My dog Rosie must have an allergy or something!
I cannot get her to stop bitting and scratching herself. bite scratch bite scratch bought ready to pull my own hair out. Anyway I have tried all the shampoos all the conditioners, have seen the vet. anone out there have a home remedy. She is part shepard part border collie and we live in the desert. She swims at the river every weekend. I thought maybe dry skin, but she has no flaking
Thanks
halo
2006-11-07 05:43:48 · 10 answers · asked by toltecangel 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
This is a symptom of canine Atopy.. This is a good site to help you understand and deal with this condition..
http://www.petalia.com.au/Templates/StoryTemplate_Process.cfm?specie=Dogs&story_no=1580
At this season, it is likely to be pollen related or mold/mildew..But household cleaners often aggravate the condition..chemicals such as Swiffer Wet jet, Carpet cleaners, air fresheners, etc..
It may be of help to feed a food that doesn't contain corn or wheat.
2006-11-07 05:52:21 · answer #1 · answered by Chetco 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have a border collie mix too that was scratching herself to death. She swims almost everyday in the summer too! The first vet i went to insisted it was fleas which I knew it wasn't (she'd been on frontline forever and I'd never seen one on her and she's white) so I got mad and tried another vet. He said it was probably one of three things, allergies, mites or fleas. So we've been treating for mites (as well as an infection casued by all the scratching) and she's doing much better! He initially gave her an injection, but decided to use Revolution because of the border collie in her. I would contact a new vet (if you're old one was no help) and ask about mites and using Revolution to help. It takes about 6 weeks to do the treatment, but we're at week 3 and already its 100 times better! Good luck!
2006-11-07 07:50:27 · answer #2 · answered by Brianne M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have you considered the possibility of a food allergy? A lot of dogs (and even cats) have food allergies which cause skin-related symptoms. Corn is the #1 cause, but some animals can be allergic to anything really, just like us. Some are allergic to chicken, some to beef, some to rice, etc.
I would try switching her to a premium food (Canidae, Wellness, Organix, etc). These foods will not have any by-products (the god-knows-what of the meat industry) or chemicals. Check the ingredient list. You want the first few ingredients to be meat sources (and to say what KIND, ie. chicken, beef, etc). Avoid corn, since it's the most likely cause of allergies (it's also almost entirely undigestible, so basically an empty filler causing them to eat more).
The problem with allergy treatment is that it takes weeks to see improvement. Try a new food and stick to it for a minimum of 6 weeks. If you haven't seen any improvement, maybe try some of the foods intended for allergies (these have very few ingredients, to help isolate the problem).
You really can't get a great quality food at most pet stores. I have a specialty store in my area that ONLY carries excellent foods, but your chain stores carry crap. If you dont' have any good "health food" type pet stores in your area, try online. I can try to help you find a source if you like. Email me. :)
2006-11-07 05:58:36 · answer #3 · answered by kittikatti69 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Splash approximately 2 Tablespoons of either vegetable oil or canola oil in your dog's food.
The additional fat will give your dog's coat a soft, shiny look and will help alleviate dry skin and itching.
You can try an over-the-counter product you can get at most pet stores called, "Lipiderm," which works pretty much the same, but costs a bit more.
2006-11-07 07:46:00 · answer #4 · answered by Meatloaf 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My pug is the same way. He is on allergy medication. Try giving her a little Children's Benadryl. That will calm the inflamed skin down. She also may have hot spots. There is a product called Corona that is yellow that is sold at a tack store. This is supposed to work wonders but I have not tried it yet.
2006-11-07 05:49:21 · answer #5 · answered by janeannpat 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
After the swim in the river I would give her a bath with oatmeal shampoo. That should help the itch as well. Also give her Benedrly. I have to give it to my dog twice a day or she itches all the time. She is allergic to grass of all things.
2006-11-07 05:58:48 · answer #6 · answered by bratty brat 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
my pup (lab mix) is like that..he gets crazy itchy. He takes a Benadryl when things get really bad (two capsules and he is 70 lbs)...but daily he gets vit E tablets to help his coat. It can be dry skin without flaking.
Good luck!
2006-11-07 06:29:28 · answer #7 · answered by rattgrrrl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If it's not allergies, its probably demodectic mange. Your vet can scrape for it and in about 3 mange dips, she'll be cured.
2006-11-07 05:53:24 · answer #8 · answered by Christy K 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A mild sulfer powder works good. Dust with it every now & then
2006-11-07 05:46:49 · answer #9 · answered by Paul M 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Try childrens benadryl.
2006-11-07 05:54:36 · answer #10 · answered by Jenna 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