My poor dogs are scratching all the time! They don’t have fleas…what could be doing this to them?
Sep.17, 2011 in
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There are no visible fleas on them. Before we got these puppies, we had an adult female who passed away recently (old age) anyway, she had the same thing, she was always scratching and biting at herself. Could this be something they are getting from the yard? I don’t want them to be miserably itchy all the time. I am taking them to the vet soon, before anyone suggests that. I just wonder if there is some home remedy, or maybe someone has experienced a similar thing, and can tell me what they think this might be.
they are going to the vet in a few weeks from now. i just want to get them through until then.
i forgot to mention also, these dogs are some sort of lab/foxhound mix.
September 21st, 2011 at 1:36 am
it could be some sort of skin allergy..I had a friend with dogs who had the same problem. It was caused by some kind of allergy and there is a special kind of shampoo that the vet can give you.
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September 25th, 2011 at 2:37 am
sounds like a skin condition or worms, the vet should know what to do, good luck
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September 29th, 2011 at 3:36 am
Dry skin – dogs get it too!
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October 3rd, 2011 at 11:36 am
My dog had dry skin. I put teaspoon of cooking oil in his food. It stopped after awhile.
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October 7th, 2011 at 9:36 am
You could get dog shampoo with oatmeal in in it. The oatmeal acts as a moisturizer if they have dry skin. Thats what fixed my dog.
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October 11th, 2011 at 9:37 am
If it’s not fleas, then it could be mange mites causing them to scratch, or skin allergies. If they are miserable, they need to be seen by a vet and have skin tests done to see exactly what this is. Please take your pets.
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October 15th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
It probably a skin allergy or “hot spots”. You can get OTC medication for hotspots.
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October 19th, 2011 at 10:37 pm
Could be Mange mites.. they Cause insatible itching for dogs.. This usually is followed by noticeable hair loss.. i would get some dip from the vet or a farm suppy store.. worth a try.
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October 23rd, 2011 at 11:36 am
When you give the puppies a bath, use conditioner on them. A moisturizing conditioner like the kind that you use. My dog did this and the vet told me to be sure and use conditioner, it worked. You could also try a leave in conditioner after the other conditioner. Good luck.
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October 26th, 2011 at 7:36 am
It could be allergy. I recently found out dogs can get and have anything a human can such as illnesses. My pit has bronchitis. Never knew dogs had that. He has to have a shot every month. But you can give a dog Benadryl for the itching. It could dry skin. Dogs can have that too. So don’t just get a flea shampoo. I would take them to the vet to see what else could be causing this to be on the safe side.
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October 28th, 2011 at 4:35 pm
My Rat Terrier has sensitive skin and must be on a lamb and rice diet. The one that has done the best for him is Pro Plan canned. Within two weeks, he stopped scratching and his coat was smooth and shiny.
Good luck with the dogs and definitely check with the vet about allergies.
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October 28th, 2011 at 4:35 pm
My Rat Terrier has sensitive skin and must be on a lamb and rice diet. The one that has done the best for him is Pro Plan canned. Within two weeks, he stopped scratching and his coat was smooth and shiny.
Good luck with the dogs and definitely check with the vet about allergies.
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October 30th, 2011 at 2:36 pm
Could be allergies to something that you are using. Usually skin irritations do not pass through the dogs as a contagious disease unless it is mange. Are they loosing their hair? There is shampoos for dogs that will help the itching you can get it at the pet supply store, you may try that before you go to the vet.
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October 30th, 2011 at 2:36 pm
Could be allergies to something that you are using. Usually skin irritations do not pass through the dogs as a contagious disease unless it is mange. Are they loosing their hair? There is shampoos for dogs that will help the itching you can get it at the pet supply store, you may try that before you go to the vet.
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October 30th, 2011 at 2:36 pm
Could be allergies to something that you are using. Usually skin irritations do not pass through the dogs as a contagious disease unless it is mange. Are they loosing their hair? There is shampoos for dogs that will help the itching you can get it at the pet supply store, you may try that before you go to the vet.
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November 1st, 2011 at 6:36 am
My sisters dog goes through the same thing, and i feel so bad for him. He has dry, itchy skin. we give him vitamin E pills, and it helps him after a while, There is also shampoo that will help with the itching skin. You could also try moisturising shampoo.
I hope this helps!
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November 2nd, 2011 at 3:36 pm
their skin could be dry…… my neighbors dog got this really bad rash on his skin. it wasnt visible on his skin until he scratched it , then it turned bumpy and red….. they took him to the vet and he gave the dog some pills or drops….. it went away, and hes never had it again so far…
Jess
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November 3rd, 2011 at 7:36 pm
I had a foster dog I was looking after that had this condition, and it turned out to be an allergy to the food I was giving him, is common in some breeds ( in this instance it was a Lab) the food was Beniful which my dogs eat all the time with no problems.
