My Bichon's constant itching.?

Question

Skeeter is 7, and just itches a lot. No dry skin or sore patches. I have him groomed about 4 times a year. The vet says to keep him on Science Diet- lamb and rice. Have done this for over 3 years and can't see any change. Other than the itching, which seems to bother me more than Skeeter, he is a happy healthy little fellow. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thank-you.

Sorry for got to add that he doesn't have fleas.

Answer 1

DONT SPEND ANY MORE MONEY AT A VET!!! I am a dog groomer and see alot of Bichons. I would say about 75-90% of Bichons have some sort of skin condition in their lifetime and sometimes suffer all of their life without any releif. Everything from hot spots to unexplained itching is very common. A high quality food such as Natural Balance would be excellent due to the fact the use different proteins that alot of dogs are not "immune" too. They make quite a few flavors like Venison and Brown Rice and Duck and Sweet Potato. (your vet wants you to buy Science diet because they get kickbacks from the company, its not that wonderful of a food, just check the ingredients list.} Good health always starts from the inside out. Another product that I actually have sold in my shop is "Dr Maggies". Its a guaranteed product or your money back. Its 100% natural with Omega 3,6 and 9 fatty acids, vitamins a,d & e, lethicin. I have not received one bottle back. Some of my clients phone me with news they have seen a difference in as little as 2 weeks. The company says results should show within 4-8 weeks. You use 1tsp per 20 pds of body weight, double that for the first 2 weeks and then cut back to normal dose. Works for scratching, allergies, hot spots, dandruff etc... Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Have you tried taking Skeeter to the vet for a skin scraping? He may have a skin infection (bacteria or parasites) which the vet can diagnose-and sometimes there are no visible sores. The other thing that has helped my 2 is getting them onto a food without any meat byproducts or grains *grains are often a cause of allergy, including itchiness* I'm pretty sure Science Diet has both meat byproducts and grains. Also, try a very gentle oatmeal/aloe shampoo to soothe the itching. If it is really bad, you can give benadryl according to your dog's size(ask vet), but that is obviously not a long-term solution. Wild salmon oil is GREAT for the coat, itchy or not too. Good luck to you and Skeeter!!

Answer 3

Does your dog also chew or lick his paws? If so, he probably has allergies. But before you rush to have your dog allergy tested, have his thyroid level checked. Hypothyroidism can also cause itching. We just found out our dog, who chews his paws and scratches often, has hypothyroidism. Also, I do NOT recommend the lamb and rice diet. My vet explained to me that dogs have now developed an allergy to rice. Instead, ask your vet about the Z/D Ultra food. It is prepared using hydrolization which breaks down the protein into tiny particles that cannot cause an allergic reaction in your pet. And you can try adding an oil supplement to your dog's food such as Lipiderm. Omega oils promote healthy coats and skin and can help relieve itching. Additionally, look for a medicated shampoo or oatmeal-based shampoo specifically designed to relieve itching. If everything fails, consider allergy testing. Good luck.

Answer 4

All of my dogs (i have 3) are on royal kaynine food. I have one yorkie and that's the ONLY food that he can eat with out stinking-i mean STINKING you couldnt even sit in the same room as him he stank so bad then my g-ma told me about that dogg food that she uses for hers and the dogs love that...I'm not sure what kind of dog u have but I wound STRONGLY reccomend that brand bacause EVERY dog is different, no matter what. Yeaa its a little pricey but try it for a little bit and I adm ALMOST sure that that'll work! =)

Answer 5

He could possibly be allergic to something. I would suggest at least using some sort of allergy prevention med.

Answer 6

My aunt has one of these dogs she bathes it regularly and has powders and shampoos for it
read here http://www.bichon-frise-guide.com/Bichon_Frise_Allergies.html

Answer 7

do you have him on flea medication????