Help me, my dog is itching so horribly!!?

Question

My dog Benji is a border collie. when he was a pup the vet thought he might have a mite so we dipped him. the dip helped and then the doctor said that since it worked so quickly it may have just been dry skin, and the dip soothed it. well he has been itching lately (he is now about 3 years old) horribly. we tried bathing him with a special shampoo, and we have been giving him allergy medicine. but nothing is helping.. his skin is flakey and really red and blotchy. he scratches it so often, and cries when he scratches it... i think its starting to hurt him... and i cant figure it out. the vet is blowing it off. *but the vet for the small town i live in is not a very nice man and just ignores the animals problems basically* it really worries me, and I want to help my little baby. also we have another dog (a pit bull) and she doesnt have this problem at all. please help

oh sorry i didnt include this
he is not losing his fur where he itches

Answer 1

He needs to be seen by a different vet. He may have Mange or someother parasite or fungus that may be making him itch. The only way to cure his problem is to take him to the vet and have a skin scrapping done. Good Luck

Answer 2

This really sounds like an allergy. The problem is allergies can be hard to pin point. It could be something in the environment like grass or pollen, or he could have a food allergy. Even though he's on allergy medicine it might not be strong enough alone. He could require a mild steroid along with the antihistamine to help relieve his inflamed skin. If there is another vet you can go to(since you don't seem happy with this one) I would have him looked at again.

Here are a few things that you can try that might help. Fish oil capsules(found over the counter) are great for skin problems. The same dose as people one capsule per day. Try putting him on a Venusian food and ONLY feed him that. no bisquits or treats or people food. If you do this for a month it will help determine if it's a food allergy. Use wipes or a mild baby shampoo to wash him daily to remove any allergens that could be irritating him. Still I think you should visit a vet because the poor guy sounds pretty miserable.

P.S. I also agree that a skin scraping should be done.

Answer 3

Could be the food. Get him on a quality food without corn or wheat in it (these cause allergies) - nothing from the grocery store, I'd suggest Canidae or Wellness; something with omega-3 and -6 fatty acids.
Do not bathe too frequently as this could aggravate the problem.
Is there a groomer in town who could help you evaluate skin & coat problems?
Could it be a hot spot? Or several?
Ringworm?
Allergies to food or grass or flea bites?
Just flea bites?
Every dog is going to be different as far as nutritional needs and whether or not they have allergies, so the pit really has nothing to do with the price of tea in China.
Mites are diagnosed by a skin scraping; did your vet do one?
My first step would be to check for vets in the next town over; it's possible the mites were not totally eradicated? One dip would definitely NOT be sufficient.

Answer 4

Try an oatmeal bath. In a blender or food processor, blend a whole cup of old fashioned oats and a cup of distilled water or spring water. Rub all over the dog close to the skin and leave on for a few minutes. Rinse with warm water until completely removed and then use a towel to remove excess water but don't rub as this will irritate skin further. Let dog air dry next.

Answer 5

The dog could have a couple of issues...
If you said they thought he might have mites he could have a recurring Dimidex condition. My dog is on cattle medicine for this condition. Ask the so called vet about that...Basically we all have mites on our skin, however some are just allergic to them (take my dog for example: I found her wild with this skin condition and she lost her hair and had scabs all over...she was not a pup when I found her...proably the same age as yours...just get him on some perscribed meds.)
Another thing could be hot spots which also has to be treated medically. Try talking to your vet...if he is of no help try going to a larger city and there should be plenty of vets to choose from. Hope this helps...and I hope Benji feels better soon!

Answer 6

My Burnese mountain dog went through the same sort of thing. And they are both very similar breeds.
We thought it was an allergic reaction to the chemicals in the Dip , but it turned out to be ingrown hairs. Which turns out to be very common with dogs that have two layers of fur (like your dog) just ask your vet to take a look at his fur.

if it is an ingrown hair or something, the area is just shaved and you get some topical creams for it. nothing too much
I hope your dog is ok soon :D

Answer 7

Benji may have whats called a hot spot. My dog gets them all the time there' this stuff at walmart we use for my dog its called Sulfodene Its used for scratching hair loss and redness I think its about $8 it should help and use it on him twice a day. Hope this helps

Answer 8

First minimize soap residue after a dog's shampoo by adding vinegar to rinse water, rinse again with plain water.

After a therapeutic shampoo to treat a skin infection, rinse dog with a solution of 1 part apple cider vinegar to 3 parts water.

Answer 9

Feed that poor baby some eggs scrambled in butter. [ he needs some moisture in his skin ]
Then quit feeding him ANY table food, and only give him 'allergy 'dog food [ chicken and rice, lamb and rice ].
Then bathe him in shampoo for dogs with skin problems, and apply anti- itch spray. All these are available at Petco and
sometimes Petsmart.
Wash all his bedding [ and his buddies' ], comb, brush,and disinfect his collar before you put it back on.

Answer 10

Could be mites, but it also could be a staph infection. Dogs have staph normally on their skin, but sometimes their immune system is such that it overgrows. My sister's dog has this. I don't know how this is tested, but perhaps you should consider a different vet than the one you have already. You'll have to drive further, but you'll get different care.