itchy skin

[107barney]

Food intolerances rather than true allergies are the bigger phenomenon in dogs. Dogs can be allergic to air, because air contains inhalation allergens like pollen, mold etc. When in doubt, see an experienced veterinarian for dog allergies and allergy-like symptoms. I personally use a board certified veterinary dermatologist for my dog who has many allergies and intolerances to food. In order to see if your dog has a food allergy, one must do an elimination diet. I think this is an extreme step and difficult before first ruling out environmental allergies (and there are reliable blood serum tests for environmental allergies but not food). There will be a wide variety of opinion on this as with human food. I think grains and dairy are garbage foods and don't eat them but many would throw tantrums of disagreement about it. You have to just do what makes sense for you. Start with ruling out the easy things - skin mites, fleas, bacterial and or yeast/fungal causes, then do enviro testing, then do a food swap. Before I threw out chicken, I'd toss grains and fillers.

[LingC]

Thanks for all the advice, I've been using itch relief shampoo and conditioner as you all recommended, and also (I know a few people are skeptical about this, and this happened before I joined this forum...) I've been feeding Stewie Hill's A/Z diet, my vet told me to feed him this diligently for at least 2 months to eliminate all other substances from his diet, in order to find out what has been making him itch so badly in the past. His scratching has improved drastically, I must say. Even though he still rubs himself against "stuff", it's not as frequent and he doesn't scratch himself as "violently" as he used to. However, there's something else that I just realized might be a problem here, Stewie eats poop, not so much his own poop anymore (ever since I switched him to A/Z), but my other dogs' poop, they still eat regular yummy stuff.... I watch him like a hawk, but he's so sneaky, he pretty much waits for them while they do their business. He can smell it even before it's comes out. He's a little poop fiend! (Sorry if I'm being too graphic, I don't know how else to explain it, I feel so helpless sometimes ) I've tried pineapple (chunks, both fresh and canned) DisTaste, A1, Tabasco, consulted my vet, you name it.

[Deb1]

My Teeka was having issues with itching, too. This is what I did to help....Switched to an oatmeal based puppy shampoo, GNC conditoner, and switched to a Blue Basics Grain Free puppy food. I shampoo once a week to keep her from itching. It has helped a lot as she only scratches occasionally! I don't know which one or all of the above did the trick!! Good luck!

[brezofleur]

Hello again!

Zeus has terrible environmental allergies. It's awful. As I type this, he's scratching. He gets a bath every 2 days. There's some sort of tree here that he's allergic to. We went to GA and FL for 2 weeks in the summer and left him with my mom about 15 minutes away and he didn't scratch. And then as soon as he got home, it got really bad. No fleas, no change in food.

But definitely take him to the vet and make sure it's not something else (i.e., medical-related).

[ironmike86]

Fwiw. All the smallish dogs in my neighborhood have the "Itchies" Except Moki. Never had fleas But he's only 8mo old...Only eat Fromms Grain free and Homemade.
Gets brushed or combed at least once daily usually 2-3x. Bathed every week which neighbors think is bad. I use Coat Handlers as a base but try alot of other types just to see the hype. I've spent so much on that crap. Snacks are only his kibble during training or veggies and fruit. Not enough fat in the small piece of Banana to be bad for him. He's high prey high active dog..well for a Yorkie. I do belive what you put in your body through your mouth or absorbed through your skin will affect you. I make all my $$ as long as my body's is strong I will continue. Once it's weak I need to find another job. I'm Ironmike for a rea$on. PPL do laugh at Moki when they come over to my place. They expect me to have a big Rottie or Pitbull. Stereotypes I guess??? All my daughter has food allergies. If she eat cherries her lips swell up. Just like some ppl eat seafood. So there are food allergies that may affect your pet