my dog is constantly scratching, he doesnt have fleas and is clean could it be change of weather? what to do?

Question

I give him a bath every three weeks. he is a 16 month old dog with short hair, pit bull breed. he has been scratching himself a lot lately. it is getting colder now, could it be because of the weather change? what should i do? is there a cream or something else i can use to moisten his skin? I'm worried that he will start breaking skin and cause a possible infection later.

Answer 1

When scratching gets worse in the winter it's usually due to these two reasons:

- inside air temperature is dryer due to artifical heating of the home.

- less exchange of fresh air because house and windows are closed, which increases allergens and bacteria.

My dog has the same problem and when we use creams he just licks them off. It helps to use a humidifier and an air purifier in the home. Switch his food to something with increased oil such as Eagle Pack's Anchovy, Sardine & Salmon http://www.eaglepack.com/Pages/HS_Fish.html

I also use an oatmeal based soap, but be careful NOT to bath your dog too often as that will dry your dog's skin and make matters worse. Every three weeks seems a little too much for a dog.

And whenever I notice his scratching increases, I spray the itchy areas with anti-itch spray (mostly his belly and the insides of his legs and underarms).

I've tried several sprays and found they are not created equal.
What works best for my dog is "Bio-Groom" Lido-Med Veterinary Strength Anti-Itch Spray.

Sometimes a problem is dietary. Here are some other wholesome foods to consider:
http://www.globalpetfoods.ca/products/holistic.html
PET PROMISED also comes highly recommended: http://www.petpromiseinc.com/

Good luck to you and your pooch.

Answer 2

If fleas are not the answer, it's important to find out what is. I think that a bath every three weeks is excessive for your dog. Bathing can dry out the dog's skin. When you bathe, try a good oatmeal based shampoo. It helps with itching, and probably once a month or every 6 weeks is better for the bath. It's also possible that your dog is allergic to something in his food. I had an itchy dog, and my vet recommended a prescription food that was non-allergenic, and it helped. Does your dog stay outside or in? If he is outside a lot, the cold weather could be a factor, but I would check with your vet about his skin. Sometimes they get mites and other itchy things that aren't fleas. It never hurts to have the vet take a peek.

Answer 3

Could be a lot of things. You should definitely see either a vet or a very reliable breeder of the same type of dog. Diet is very important....you can't change your pets' diet very often...it can cause all sorts of problems from allergies to lack of energy and refusal to eat, etc. I would suggest making sure you read the ingredients on the food you buy. The more expensive ones (science diet, ukenuba) will list higher quality ingredients first, meaning that there is more of it in the formula. Also, every once in a while, mix an egg or two in your dogs food...and occassionally some raw fish, if they'll eat it. Both are good for coat and skin....just don't over-do it!

Answer 4

Pit bulls are known to have allergies, that migth be qhat is wrong. The weather change may all so be whats wrong. Dry skin often follows the change to cold weather. Twice a week take a 1/4 cup of olive oil, you can use peanut or canilo oil but they are not as good, beat in 2 raww eggs. You may have to mix this with about 1/2 cup of food, my pit just licks it up. This will help with dry skin and even with shedding. Never put any cream made for humans on your dog. I use loive oil when my dog gets real scratchy. The egg thing dose it most of the time.

Answer 5

Some breeds ( like my Scotty) have skin problems - too thick, or too dry. Also, some are allergic to something, just like humans. Fleas are not the only things. A veterinarian would have itch-relieving shampoos, or even Cortisone sprays for trouble spots. If your dog is getting hotspots ( loss of hair where he is scratching), get him to a vet! Sometimes using Silvadene after a bath on any problem areas will help.

Answer 6

It could be diet. Find a food with Venison. I know Nature's Recipe has a food good for dogs with allergies, their Venison and Rice food. That is what my Pit eats now.
She also eats Beef Log by Pet Botanics. She is sensitive to Lamb and to Chicken. Dick Van Patten has an excellent dog food line with Venison and potato. It is a superior food to what I feed mine but isn't as easy to find where I live.
Try bathing him only once a month with a good moisturizing shampoo. In between you can buy these ph balanced (for dogs skin) "Doggie Wipes" or "Puppy Wipes" and just rub him down with a few of these. Over bathing can dry out skin and cause itching.
Check with your Vet about some 3V Skin Caps which have Omega 3, Vit A, D and E in them for dogs, it's a good supplement for skin and coat.

Answer 7

If you bath him too much he might have dry itchy skin. Try less frequent bathing or a different shampoo. Plus dogs are like humans, I don't have fleas and am clean but I love back scratches.

Answer 8

Dogs are just like humans. They sometimes experience dry skin. You might need to use a conditioner and during the winter don't wash your dog so many times in the winter. ( unless it is necessary ) You can get conditioners at any pet store. I prefer the one with oatmeal in it because it helps keep dogs smell good longer. it comes in shampoo and conditioner.

Answer 9

It could be allergic itching...or mange mites that are microscopic. You should have a vet look at him... possibly take a skin scraping to rule out the mange...and then try some kind of allergy relief such at antihistimines or steroids.

Answer 10

Dry skin, most probably eczema. Get some cortisone cream. Twice a day. You can also apply normal aquas cream.