Moira 3. Both get natural unsweetened yogurt every third day.
I hope you can help the furry one. Itching is so miserable.
I just read the other posts. Miss Moira can have no wheat, which means no treats except home made ones. Her Lab ears become inflamed after just one treat. Re: the chicken - vets look for a simple cure and chicken is an easy target, but for us meat proteins are not involved. pm me if you want my take on brands of dog food.
Both Lily and Moira are shelter dogs. Lily was a cowering, starved mess and Moira was given to me because the shelter didn't think she could survive. She weighed 13.4 pounds. Now she is a lean 34.5. She was not cowering, she crawled into my lap and looked up at me with those big brown eyes with her tail wagging. Her tail is still wagging!
For your recent rescue in a cold climate, I'd try the Oxymed shampoo and conditioner, 1000 mg of human grade fish oil daily and chlorotrimton as needed. I assume you've brushed out any dead undercoat. That seems to cause itching on both dogs and Lily has no skin problems. Fish oil helps both Moira and my son's yellow Lab. Food - the furgirls are fed 1/3 raw, 1/3 grain free, currently Taste of the Wild Salmon and 1/3 grained food, currently Blue Buffalo Simple (chicken and rice) with fewer ingredients. I rotate foods and protein sources to avoid allergies. Lily gets 4 raw eggs a week, Moira 3. Both get natural unsweetened yogurt every third day.
I hope you can help the furry one. Itching is so miserable.
I just read the other posts. Miss Moira can have no wheat, which means no treats except home made ones. Her Lab ears become inflamed after just one treat. Re: the chicken - vets look for a simple cure and chicken is an easy target, but for us meat proteins are not involved. pm me if you want my take on brands of dog food.
Both Lily and Moira are shelter dogs. Lily was a cowering, starved mess and Moira was given to me because the shelter didn't think she could survive. She weighed 13.4 pounds. Now she is a lean 34.5. She was not cowering, she crawled into my lap and looked up at me with those big brown eyes with her tail wagging. Her tail is still wagging!
Last edited by irishrose; 11-28-2012 at 11:08 PM.
#34
One of our past dogs had a simular problem. The vet had us give her a Bendril. She did stop the itch and redness. We continued the Bendril we did not see the red anymore. Then about once a year we had to give it to again.
#35
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Southeast Georgia
Posts: 2,526
Mine has allergies, as well. He takes steroid shots about once a month and prednisone pills as needed. I also bathe him in chlorhexidine. If I don't keep a really close watch on him, he gets the little sores on him and scratches himself until he bleeds. Poor babies.
#36
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.
Donna
#38
Power Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Charleston SC
Posts: 10,742
I delt with it daily..One of my Schnauzers has terrible allergies..He has scratched until he bled. I had him allergy tested and they found he is allergic to all grains which is in most ordinary dog foods..He now eats sweet potato and chicken. After about 6 weeks all the itching has stopped. He is a much happier dog and so am I happy...If you don;t want to allergy test which is expensive......(500 dollars or more) try giving brown rice and meat. I supplement his diet with a multivitamin. It will take at least one to three months after changing diet to get results but it is worth the effort for you and the dog.
#39
The symptoms of mange depend on which type of mite is present. Demodectic mange tends to cause hair loss, bald spots, scabbing and sores. Secondary bacterial infections can make demodectic mange an itchy and uncomfortable disease.
Sarcoptic mange tends to cause intense itching. It can result in restlessness and frantic scratching, symptoms that generally appear one week after exposure. It also can result in hair loss, reddened skin, body sores and scabs. The most commonly affected areas are a dog’s ears, elbows, face and legs, but it can rapidly spread to the entire body.
Benadryl and other skin treatments treat the symptoms not the CAUSE! The dog will continue to be itchy (though less) until you treat the cause! I have heard this from several dog owners and the vets are over looking the obvious because a lot of them have not seen mange (though I do not understand why since it is quite common). Most of the mange is not the genetic type and very treatable if the vet will stop with the allergies to grass! That was what my son was told by two different vets until he went to the last one that recognized mange since he had seen it before as he had treated shelter dogs.
Sarcoptic mange tends to cause intense itching. It can result in restlessness and frantic scratching, symptoms that generally appear one week after exposure. It also can result in hair loss, reddened skin, body sores and scabs. The most commonly affected areas are a dog’s ears, elbows, face and legs, but it can rapidly spread to the entire body.
Benadryl and other skin treatments treat the symptoms not the CAUSE! The dog will continue to be itchy (though less) until you treat the cause! I have heard this from several dog owners and the vets are over looking the obvious because a lot of them have not seen mange (though I do not understand why since it is quite common). Most of the mange is not the genetic type and very treatable if the vet will stop with the allergies to grass! That was what my son was told by two different vets until he went to the last one that recognized mange since he had seen it before as he had treated shelter dogs.
#40
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Cadillac, MI
Posts: 6,487
I thought mange with Moira. too, but a skin scraping was negative. My former rescue came itchy, but no hair loss like Moira. I told the doctor it was yeast - he said no, so I self treated her with Solaray Yeast Cleanse and Solaray multidoliphilus and the itchies ended and never returned.
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