Dog will not stop itching......

**Denchi** · 2012-09-24 17:32

Not sure where to put this, should be a quick thread, but we're dogsitting, have been for about 2 months. Have her for maybe one month more.

Anyways....she's just the itchiest animal I've ever seen. She will not stop itching/gnawing/rolling, etc etc. It was a little bad initially....but it's gotten worse. Her owner acknowledged that she has some allergies and said that we should give her benadryl, and we use this anti-itch shampoo on her, but to no avail.

Any ideas?

**xerodok** · 2012-09-24 17:34

Stop washing her and let her skin build up a natural resistance against whatever she is itching about. The less you wash her, the more oil will stay in her skin/hair that will help block whatever it is. Don't fuck around with giving her fucking Benadryl and take her to the vet if it doesn't get better.

**Silenka** · 2012-09-24 17:37

I second what xerodok said. One of the silliest things to do is bathing/shampooing an animal. It destroys all their skin's natural defenses against things.
Also, are you positive she doesn't have some ticks/fleas somewhere?

**Vendog** · 2012-09-24 17:37

Scratching

**zoobernut** · 2012-09-24 17:38

Fleas, Mange, food allergies are the three main causes. Check to see if her food has a lot of corn in it. Corn allergies are one of the most common food allergies for dogs that can cause major skin issues. Get her less crappy food if her food has a ton of shitty fillers in it.

**Headspace** · 2012-09-24 17:38

Originally Posted by Vendog

Scratching

Yes.

**SephYuyX** · 2012-09-24 18:07

Neck Cone.

**Denchi** · 2012-09-24 19:09

Not shampooing, check. Will check food. Don't think it's fleas. The benadryl was supposedly a vet recommendation (per the owner). half a pill a day and it takes a week to kick in, etc. Hasn't seemed to help. My roomie thinks it got worse once the owner brought some different food over.

**Lyrai** · 2012-09-24 20:06

I would suggest Nutro Lamb & Rice, or one of the grain free formulas (Turkey would probably be the easiest to transition to.) Cut out all treats as well during this time and slowly add back in after the problem is hopefully resolved.

Dogs can have allergies to pollen, ragweed, etc, like people, and I've seen a ton of cases where that was the cause. It's okay to wipe down her paws with a wet towel (no shampoo unless they're muddy) and run the wet towel over her coat to wipe off anything that might have gotten stuck to her. With the change in season brings more allergies. Benadryl is fine, but if it's not helping, don't keep giving it as there's no point. Check her skin if she has any rashes (dermatitis, think like poison ivy) and you can treat those with a little cortisone to ease the itching. They also get allergic dermatitis from flea bites, so even if there aren't any fleas on her now, or you treat her with frontline or similar (Only Advantage/Advantix has a repellent) she can still get a reaction.

A vet can prescribe a different kind of antihistamine, I forget the name, it's pretty inexpensive, that works better than benadryl. A little fish oil, decent quality olive oil, hardboiled egg once in a while, or if you get canned tuna/salmon in oil, drizzled over her food, will provide some omega 3's/6's that support good skin and coat health and might speed recovery time, or at least take some of the edge off.

**Stumblingdrunk** · 2012-09-24 20:46

There's some decent advice in the thread so far but

is really the best option.

**zoobernut** · 2012-09-24 20:48

Yeah Nutro Lamb and Rice is good food. That is what my wife fed to our older dog who had terrible skin allergies from corn and once we fed her that her skin allergies cleared up.

**tyven** · 2012-09-24 20:49

perhaps you should hit it with a water bottle. if that does not work, try fucking a boy.

**Abandon** · 2012-09-24 21:06

gdi broven

**Meresgi** · 2012-09-24 21:56

Originally Posted by xerodok

Don't fuck around with giving her fucking Benadryl and take her to the vet if it doesn't get better.

Benadryl is completely fine for dogs.

Comb the dogs neck area and see if it has fleas or flea dirt. Check to see if it's scratching the skin enough to give itself hotspots. Is the room super dry?

**Stumblingdrunk** · 2012-09-24 22:01

But if you don't own a comb, a lot of groomers get rid of theirs prematurely. Stop by on garbage night and you should be set.

**Plow** · 2012-09-24 22:08

shampooing itself is not a bad thing, but if you do it excessively it definitely can be

get it good food, check for fleas and use a dematting brush

have you been using flea repellent? if not it's highly likely she has fleas if she spends any time outside, and in turn it's also likely she has worms from the fleas

**Kerberoz** · 2012-09-25 00:47

Walk around the carpet barefoot for 10 minutes and you'll find out if it's fleas or not.

Dogs, unlike humans, smell worse the more you bathe them.

Sometimes dry skin just happens, especially in autumn. That should pass quickly, though.

**Cesaria** · 2012-09-25 03:06

If it's anything like my mutt - could be an allergy to pollen or something in the long grass the idiotic canine still persists in running through.

**Ragnus** · 2012-09-25 08:30

Brush right above the tail to check for fleas. Lots of veins wrapped around the base of the tail which attracts them like crazy. My dog had them and gave all of the cats fleas also. It was miserable and took about a month to sort out. Advantix / Advantage medicine, daily brushings with a fine tooth comb along with spraying down every inch of carpet / fabric with Sentry Home spray once a week.

**Meresgi** · 2012-09-25 09:11

Originally Posted by Ragnus

Advantix / Advantage medicine,

This ^

Dont buy frontline shit, it's worthless, Advantix is great.

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