# Itching, itching, itching



## Nana52 (Apr 28, 2012)

I don't expect any help. I'm just venting. I'm at my wit's end with the itching. I don't know if it's grocery store meat or fleas that I'm not seeing or environmental or seasonal or what the h..l! I get grass-fed meat when I can, which isn't really readily available, but I'm trying. It doesn't seem any better or worse whether feeding chicken or turkey or beef heart or goat or rabbit or whatever. I've added fish oil. No help. I've given coconut oil for extended period of time. No help. Stopped coconut oil. No difference. Feed fish once or twice a week. No difference. ACV, garlic (for fleas?). No help. They're just scratching and scratching (Kacy more so I think), and I'm completely clueless as to what's the cause and what else to try to help, short of visiting vet and getting steroid shot or whatever she suggests. It's been a long, hard, hot, tedious almost 3 months, and we are not thriving :frown:


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## tuckersmom20 (Dec 12, 2010)

See if you can find neem oil.... Mix it with coconut shampoo. Lather and rinse :0 Let the shampoo it on the skin for a few mins.

Have u tried benedryl? Some dogs benedryl isnt a fix.. you can also try other "human" antihistamines.
Watch out with your epi pup... antihistamines can lower threshold... so i would do only neem oil shampoo for your epi pup  
It helps to rebalance the ph, and cleanse the skin of itchy.


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## Nana52 (Apr 28, 2012)

tuckersmom20 said:


> See if you can find neem oil.... Mix it with coconut shampoo. Lather and rinse :0 Let the shampoo it on the skin for a few mins.
> 
> Have u tried benedryl? Some dogs benedryl isnt a fix.. you can also try other "human" antihistamines.
> Watch out with your epi pup... antihistamines can lower threshold... so i would do only neem oil shampoo for your epi pup
> It helps to rebalance the ph, and cleanse the skin of itchy.


Thanks for the suggestions. I've used benedryl before; it helps somewhat, but only temporarily of course. I've tried Heel allergy, a homeopathic "antihistamine" .... can't say 100% if it helps, but at least no known side effects. I've always been afraid of neem oil (looked into it for use as a "natural" flea repellant but seems I'd read it could cause seizures? Is there any freaking thing that "couldn't" maybe cause seizures?) I just wish I could pinpoint the cause and then would have a better idea of what "might" help. 

I'm being very whiney these past few days. I apologize. I'm not having close to the issues you're having. It's just breaking my heart to see them itch so, and none of the "natural" stuff seems to be working for me/us, and I'm on the verge of getting them steroid shots and/or commercial flea remedy (not spot on, not quite that desperate yet, but confortis maybe) because they just need some relief.

Do you have a specific brand of shampoo in mind? I don't know that I've ever seen coconut shampoo. I have seen a neem shampoo that's supposed to help repel fleas, but I think I'm losing faith .... well, darn near everything it seems.

Thanks again. Really.

P.S. I do use ACV rinse after shampoo, isn't that supposed to do the pH thing? I feel like I'm holding on by my fingernails. How about you?


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## tuckersmom20 (Dec 12, 2010)

Oops I think I meant..oatmeal shampoo!

I haven't been sleeping so things just don't work in my head anymore.

I hear you about hanging on... I am, but barely.
The new thing to bug me is... Yesterday tucker reached 3 months seizure free.
I know I should be happy, I am.. Trust me. But the only thing to stop a long streak... Has always been a grand map.
Tuck has had two in his life, I am yet to witness either of them.

So that stress, along with money stress ( that's always a stress).

Anyway, just about everything reads that it causes seizures.
So once a month I apply revolution to the boys, knowing fully ticket could turn into a fearful black boy in the middle of the night.
It's the risk I take. I've been through a flea infestation... Not fun.

On that note, the boys haven't gotten August revolution... Just too afraid.

Actually, try a acv rinse down before neem.... Try the safest route first


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## Nana52 (Apr 28, 2012)

tuckersmom20 said:


> Oops I think I meant..oatmeal shampoo! Ah, yes, that I've head of.
> 
> I haven't been sleeping so things just don't work in my head anymore. I feel ya, really I do.
> 
> ...


I'm not 100% convinced fleas are the problem (not all of it). I brush and flea comb them every night, and while I do find a flea now and again, when one of them starts scratching frantically, I'll grab him up and check out where he's scratching, and only very, very rarely is there a flea anywhere near where it's going on. I don't believe it's a food allergy, what are the odds both dogs would be allergic to the same food at the same time and cause itching in the same places? aaaaaaggggggghhhhhh I just don't know!

Thanks for "talking" with me about it in any case. I'm just not feeling the love much lately. If you ever want to PM me, on any subject, please feel free.

Donna


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## porchpotty (Aug 10, 2011)

Try aromatherapy. For fleas and ticks, mix 15-20 drops of any of following essential oils with a base oil and spray on your dog daily.

* For fleas – citronella, peppermint, lemon, clary sage
* For ticks – lavender, myrrh, bay, geranium


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

I wish I had something to help, but just wanted to say good luck and I guess I'm very lucky because we don't have much of a flea problem around here. How about some Guinea hens I think I have a magazine that says they get rid of fleas.


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## Nana52 (Apr 28, 2012)

Herzo said:


> I wish I had something to help, but just wanted to say good luck and I guess I'm very lucky because we don't have much of a flea problem around here. How about some Guinea hens I think I have a magazine that says they get rid of fleas.


