I've been up all night watching my dog scratch and tremble - what's wrong?

Question

I gave him a bath last night and when he was scratching I worried I did not wash out all of the soap; but since (and in the middle of the night!) I've given him 2 more and nothing has changed. I figure he's trembling because he's unhappy, but the scratching is baffling me. He was scratching a little before the bath, but I can't honestly recall how much; but it wasn't as intense as it is now. He's really restless and keeps snuggling against my legs. His ears and nose are cold. Am I killing my dog?? :(

Answer 1

If he's acting really strange taking him to a vet immediately is the best choice.

Answer 2

I don't know what experience you have of looking after a dog but I think you can sleep easily, I really doubt you are killing him!!!!

With my small dog there were three things that brought about the symptoms you have described - fleas, ticks and insect bites. She scratched most with fleas, trembled most when she had picked-up ticks, and a bee sting once knocked her clean over, she laid trembling and I thought she had had a heart attack until I found a sting mark on her belly! Carefully examine your dog's skin all-over, particularly around his head and ears. You should be doing this frequently in any case.

Fleas can be picked off (if you are quick enough!) then a few drops of an anti-flea oil from a pet shop should solve that problem for a while. If it is a tick, and you don't know how to remove it, I recommend you take him to a vet to have it removed - and to learn how to do it yourself. With ticks or a bad infestation of flees, my vet would give my dog a vitamin shot to help her over the effects. With insect bites, I used a normal pharmacy product on her, particularly one of those anti-itch after bite sprays, they all seemed to help!

Another suggestion, though this would not be the cause of trembling - don't bath your dog so often! If you use soap, it can dry his skin and he will scratch after that. I bathed mine once a week and between baths I just rinsed off any mud she had picked-up and to clean her behind after a toilet stop.

Some scratching is natural but excessive scratching isn't. If that's what your dog is doing, you will need to find out why! His skin may be sensitive to the soap you are using - try using a baby shampoo or a mild shampoo from a pet shop. I mixed one part mild shampoo to four parts water before using it and that worked for my dog. I tried a medicated shampoo and she scratched for a week afterwards!
Hope this helps. I'm not a vet but kept my small dog healthy to 14 years old - when she was hit by a car :-( :-( :-(

Answer 3

Try giving him some benedryl...It sounds like he may have been allergic to the soap.Also make sure that you have rinsed him really good.And use a blow dryer to dry him he is probably shaking because he is cold.If the benedryl does not stop the itching then I suggest that you take him to the vet..Best Wishes..

Answer 4

THERE is something seriously wrong with your dog!! Time is ticking, take it to the vet, ASAP!!!!