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Itchy Dog

by Britt
(Saranac Lake, New York)

My 7 year old Austrlian Shepherd, Lucy, has really dry skin on her rump and has 3 times pulled fur out. The vet has given her cortisone shots and that stops it for a couple weeks but then it happens again. I give her Benadryl 2-3 times a day, use Humilac anti-itch spray and put fish oil in her food. She cannot get an allergy blood test done until 3 months after her last cortisone shot (2 months left to wait). She has been checked for fleas and mites... nothing there.

We adopted her 6 months ago from the shelter.

Comments for Itchy Dog

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Just a thought
by: Anonymous

Could your dog's shampoo be the problem? Many years ago our dog developed itchy, dry skin in general. We would pet her and she would quiver with an itch. Turns out it was due to my using human shampoo on her (wrong pH, according to the vet).

ITCHY Dog
by: Anonymous

We have an eight month aussie. She itched and itched and had eye goop daily then we changed her food to wheat free. The itching has drastically reduced and eye goop is no more.

Itch
by: Neil

I have had three Aussies and every one of them have exhibited what the vet calls 'grass allergy'. There may be something genetic in the problem. My Jasper gets two cortisone shots a year and during the summer months receives a varying amount of Temaril-D orally. Your vet may prescribe the same or other medication. It does not cure the problem but seems to reduce the itching considerably.

Itchy
by: jcrply

One thing you could try which is safe and healthy and sometimes works for itching is to eliminate grain from your dog's diet. You can do this with commercial brand grain-free dry and grain-free canned food - use the good brands that are available in pet shops, not supermarkets. Or you can do a home-cooked diet, or you can do a raw diet. I like to try the safest thing first before resorting to medications.

Itchy Dog
by: TinaMarie

My puppy, Kuma, also scratches/bites alot-all over. Since he just turned 1 on Christmas Day, I am hoping it has something to do with the weather change or his undercoat growing. I don't want to have to put him on benedryl. It seems like Aussie's have dry skin and there should be some type of 'lotion' that we can use to help alleviate their itching??????

Success in Beating Allergies
by: Jean

I tried to figure out why my Tucker was licking and biting himself raw on my own and was unsuccessful. I tried to remove obvious allergens from his diet (grains, chicken, turkey etc.) but it didn't work.

When I had him tested, it ended up he tested highly positive to beef, lamb, oats, mold, dust mites, mosquitoes and cotton. He is borderline positive to many weeds/grasses, wheat, some trees and feathers.

I changed him to a fish based grain free food (Kirklands grain free) and got rid of his beef bones and got him a cotton and feather free bed. I do have to vacuum a lot for dust mites but within days, the itching stopped and his fur started to grow back.

Each dog is different but if you can get rid of the major allergens, the minor ones won't bother them as much.

Best of luck!

My itchy dog
by: Britt

Thanks guys! I forgot to mention that I did get a special shampoo from the vet. Yesterday, I purchased grain-free food from PetsMart and now am going to try that. I had already tried a home diet with no change.

Coconut Oil
by: Anonymous

I have been giving my dogs coconut oil: 1 teaspoon per 10 lbs daily on feed or bread. They love it and their coats are soft and silky with very little scratching.

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