Does your dog have Allergies, Itching, Scratching, Chewing? What is causing it and what can be done?
Dog itching
May be caused by a number of factors, ranging from allergies to parasites. It is important to detect the cause of the itching to get proper treatment and to avoid excessive scratching that may lead to infections.
There is nothing more heart breaking than watching your pet in discomfort and if your vet is at a loss and you have to keep resorting to drugs, what else can you do? Allergy testing is possible but time consuming and expensive. There are six main categories veterinarians have to consider whenever a cat or dog skin problem -- or "skin case" -- is presented. Most skin and coat abnormalities can be defined by or placed in one of these categories:
Environmental
Nutritional
Parasitic
Allergic
Neurogenic
Infectious
ENVIRONMENTAL
Itching may be caused by environmental factors such as pollens, mold, sun or chemicals. Dogs may also be allergic to a number of house hold products. Even if the dog's skin is dry and irritated, it may be itchy. Some dogs have dryer skin than others or dryness may be caused by wind.
In this case, all you need to do is to get a shampoo with a gentler hydrating formula and reduce the frequency of baths. Some fatty acid, selenium and vitamin E supplements may also reduce the skin dryness.
NUTRITION
The dog's nutrition may cause itchiness. If the dog is allergic to some food ingredients, he may get skin rashes and these are typically itchy.
The offending ingredient should be completely eliminated, Some of the most common ingredients dogs are allergic to include beef, corn and wheat.
Poor nutrition may also cause unhealthy and dry skin. Fatty acid supplements are recommended and good nutritional advice.
PARASITIC
Numerous canine parasites cause itchiness. Fleas and ticks will make your dog scratch, even causing bald patches. Ear mites will cause itchiness in the ear area. Special shampoos, powders and ear drops should be used to eliminate parasites. You also need to make sure to get rid of the parasites that may be located in your home.
ALLERGIES
Allergies may make your dog’s skin dry, greasy, or slightly dry and oily, and are accompanied by frequent scratching, licking or chewing. Vets are seeing significantly more cases of allergic dogs than in the past; many veterinarians believe that there is an “allergy epidemic.” While the reasons for this allergy epidemic are uncertain, some of the theories put forth include the aggressive vaccination protocols that many dogs have been subjected to, poor breeding practices and the feeding of processed pet foods.
HORMONAL
Itchy skin can be caused by hormonal imbalance. If you rule out any other causes for the itching and scratching, your vet may perform some tests to establish if the dog has any thyroid problems.
INFECTIONS
Ringworm is a fungus that may lead to round shaped bald spots. The ringworm resides in the superficial layers of the skin and will cause itchiness. Yeast infection may be located in the ears, mouth, paws or rectum of the dog, and is particularly itchy. The infection is caused by a fungus. There are several treatment options to heal these infections. Your vet may prescribe a steroid cream to ease the itchiness.
SUMMARY
Ignoring the itching and scratching of your dog is painful and unpleasant for him, and may lead to bald patches. The scratches may cause wounds and these can get infected. Visit your vet as soon as you notice any scratching and make sure you observe other possible symptoms.
