Anyone else have an itchy doggie? How did you help him? His back, sides, tummy and tail are itching like crazy

Question

If you even touch those areas on him his leg starts thumping and once you start scratching him he can't stop- so we feel bad even petting him, because it seems to get him going on the itchies. He has chewed a small spot on his tail raw. I want to figure this out before it gets any worse.

Here are the details, please read before answering. Thanks!

-We got him at the Humane Society about a month and a half ago. He did not seem to seem to have this issue when we got him. At least not that we noticed.
-He is an almost 2 yr old German Sheperd mix.
-He does not have fleas, we checked him thouroghly, we use Advantage and our other dog is not scratching or chewing at all.
-We tried changing his food about 3 weeks ago, he is currently eating Science Diet Adult.
-I also tried using different kinds of shampoo and I always rinse him extra well after baths.
-His skin has not changed pigment and his hair is not falling out.
Any thoughts or suggestions?

Kipper the dog thanks you!

It is almost pointless to ask a question on here.
I'm looking for people who have dealt with something similar.

Please read the details before answering!!

YAY! This is some great info. I am going to try all this stuff. Wonderful!

Answer 1

Sounds like it might be a food allergy.

I had a rescue dog (RIP, lil buddy) who had horrible skin allergies. chewed out his fur, etc.
It was his food.
A lot of dog kibble (even the good stuff) contains stuff like corn and wheat and chicken - my guy's skin got better when I switched him over to "Nutro" Lamb and Rice.. (ask the pet food store people about hypo -allergenic options, this is a common problem, lamb and rice is a good one). I feed my current rescue dog "Wellness" in the green bag.

A couple of other things you can try are brewer's yeast / thiamine nutritional supplements (safe and natural) and if the problem really presists you vet can rescribe topical cortisol steroids (not so safe - these should be a last resort as he is a new dog, if you give him this for a prolonged period of time there can be side effects).

One last thing, to stop him chewing is "bitter apple" (buy at pet store) you spray it on his fur and it tastes awful. DON'T spray it on broken skin though as it stings!

good luck - I hope he's feeling better soon.

Answer 2

My dog Brittany was really itchy also. We tried a shampoo with oatmeal in it. It's something you leave on the skin for about 5 minutes before rinsing.
When that wouldn't work, there are these oil pills that will condition the skin and hair to make it so that it is developing more natural oils. You can ask for those from the vet. Otherwise use hydrocortisone spray. Spray it on the "hot" spots and hopefully that will help. I know my dog went crazy with itching and those things helped a lot, especially the oil pills

Oh yea, I also had her allergy tested. Dog food contains a lot of wheat, some dogs are horribly allergic to it and will itch like crazy. Or possibly dust. And these can develop over time, so he may not have had them before

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Anyone else have an itchy doggie? How did you help him? His back, sides, tummy and tail are itching like crazy
If you even touch those areas on him his leg starts thumping and once you start scratching him he can't stop- so we feel bad even petting him, because it seems to get him going on the itchies. He has chewed a small spot on his tail raw. I want to figure this out before it gets any...

Answer 4

My dog has a simular condition.
Some dogs can develop allergies to all kinds of things such as grass, ragweed, dust and some household cleaners and airfreshners. To help your dog go and get some Nizorol Shampoo from the pharmacy. Mix 1 part Nizorol with 3 parts water. Soak your dog for 5 to 10 mins. Rinse well. Repeat 3 times a week for one week. Reduce to once a week after that. You need to find what is causing the reaction. Try changing cleaning products. If you are washing your dogs bedding in a certain soap, change it and don't use fabric softners. Take your dog out in a different area of the yard or park to avoid ragweed and other plants that can cause irritation. Sometimes swimming in lakes and rivers can cause irritation. Try to avoid taking your dog swimming. Sometimes dye's and chemicals found in chew toys and treats can cause reactions. Check these over carefully and try to give your dog homemade treats or all natural treats.
I hope this can help you.
If you need more help feel free to contact me at : [e-mail]

Answer 5

Hi,
My dog had really itchy skin also and I tried a variety of things including a shampoo with oatmeal and aloe vera. It was helpful but the thing I found that helped the most were 3V Caps HP that I got from the vet. It helped moisturize the skin from the inside out. It did make her smell a bit fishy because it's made with fish oil but it worked.
Her issue was medication she was on and forced to take. This was a good solution while she had to take it.
It may also be some type of allergies. I have a friend whose dog has to get allergy shots.
What has the vet said?
Good luck!

Answer 6

Yes, about 3 weeks ago I started itching like crazy out of nowhere! I don't remember it coming on so suddenly with my 1st pregnancy. I mostly itch at the very top and the bottom of my bump. I have a few creams I'm trying, and I've found that my cheap pump pack of Vitamin E cream seems to soothe it better than the Palmer's Cocoa Butter! But that's just me. Also, I've found it helps to carry around a small moisturiser in my handbag, because the "crazy itchiness" can strike at any time, anywhere! (I put it on in the toilets for privacy). Sometimes I have to apply it 4 times a day, it's the only thing that offer's any relief, but most of the time it's instant relief.

Answer 7

It could be a couple of things, the most likely is a food allergy, I know you said you changed the food but did you change the kind of meat in the food? Also of dogs are allergic to lamb, beef, venison or chicken. If you change the food you should make sure the meat product has changed. Also you should be using all natural food not science diet. 70 % of dogs die from cancer, do you know why... their food. If after two weeks your dogs skin does not change you should take him into your vet for a skin scraping. I am a doctor and I hope this helps.

Answer 8

When I adopted my dog, he too was clear of any skin irritations. After a few month, he started scratching and chewing his fur/skin until it was raw and bleeding. We became worried when he continued to scratch and chew through the scabs.

After changing his diet, speaking with the vet, changing his bedding, the only thing that seemed to work was a simple over-the-counter product called LipidDerm. Sold in many pet stores, it's a simple oil-like substance added to his food. The fatty-acids in LipidDerm help the coats and skin. After a few weeks on this, we bought a case and have seen VAST improvement.

It's about $14-$15 and you can read more about it at 1800Petmeds:

http://www.1800petmeds.com/pdetail.asp?SK=2467&SP=dog

I hope that helps!

Answer 9

All the itching points to allergies. It could be the Advantage, give him a bath to wash it off and see if that helps. Since he just came from the shelter, it could be the vaccines that he was given. You can give Benadryl. Here's a site with the dosage by weight. http://animalsunlimited.net/meds.htm

As for the vaccines, read Wisconsin University weblinks

Answer 10

You need to take Kipper to a vet. He may have mange or another skin parasite. He may also be chewing himself due to stress... or he may be allergic to something in your home. Please take him for a checkup before it gets worse, it sounds like the poor guy is very miserable right now.