I got a special food from the vet for anti -allergy and it took care of the problem, sorry I can ‘t remember the name of it, but all Vets carry it.
Any Vet.
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November 4th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
I think their itchiness comes from a skin disease which their mom had too.I think curing it requires a serious treatment given by the vet.I’m sorry;I don’t know any house cures for it and I have given you the best piece of advice I could.
Any Vet.
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November 5th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
Try using some skin so soft. It sounds like skin allergies and you might check to make sure there are no opens sore where your dog as been chewing. Another thing you can give to dogs that helps with allergies that you dont have to get from a vet is Benadryl. Most medication that people take are the same things you get for your animals.If you notice any broken skin shave down the area and put on some antibiotic cream. It will help keep it clean and to heal.
I worked for vets for over 10 years
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November 6th, 2011 at 3:37 am
it can be an allergy or dry skin.n yes may be there is something that cause them allergy and thus itching.since they r very small pups dont experiment on them just take them to a vet.n inquiry about it more so that u can eradicate the problem if present in ur backyard for the future.
well my dog had the same thing 4 months ago i took her to the vet he gave her a supplement n a powder for fleas n also injected her with some medicine but it was caused due to tick bite n now she is perfect.
gud luck take care
I worked for vets for over 10 years
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November 6th, 2011 at 2:36 pm
It’s either a home condition (as you suggest) or they might have mange. If it’s the latter, it won’t go away, they’ll always have it, but you can do simple things to remedy their itching.
Give them baths with Oatmeal shampoo (you can find it at any pet store) or if your Vet recommends, you can give them Benadryl capsules (dose depends on weight of dog). I think they have to be Adult Dogs before you use Benadryl, but ask your Vet to make sure. Your Vet might try to sell you a steriod shot. They work wonders but be very careful with how strong a dose is given. Some Vets want to give doses that last a Month or more. These are OK in rare instances, but continuous steroid shots this powerful can have an adverse affect on your dog (See steroids on web). A smart vet will only give doses that last approx. a week.
Also, brush them consistently. It takes their minds off of the itch, scratches areas that might itch for them, and actually has many other benefits.
My Dog.
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November 7th, 2011 at 12:36 am
it probably is their diet. if you feed them any kinds of foods that humans are allergic to (like cheese, eggs, sausage, tuna, and tomatoes), they might get really dry skin as a result. also, try a soap-free-soap for shampoo on your dogs. my dogs get the same thing, and after we stop giving them human food (which we don’t do too often) and give them a bath with the soap-free-soap, then they seem to be better. sometimes you can’t see the fleas on your dog, that’s also what happens. your dog can pick up fleas while he/she is outside on a walk or in the backyard. you can’t really do too much about fleas. try advantage, it works better than the other kinds.
experience
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November 7th, 2011 at 7:37 am
My dog has severe food allergies. I took her to Ryan Animal Hospital at University of Pennsylvania. They recommended a diet without the conventional meats. Try to give your pups food with Lamb, Deer (Venison), Duck or Rabbit. These meats have not been compromised with hormones and preservatives. They are much more expensive than regular dog food. For snacks they recommend bananas, sweet potatoes and carrots. I cook the sweet potatoes in olive oil and make little fried sweet potatoes. My dog likes her carrots cooked. I just boil those.
Remember…Dogs can have Benedryl. They can have 1mg per pound. I find that if I give my dog more than 2 pills (50mg) she seems stoned. She weighs 85lbs. I like her to be more lively. If it is an allergy Benedryl will cause the symptoms to subside.
experience
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November 7th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
They could have chiggers, mites or my guess eczema, they may have dry skin from either the weather or from frequent baths, etc… Wash them with oatmeal shampoo. You can buy this in any pet store. Are you sure they don’t have fleas or ticks????
experience
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November 7th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
How old are these puppies and what breed are they?
Those being unkown factors – take this advice for what it is worth (and remember this is free lol).
We have had dogs that have had dry skin, and hot spots that they would lick until they were open sores.
Switching to Eagle Holistic Dog Food helped for the dry skin. For the hot spot – excessive licking problem Solid Gold Millenium. This has worked for several others I know as well.
Both of these are “high end” dog foods. You will find however that paying more for food really means you pay less. You don’t have to feed them as much, there are less fillers in them. This translates into their body using more of what is put in (and also means less clean up from the other end), and less vet bills because it is better for your dogs.
