Please help with my very itchy dog!?

Question

My dog has been tearing himself up this summer, scratching constantly. First thought was obviously fleas, but my home has hardwood floors and when I bathe or comb him, I rarely see any fleas (if I see any fleas it is just one flea). I really don't think he has a problem with fleas. Could it be fleas making him itch so much?

I changed his food this summer which after 2 bags, seems to be aggrivating the problem. I'm thinking he has an allergy, possibly to any flea bite, or maybe his food... What can I put on him tonight to soothe his skin? (I just bathed him today with medicated shampoo and he is *still* scratching away!) What can I do for my doggy so that he will stop tearing himself up?

I had him on Wellness (from the health food store) Senior Formula before, which he didn't digest well, so I switched him to Blue (Petsmart) Fish and Potatoes, which I think is iritating his skin.... any recommendations?

He is 35 pounds and short haired...

Answer 1

If he has flea allergy dermatitis one flea bite could start him scratching up a storm like you have described. It could also be a food allergy.

For instant relief you can give him benadryl. But I couldn't recommend a dose to you as I don't know how much he weighs.

You can also do a food trial. That means get a hypoallergenic food and feed him only that for atleast a month (it takes that long to make sure it is the food that he is itching from). That means that food only, nothing else except water. No treats, table food, etc.

Also, don't bathe him too often, excess bathing can dry out the skin and make him even itchier. Bathe, at the *most*, once a month and that's only if necessary.

If you can post his weight I can tell you how much benadryl you should give.

Answer 2

Since it is likely an allergy, giving him some children's benadryl will offer some relief. Looking online or calling a vet should help you with dosage. It sounds like that the cause is not fleas, as you rarely see any, so it is probably the food. I would first try switching to a higher quality food, if he isn't on one already. The top three aggravates in dog food are corn, wheat, and soy. After that, dogs can be sensitive to particular meats, in which changing formulas may help. Make sure you read labels though, just because it's a lamb and rice food doesn't mean there's no chicken in it. If none of that narrows it down, you may have to do an elimination diet. Although, going to a super high quality food will probably eliminate the need for any of this. I highly recommend Blue Buffalo.
http://www.bluebuff.com

Answer 3

It could be the fleas causing the problem, for every flea you find on your dog there is 100 in his environment. My dog goes nuts if he just gets one flea bite, so I keep him on Revolution all Spring and Summer to make sure the fleas stay away. He also gets seasonal allergies in the Spring and late summer so I give him Children's Benedryl and it really seems to help him. I make sure all my dogs eat a good food that is grain free and contains no added junk because my other dog is allergic to wheat, soy and preservatives; we only buy the foods that are all natural with the natural preservatives. My favourites I like to use for my dogs are Timberwolf and Innova EVO. Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance also makes a couple of foods for dogs with allergies that you may want to try to make sure it's not a food allergy that your dog has.

Answer 4

For dog allergies only 10% of the time it is food allergies, the remaining 90% is environmental like grass, trees, shrubs etc. I would wipe their paws & undersides everytime they went outside & brush to remove any allergens they might have picked up. For feet or any raw spot you dab/spray a mix of half water/half apple cider vinegar. ACV is a natural antibiotic, antifungal & will help heal & take away some of the itch. If your dogs would drink a teaspoon of it in their drinking water would be a big help also as it will get their natural body ph balance back in line. Often when the ph level is off, it helps starts infections that the body would normally be able to fight off. This is why yeast infections are such a common issue with most dogs with allergies.

Answer 5

Please take your dog to the vet to see if he/she can help you figure this out. If you found a flea, there are mostl likely more around someplace. He may be allergic to them.

It might not have anything to do with fleas or other bugs. Your dog could have an allergy or some kind of skin condition. Since the food aggrevated it, it could be a food allergy. In any case, he could wind up with skin infections from so much scratching. Not to mention how uncomfortable he must be!

Answer 6

Fish and Potato is one of the formulas my Vet uses on itchy dogs. You can give him a regular Benedryl. It will make him sleepy. But take him to the vet tomorrow.

Fleas can live in the cracks of hardwood floors, so don't rule out fleas!!!

Answer 7

You could give him Benadryl(just one pill in a piece of bread, or rolled up ham or cheese), I've done it to my Scottie and he's stopped scratching. Or u could try putting some cortisone on him, that helps a lot too! I've put it on my dog before. None of these hurt the dog, so don't worry!

Answer 8

best food , even has a guarantee!. nutro's lamb and rice. soooo gentile and promotes healthy skin and shiny coat. i tried it b/c my dane had red itchy skin and too much shedding. wow what a difference. you will see a change right away. stay away from chicken based dog food. "by products" means the head, neck, feet, feathers!beak, and skin. everything we wont eat and nothing we do! no wonder so many dogs are sick! trust nutro's lamb and rice. it works.

Answer 9

If nothing you do works, try calling up your vet. If you think it's becoming a much more serious problem, then take him to the vet.

I don't know, it could be the weather. Does he have long hair or short hair?

It is best to take him to the vet to check him out.

Answer 10

fleas could be the problems, because they can lays eggs and you never know, there could be fleas that are just on him that you cant comb out. take him to the vet and ask them about it. if you think its because of the food, you should try feeding him the brand Nutro. that brand is what i feed my dog. and there are different types of the Nutro brands. go to this website and read about it.
www.nutroproducts.com/
best of luck with you and your dog!