Dogs are prone to allergies - just like humans...I would suggest two things - a vet check and less washing - you might be taking away natural oils and drying up the skin causing it to itch...
2007-05-21 03:29:28
·
answer #1
·
answered by dipane17 1
·
1⤊
0⤋
I agree with the answer above.I have had shih's for over 20 years and have been grooming all breeds for even longer and shih's do tend to be prone to allergies. I have a pup now that is constantly itching. She's too young for steroids but yours isn't. I don't recommend using them long term but sometimes a small round of them will break the "itching cycle" and from then on a mix of good food, less frequent baths with anti-itch shampoo and a touch of benadryl will keep his discomfort under control. It may also be helpful to keep the fur short as it helps the air get to their skin. Matting is the absolute worst for itchy dogs. It keeps air from the area and allows moisture to stay trapped which allows yeast to grow and makes things even worse. I would go visit the vet first as that's always a good first step to rule out more serious issues (there are a few that cause skin problems that should be addressed and ruled out first) and do a week's worth of steroid treatment followed by monthly baths in either a vet approved shampoo or even head and shoulders (stay away from his head..use baby shampoo for that!!) and if necessary you can give a 12-15lb dog a half a benadryl on bad days but I would ask the vet first just as a precaution.
One other small note. Make sure there are no fleas around. You may not see any on your dog but in a lot of cases it just takes one bite to cause a serious allergic reaction that can last days. It may be wise to treat your home and yard as well as use a preventative just in case. Advantage is great.
Sure hope this helps. Its so sad to see such happy dogs so miserable!
Have a great week!
2007-05-21 03:47:15
·
answer #2
·
answered by Jewels 2
·
1⤊
0⤋
Shih Tzu's are very prone to having food allergies. I would suggest taking him off corn, wheat, and chicken just in case. It will take a month or so to see a HUGE improvement, but he should get a little better once you switch him. If you do switch, make sure to mix the food for about a week before discontinuing the food he is used to now. I'd do 2-3 days of 25% new food 75% old food, then a few days of 50/50 then 75%new/25% old then finally 100% new food.
I would also recommend a vet check, just in case. And I would limit bathing to at the very most, once a week. As other's have suggested, you may just be drying out his skin with over bathing. Good luck!
2007-05-21 03:38:07
·
answer #3
·
answered by larey 3
·
0⤊
0⤋
We had a shih-tzu for 12 years, and she had skin allergies. She would constantly lick her legs and paws, to the point of discoloring them. We never did figure out what she was allergic to. I found that a Tea Tree oil shampoo for dogs was helpful, and we always kept her in the "puppy-cut". She had to take prednisone to help control the allergies. I don't recommend the steroids, tho, because there are so many side effects from them, especially taken long-term. Maybe try a high quality dog food. Don't do anything, tho, without the advice of your vet, because there are alternative things that you can do. Don't let it get on your nerves so bad that you take it out on your dog - he can't help what's going on with him. It is so hard to diagnose allergies in a dog, we tried for so many years. We lost our shih-tzu 2 weeks ago, and up until the day she died, I never stopped trying to do what was best for her. Try a tea tree oil shampoo and see if it helps, and talk to your vet about high quality dog foods. Good luck to you.
2007-05-21 04:09:58
·
answer #4
·
answered by porkchop 3
·
0⤊
0⤋
I would suggest a vet visit and maybe a change in food he could have a skin allergy due to the food . My baby (chihuahua) was so bad that we had to put him on holistic food . and now he does not scratch or lick himself at all . good luck .
2007-05-21 03:31:40
·
answer #5
·
answered by Kate T. 7
·
0⤊
0⤋
it is normal for a dog, cat or other to lick themself as they see it they can never be to clean. I agree you are only supposed to wash a dog 1 time a week or as needed, because it does take there natural oils away and that gives dogs dry, flaky, itchy skin
2007-05-21 03:30:29
·
answer #6
·
answered by nonexistant 3
·
0⤊
1⤋
His anal glands might could be expressed, that's an unpleasant, and stinky pastime, And if not finished appropriate, might reason extra problems for the dogs. in spite of the actuality that some groomers will do this, I strongly advise taking him to the vet to verify he would not have an infection. My dogs did not have anal gland matters till she grew to become 12.
2016-10-05 11:46:40
·
answer #7
·
answered by lieser 4
·
0⤊
0⤋
well it's certainly not his fault, so calm your nerves, its up to you to care for him. If it's that bad have him sleep elsewhere or try sleeping with a small fan in the room for white noise to block it out. also helpful in blocking their precious little snoring, lol! (also, make sure there is no corn, wheat or soy in his food, common allergens for dogs found in MANY dog foods.) and of course, seek a VET's advice.
2007-05-24 18:30:27
·
answer #8
·
answered by mustlovedogs 3
·
0⤊
0⤋
my shih tzu is almost 13 years old and she licks herself, me, other people, my bed... CONSTANTLY... we just laugh and say she has a licking disorder. i dont know if there is anything to prevent it. good luck
2007-05-23 18:19:58
·
answer #9
·
answered by maiperfetto 1
·
0⤊
0⤋
i have a shih tzu too. she also does the same thing . the vet said she has allergies to the carpet.
2007-05-21 07:39:40
·
answer #10
·
answered by ready to answer 2
·
0⤊
0⤋