Itchy dog- PLEASE HELP!

[jmc325]

Hi,

I'm more of a lurker, but I need some help! My dog has been severly itchy for the past several weeks. He first started scratching a few months ago, and I would spray him with some anti-itch spray I got at Petsmart which helped. Lately though it's gotten really bad. I took him to the vet on Friday and told to give him Benadryl (something I've already been doing)- I feel bad for him though, the medication helps within the first few hours of taking it, but I need advice on what I can do for more long term relief.

He's been eating higher quality dog food for about a month now, I give him baths with anti-itch shampoo, still using the spray as needed (even changed up the brand from the one I was previously using), I even got his organic oil stuff to put in his food that's supposed to keep his skin moisturized (he doesn't seem to have dry skin though). Also, he doesn'thave fleas, so I don't think that's the issue. I found some anti-itch dog lotion online that I'm considering ordering. He's itchy all over, but it tends to be more so under his stomach.

I feel defeated as I'm not sure what else I can try.... anyone have any advice?

[charlatti]

Could it be an ingredient in the new food that isn't working for him? You could ask about a higher dose of Benadryl or switching to chlorpheniramine, which is a different antihistamine that might work for him. (It's available in generic at most human pharmacies for cheap, but you might have to ask, and you'd want to check with the vet on dosage anyway.)

How old is your dog? Do you keep up with flea treatments? My dog is ridiculously flea-allergic, and I've learned the hard way to be hyper-vigilant with flea meds. We like to say he itches if a flea even looks at him.

[nomad100]

Is it possible that he is allergic to grass/pollen? With this just starting a few weeks ago, makes me think that it may be related.

Can you try using baby wipes to clean him off after he comes back inside to see if that makes any difference?

[jmc325]

May 8, 2013 13:11:27 GMT -5 charlatti said:

Could it be an ingredient in the new food that isn't working for him? You could ask about a higher dose of Benadryl or switching to chlorpheniramine, which is a different antihistamine that might work for him. (It's available in generic at most human pharmacies for cheap, but you might have to ask, and you'd want to check with the vet on dosage anyway.)

How old is your dog? Do you keep up with flea treatments? My dog is ridiculously flea-allergic, and I've learned the hard way to be hyper-vigilant with flea meds. We like to say he itches if a flea even looks at him.

He's been itching way before we even switched his food, so I don't think that's the cause. He's around 7 years old (not too sure since he's a rescue . I'll ask about switching up the meds... maybe being on benadryl for so long, it's not as effective anymore. He takes Trifexis for fleas, so he's pretty well protected, but I think anythings possible at this point. Thanks for the help!

[jmc325]

May 8, 2013 13:15:06 GMT -5 nomad100 said:

Is it possible that he is allergic to grass/pollen? With this just starting a few weeks ago, makes me think that it may be related.

Can you try using baby wipes to clean him off after he comes back inside to see if that makes any difference?

This is what I'm starting to think- I take him with me when I go visit my parents who live on the other side of town and he is still itchy, so I don't think it's anything specific to my house. Good idea on the baby wipes, I'll definitely try that out. Thank you!

[RoxMonster]

Our lab has allergies (comes out with the change of seasons). The vet gave her a steroid shot and in the past, has put her on Pred for a week. It helps but makes her lethargic and I do not want her on it long-term.

Right now she is getting a daily anithistamine, basically until allergy season is over. When you say you use anti-itch shampoo, which one is it? Is it prescription? We got one from our vet, along with a conditioner, that is made especially for dogs, cats, and horses with allergy issues that is a prescription. We can bathe her more often this way because it won't dry her out. It's called Epi-Smooth. You might ask about it. We also give her a probiotic daily, as well as fish oil, which does help too.

If you think it might be a food allergy, you would have to eliminate things in his diet. However, it would make sense that it would be seasonal allergies if they are popping up right now.

[charlatti]

May 8, 2013 12:02:53 GMT -5 jmc325 said:

Hi,

I'm more of a lurker, but I need some help! My dog has been severly itchy for the past several weeks. He first started scratching a few months ago, and I would spray him with some anti-itch spray I got at Petsmart which helped. Lately though it's gotten really bad. I took him to the vet on Friday and told to give him Benadryl (something I've already been doing)- I feel bad for him though, the medication helps within the first few hours of taking it, but I need advice on what I can do for more long term relief.

He's been eating higher quality dog food for about a month now, I give him baths with anti-itch shampoo, still using the spray as needed (even changed up the brand from the one I was previously using), I even got his organic oil stuff to put in his food that's supposed to keep his skin moisturized (he doesn't seem to have dry skin though). Also, he doesn'thave fleas, so I don't think that's the issue. I found some anti-itch dog lotion online that I'm considering ordering. He's itchy all over, but it tends to be more so under his stomach.

I feel defeated as I'm not sure what else I can try.... anyone have any advice?

The bolded led me to think it could be food related. Our dog's allergies are definitely much worse in the spring, but it also took some figuring to find a food that worked well and didn't increase the itching.

[patches31709]

What was he eating before and what is he eating now? And what's the protein source of both?

[dearprudence]

I feel like food and environmental allergies go hand in hand. A lot of times if you have one, you have the other. Have you thought about getting allergy tests run? My parents did that for their dog and it's made a world of difference. It's crazy the amount of stuff she's allergic to. There are very few foods out there she can eat that don't contain any of her allergens. And her environmental allergies require prednisone shots seasonally, Tameril as needed, and she has to be washed down every time she comes in from outside. She is also hyper-reactive to bug bites because of her allergies.