Guinea hens would be great, except I live in city limits .... no "livestock" allowed  They seem a bit better today. Maybe something is "kicking in" or it's just my imagination. I've ordered a sample of some Wondercide, the pet version and the house version, to try. I do think it's mostly dry skin from the raw food transition (grocery store meat/omega6/omega3 imbalance) but as I said, I have seen a few fleas so would certainly like to banish them with something that won't harm dogs. 

Thanks to all for your suggestions.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

I know a couple of ours, Copper and Shadow have been itching more for about the last month because of allergies. I have heard a lot of people and dogs alike having allergy problems lately. I am going to have to get some Zyrtec for ours.


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## Nana52 (Apr 28, 2012)

naturalfeddogs said:


> I know a couple of ours, Copper and Shadow have been itching more for about the last month because of allergies. I have heard a lot of people and dogs alike having allergy problems lately. I am going to have to get some Zyrtec for ours.


It's been a booger, hasn't it? Between the itching and the "caterpillar" invasion in my yard, I'm about ready to pack it in! Hopefully fall/cooler weather will be here soon and all will get some relief. If not, I'm heading for the liquor store!


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## lily (May 16, 2011)

Do you bath them often?if so stop bathing them ,they could just have dry skin ,keep with the fish oil ,and perhaps go back to basics with free range chicken for a few weeks ,hopefully if it is food related you might hit on the culprit protein when you start adding meats,karen


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

it could be flea allergy. I've had real issue with Indy and itching the last few months, after trying couple topicals, diatomaceous earth and ACV, I had to throw in a towel and ordered some Program oral flea tabs along with Capstar to kill off adult fleas. Program works by disrupting flea life cycle and prevents larvae from hatching, but it doesn't kill existing fleas. That's why I used capstar for the first month. His scratching reduced drastically and I can actually sleep at night now without hearing constant thumping of his leg against the floor. I also started him on Springtime inc garlic to also help with ticks, so I think the combination of program and the supplement seemed to work.


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## Nana52 (Apr 28, 2012)

lily said:


> Do you bath them often?if so stop bathing them ,they could just have dry skin ,keep with the fish oil ,and perhaps go back to basics with free range chicken for a few weeks ,hopefully if it is food related you might hit on the culprit protein when you start adding meats,karen


I try to not bath them more than once a month, unless they get into something goopy .... or I put something goopy on them in an effort to help with itching :-/ But generally I don't bath them too often. I'm giving the FO every other day until I get them up to a "full" dose, whatever that means. Free-range chicken (or free-range any kind of meat) would be awesome. I can't always get it, but I do when I can. I'm trying to "suss" out a source locally (or within reasonable driving distance) ... nothing that's available on a regular basis yet. All the mail-order places ... well, the shipping costs more than the chicken! 

It'll sort itself out, no doubt. I'm just impatient for them to be all transitioned and shiny and healthy, yada, yada, yada.


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## Nana52 (Apr 28, 2012)

Unosmom said:


> it could be flea allergy. I've had real issue with Indy and itching the last few months, after trying couple topicals, diatomaceous earth and ACV, I had to throw in a towel and ordered some Program oral flea tabs along with Capstar to kill off adult fleas. Program works by disrupting flea life cycle and prevents larvae from hatching, but it doesn't kill existing fleas. That's why I used capstar for the first month. His scratching reduced drastically and I can actually sleep at night now without hearing constant thumping of his leg against the floor. I also started him on Springtime inc garlic to also help with ticks, so I think the combination of program and the supplement seemed to work.


I've been tempted a time or two. If not for Kody's seizures, I would have seriously caved I think. I'm determined to find a way to solve this without chemicals. I have high hopes for the Wondercide, and I'll continue with the nightly brushing/flea combing routine, etc., etc. Thanks for your input.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

gotcha, well you can still try the springtime inc garlic, although you may have to double or triple the dose for it to work and it takes a while to build up in the system.


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

Have you ever heard of fleabuster. Google it ....... there use to be a gal on hear that was living in FL at the time and she swore by it, said it worked longer that they said it would. I think it's fleabuster.com. i looked at it a long time ago. I wanted my brother and sister inlaw to try it because they live in SC but they never did. The fleas they have is terrible.


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## Nana52 (Apr 28, 2012)

Herzo said:


> Have you ever heard of fleabuster. Google it ....... there use to be a gal on hear that was living in FL at the time and she swore by it, said it worked longer that they said it would. I think it's fleabuster.com. i looked at it a long time ago. I wanted my brother and sister inlaw to try it because they live in SC but they never did. The fleas they have is terrible.


I know a lot of folks use FleaBuster without a problems, but I'm not even a little bit comfortable with it. This from a "cheap flea control" blog (and I wasn't planning to try it even b4 I read this).

>> DO NOT USE Borate Powder ... This is an edge case poison. Often pushed as "natural" or "least toxic". I discuss it in detail here because, while it is a lot less toxic than other stuff, it is still toxic and if you are considering using it for flea control, you should get a grip on just how toxic it is. This stuff travels under a lot of names: Boric Acid, Fleabusters, Sodium Polyborate, Borax, Sodium Borate, Sodium Tetraborate, Disodium Tetraborate, Boracic Acid, Orthoboric Acid, Acidum Boricum and many other names. Because this stuff is far less toxic than most other poisons, a lot of ignorant environmental groups have pushed it as a solution. Of course, you need lots more of it (compared to the stronger poisons) to work against fleas. So in the end you may be about equally poisoned. <<

I do appreciate all the suggestions. Things have been better the past couple of days. I'm gonna stick with my current plan and hope that all will settle down very soon. Cheers!


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