my dogs scratches herself too much.. she doesn;t have fleas or ticks or anything.. she is a shihtzu 1 yr old..

Question

Does anyone know what to be the problem??

Answer 1

Food allergies are a common cause of constant itching. A lot of dogs are allergic to soy and chicken. Most dog foods have both. Dogs can also be allergic to things like grass and tree pollen, same as people. You should probably check with your vet and see what they recommend.

Answer 2

She's probably got allergies- many dogs do. Take her to the vet, and he or she will try to figure out exactly what your dog is allergic to. Some dogs have food allergies, which can be taken care of by switching to a dog food that has a different type of meat than they're used to, such as venison. Other dogs have allergies from the plastic their food or water bowls are made out of. Normally, though, those allergies manifest themselves in red rashy spots on the face and neck. She could be allergic to the shampoo you use on her, or just the grass and foliage outside. Your vet will get you on a plan to help manage her allergies.

Answer 3

What are you feeding her? Some dogs are sensitive to the ingredients found in commercially available dog foods and can scratch themselves so much they get what are known as "hot spots." Feeding her a quality dog food will help.

Read the ingredients label. The first ingredients listed should be a meat...lamb, chicken, pork, fish, etc. The ingredients dogs have allergies to include corn and wheat. Unfortunately, these are often used as fillers in commercial dog foods. In fact, many of the foods you would think of as quality foods are not quality for your pup. My veterinarian recommended Science Diet, but I have noticed much fewer issues with my own pup once I switched her to a half and half combo of Back to Basics and Canidae, including firmer stools, less waste, shinier coat, brighter eyes. Sophie is doing very well and loves her new food.

Quality food costs more, but you're saving money in vet bills, medicine, and you have less to clean up. Also, because your pup doesn't need a lot of food to make up the nutrition lost to the filler ingredients, you won't need to put as much food in her bowl.

If none of the ideas listed help your pup's skin, try switching her food.

Answer 4

I had a dog once with the same problem !! She used to scratched herself too much and just like yours, she didnt have any fleas or ticks....
I took her to the vet and he changed her food cause she was allergic to the one she was eating...... also he checked her ears and she had ear mites which causes to scratched herself a LOT especially in the back of the ears area !! Well besides changing her food, he also gave her a flea and ear mite treatment (liquid) that comes in a little plastic container and you have to rub it in the back of her neck.
Well, finally she was cured !!! Hope it works for you !!

Answer 5

I'm dealing with this with my cat right now. He licks and scratches like crazy and I've posted this same question. I don't know what to tell you to do because my vet just blows it off, says it's fleas, but I know it's not. There is a condition, much like the OCD that humans can have, that is animal OCD. That is what it is but vets don't jump to help you. I would monitor her/his behavior, enter your findings online on "Pethelp.com" and go from there. Someone had suggested Prozac for 8-12 weeks but I can't get my hands on it. It's so sad cuz they lose fur, weight and sleep over it. It stems from a trauma tho in their early years. Was she adopted by you? Do you have small kids?

Answer 6

dry skin, which could be a very dry environment or something is lacking in her diet.

also she may have a nervous disorder. Some vets call this a syndrome where they will continuously lick their paws, groin, gnaw on their paws or tail. Usually they need some sort of antidepressant, yes dogs get depressed.

ask the vet what she can give you to help with this. She may need to take a couple of tests first to diagnose the problem.

Answer 7

Does she maybe have dry skin from being bathed too much? If so, you can give her about 1 teaspoon of olive or vegetable oil on her food daily. (And don't bath more than once a month at most.) If that's not it, then a trip to the vet to have her checked would be a good idea.

Answer 8

it could be dry skin from too many baths.
Or
my dog has allergies, and she has to take doggie antihistimines for them. It is usually only in the springl when certain types of pollen is outside.
Could also be some type of food allergy or sensitive skin allergy. I would see the vet.

Answer 9

Maybe dry skin....get some dog shampoo that is made just for dry skin. My vet gave me some for my cat who itches all the time and doesn't have fleas.

Answer 10

This was the reason I changed to a raw diet. My dog was scratching herself so much, she became raw in places. I was advised to "go raw" and my dog immediately stopped scratching, and never looked back. Feeding unnatural kibbles, which are full of rubbish.....putting on Frontline or other chemicals, and vaccinating too much is killing our dogs. Change the food to raw...........you'll never regret it.