Many dogs have allergy problems and these show up in skin and condition of coat.
Your vet may suggest a food that sells from their office. Remember you can go out on line and see where different foods are sold. They are ususally cheaper from a pet store outlet or a dog training center than from the vet’s office.
If they suggest weekly shots or pills I would try to find a holitic vet in your area (again – the internet will be a good resourse). Belive it or not – they are not any more expensive than your regular vet. Many dogs have an excess of yeast in their system that can be taken care of with the proper care. Don’t worry about it being alot of extra work – usually it is not, and if there is a little more than usuall in their upkeep, it is normally temporary – but well worth it in the end.
Good Luck!
experience
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November 7th, 2011 at 10:38 pm
it could be allergies, ask your vet about it when you go. my dog is allergic to red dye no.5. so i have to watch what he eats. or he’s itchy all the time.
experience
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November 8th, 2011 at 12:36 am
Allergies or dry skin maybe. Try bathing in a moisture rich dog shampoo and a leave in conditioner/spray for dogs.
experience
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November 8th, 2011 at 2:36 am
take it to the vet to see if it might have maybe dry skin… i had a cocker that had to have special shampoo to help with her skin problems…
experience
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November 8th, 2011 at 3:37 am
If your old dog had skin issues and now your puppies have the same thing, possibly there is something in your yard that is causing them problems. It would be odd for them all to be allergic to the same type of weed or grass, but it would not be odd for them to all react unfavorably to fertilizer or weed killer.
Try giving them baths with a shampoo for sensitive skin, and make sure you rinse it off of them very thoroughly. Then keep them indoors for a couple of days and see if the problem resolves itself. If it does, then it’s something in your yard. If it doesn’t, then you need to look at what you are using on your carpets when they get dog-stinky. Maybe the shampoo is bothering the dogs.
experience
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November 8th, 2011 at 4:36 am
They could have allergies. My dogs have really bad allergies, so the vet gives them a steroid shot which lasts about 3 months. I also give them children’s allergy medicine, just a little though, and wash them with shampoo for dry skin.
experience
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November 8th, 2011 at 4:36 am
They could have allergies. My dogs have really bad allergies, so the vet gives them a steroid shot which lasts about 3 months. I also give them children’s allergy medicine, just a little though, and wash them with shampoo for dry skin.
experience
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November 8th, 2011 at 5:36 am
My question would be , what dog food do you feed them? Poor quality dog foods (the dog foods that contain corn, wheat and by products) will often trigger skin problems. If there are no parasites or medical problems causing this I would suggest a premium quality food. California Natural, Solid Gold, Innova, Merrick and Chicken Soup for the Soul are all excellent brands.
experience
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November 8th, 2011 at 6:37 am
talk to your vet…it could be an allergy to food or something in your yard (pesticides or plants). They could be getting bit by ants too.
If your vet says it’s just dry skin, try a dog shampoo with oatmeal in it. I use that plus I use my regular (human) conditioner on the dogs. It is Generic Brand and has tea tree oil in it. My dogs have the best coats.
experience
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November 8th, 2011 at 7:37 am
Sounds just like dry skin. This year has been horrible for all of our animals (dogs, cats, horses and goats). We have found that a shampoo with oatmeal in it has worked best for the dogs. It is a moisturizer to the skin.
experience
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November 8th, 2011 at 8:35 am
my older dog has the same thing its just dry skin from being out in the sun and not having a bath for awhile.the problems fixed now because we bath her more and shes not in the sun that often.hope this helps!!!!
experience
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November 8th, 2011 at 9:37 am
it may be dry skin my dog use to scrach from it
experience
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November 8th, 2011 at 10:40 am
i would say skin allgergy as well.. i work at an animal shelter and a dog came in that looked like it had mange and was really skinny.. we took it to the vet and they said he just has an alergic reaction. they gave him an alergy shot and said to give him a bath once a week.. we use this stuff called ‘selsun blue’? i dont remembe the name well, but his hair grew back and he didnt scratch himself.
experience
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November 8th, 2011 at 11:36 am
Yes, it can be dry skin – try using the Main and Tail for horses that some women with long hair use; there is shampoo and conditioner. It works great for my dogs, short and long hairs.
Mange is a possibility, but if the itching is constant and a real problem, I think allergy may be the ticket. It could be their shampoo, a plant in the yard, even the brand of dog food they eat. I had one dog allergic to Pedigree dog food, and had to change it. My best friend has a dog that is allergic to the grass in her lawn. He gets regular allergy shots.
So ask the vet. Mange can be dealt with easily, and changing other things isn’t usually a problem. But everybody here is right – ask the vet to check it out.
experience
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