how long til itchiness to go away?
 

Hi everyone!

Please point me to an existing thread if this has been discussed already, but my question is: how long should I wait to see if there's a change in his itchiness?

My little Oakley is about 4.5 months old and I've noticed that he's been itchy - scratching his side and licking his paws.

Food: I'm afraid my food obsession may be affecting my little one. He was first on Science Diet since the breeder was feeding him that. Then I changed it to Nutro since I've heard good things about it and wanted a higher quality food for him. He was itchy at that point. So now I'm changing his food to Natural Balance. (FYI, he's been eating whatever I give him and has not had diarrhea or anything, thank goodness!)

Shampoo: I bathe him once a week and am currently using a shampoo called BioGuard (from Petco) - it's supposed to be gentle and not wash off his Frontline Plus flea meds. But I just bought a new Groomax Soothing Oatmeal Shampoo that I'd like to try.

Now, I'm considering trying the Natural Balance Allergy Formulas (the duck or the fish) and perhaps some sort of fish oil supplements that i've been reading here on YT. Then of course, try out his new shampoo.

So should I wait a week or two with his current Natural Balance food and see if the itchiness continues? How long does it take for a change in food to affect itchiness/possible allergies? Do you try one change at a time?

help!

Hi, I noticed that still no one has replied to your thread. I'm from SD too.
Alot of things can cause itching. Food, laundry detergent if you're making him put on clothes, cheap flea meds (which I see isn't your case), and other skin problems. I find it unfortunate that you have tried so many foods for your dog. I am honestly surprised that it hasn't had a negitive impact on his system. I would highly recommend talking to a vet before you switch again. I believe you have tried enough foods and it is time to seek professional advise. Make note of where he is itching and look for patches or rashes. Again, please call a vet to have him checked out. It sounds like he is VERY uncomfortable. Good luck!