# Oh the itching!!!



## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

Emma's itching is a bit bad if it isn't correctly preventing with the "cone of shame" and mummifying her like this:








I would like for her to lay down in comfort when we are not within arms reach to stop her from itching. She will scratch and chew beyond bleeding and injuring herself. I've given her 15 mins by herself unprotected as I ran to the corner store and came back to a dog with completely raw and bleeding sides.

We have tried:
Benydrel
Claritin
Zyrtec
Fish Oil
Salomon Oil
Krill Oil

Foods we've tried:
Blue Buffalo
Taste Of The Wild
Naturally Balanced
Simply Nourish
Nature's Recipe

We have tried ruling out everything from grains, potatoes to even chicken.

We've observed her itching most when excited or by herself. We've tried distractions. But she'll either completely ignore them, or get bored of them and then move onto itching.


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## DDBsR4Me (Jan 23, 2012)

PunkyPug said:


> Emma's itching is a bit bad if it isn't correctly preventing with the "cone of shame" and mummifying her like this:
> View attachment 7094
> 
> 
> ...


Your poor baby! 

I don't have any suggestions, but do you think it could be environmental allergies? Is she always itchy, or is more prevalent at different times of year?

Have you tried any LID kibbles?


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

DDBsR4Me said:


> Your poor baby!
> 
> I don't have any suggestions, but do you think it could be environmental allergies? Is she always itchy, or is more prevalent at different times of year?
> 
> Have you tried any LID kibbles?


The itching is constant. Throughout the 2 years we've had her I've taken notes on her itching and it is pretty constant year round.
I have tried BBs, SNs and NRs LIDs. Nothing really seems to help at all.
I'm tempted to try giving her weekly baths as I know some owners whom give their dog's weekly baths and they are not itchy at all. The only thing that keeps me from giving her weekly baths is the fear that her flea treatment will be removed and the fact that I know bathing too often will remove the natural oils her skin produces.


Speaking of her skin, back when we 1st got her, her skin looked perfectly healthy. No scabs, no flakes, no odd coloring. Now in the areas she itches most her skin is moderately flakey, almost grey-ish and a bit scabby.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Have you considered it might be a food allergy?

I'm not going to say you should do one thing or the other, but some dogs are allergic to cooked proteins but not raw proteins. My Doberman is one of them.


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## Gally (Jan 28, 2012)

What about her flea meds or something environmental that is constant like a detergent or the type of cleaner you use?


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## twoisplenty (Nov 12, 2008)

Pugs are notorious for demodex mange. Have you had her skin scraped for a sample?


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

I know Mol itches like hell with 99% of dog shampoo's. After buying almost every dog shampoo known to man kind, including stuff from the vet, I've found 2 that don't make her scratch. She'd have a bath, get out, still wet and start scratching till she was raw and got hot spots. Since finding those shampoo's it's been such a relief.
Have you tried changing to a different type of flea med as well?


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

PunkyPug said:


> I'm tempted to try giving her weekly baths as I know some owners whom give their dog's weekly baths and they are not itchy at all. The only thing that keeps me from giving her weekly baths is the fear that her flea treatment will be removed and the fact that I know bathing too often will remove the natural oils her skin produces.


Weekly or even biweekly baths can help. Talk to your vet; if you use the right shampoo it won't damage their skin.

If I were you I'd be going to an animal allergist. They can test for environmental allergies and produce a serum that has a 70% to 80% chance of working. If the environmental-allergy test comes out with no results, you know it's a food allergy. An animal allergist can also prescribe antihistamines that aren't over-the-counter.


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

She does not appear to have all symptoms of Demodex Mange. She only has hair thinning and itching.

I honestly doubt she is having issues with her flea stuff
I'd love to run all kinds of tests on her. Just don't have the cash. If I did we'd have this solved by now :'(


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## sandra0606 (Dec 22, 2011)

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is great for itchy skin. Put ACV in a spray bottle, part the hair and spray on. If the skin is already broken, dilute ACV with an equal amount of water and spray on. You can also mix it in your dog's food 1 tablespoon, two times a day for a 50 lb. dog. Also bath your dog with a nice mild shampoo.


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

Why do you not think she has issues with flea medications? It is fairly common. It's a pesticide.

Would you consider switching to raw? I only ask because it's the ultimate limited ingredient diet.. you only get what you feed, no added ingredients.


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## twoisplenty (Nov 12, 2008)

PunkyPug said:


> She does not appear to have all symptoms of Demodex Mange. She only has hair thinning and itching.


Demodex can have many different symptoms including the 2 you have mentioned. She doesnt need to have any other more. If she was my dog I would at least rule out demodex before deciding it was allergies. A skin scraping is one of the cheapest tests you can do.


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## MizMo (Apr 9, 2012)

Sorry to hear about Emma's itchies!

Mojo is highly flea allergic. We use regular doses of monthly flea and tick med during the warm months.
But all it takes is ONE bite and he's a rashy, freaking out mess. He cries and runs from one end of the house to the other, trying to get away from the itch. And lick and lick and lick and lick, poor baby.

The vet gave us Hydroxyzine 25mg. It is a antihistamine that also helps with anxiety and tension. He gets it twice a day whenever he has a break out.

Hope you find the answer!


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## KittyKat (Feb 11, 2011)

Is she red inbetween her toes? What about around her face?


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

I want to switch her to raw
hubs isn't really opt to it because he JUST got finances in order. I understand where he is coming from, but maybe after we move and I find out it is cheaper than feeding her Blue then maybe he'd be more inclined to it.

She isn't red between her toes

I've occasionally noticed that she will get these "bug bite like" bumps on her belly and sometimes inside her arm pits. She doesn't seemed bothered by them. They come n go.

I don't think it is her flea control because her itching has only gotten worse about 3-ish months ago. And we've change her flea/heartworm preventive to Trifexis. So If her itching improves after this change then maybe it was the topical.


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

How long have you had Emma?


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

Jack Monzon said:


> How long have you had Emma?


about 2 years now
maybe a little more than 2 years


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## _unoriginal (Apr 8, 2012)

Only a small percentage of allergies are actually food-related. Owners and vets alike tend to jump to a food allergy because it is usually the easiest thing in a dog's life to adjust.

Another allergy option could be environmental, which is definitely more common and what most allergies are. I would start with your detergents, cleaning supplies, fabric sheets/softeners. Anything that I own that my dogs lay on or rub against gets cleaned with a special hypoallergenic laundry detergent. One of my dogs gets pimples on his chin from the regular detergent. We also don't use fabric sheets/softeners on any of the dog blankets or pillows.. Honestly, we never did because the dogs don't care. I see that as a human comfort that the dogs don't need.

You should definitely consider taking the dog to the vet for a skin scrape (to check for mite/mange) as well as allergy testing, which can give you more of an idea of what the dogs may be allergic to. The possibilities for allergens is endless. Just when you think something isn't possible, it turns out that it is.

Note that the blood-drawn allergy test usually runs $300+ so that's also something to consider if money is tight. There is another type of allergy testing that is done by sedating the dog, pricking her with tiny amounts of common allergens, and seeing if the pricked area turns red. A similar test is used in human allergy testing (I've had it done), but this procedure is $500+. There is another procedure called a biopsy where the vet will take a sample of the dog's skin and check it for various fungal infections. I believe that cost is roughly $200. These costs are obviously guesstimates and likely to fluctuate depending on the area and specific veterinary costs.

In the meantime, I would also get some pet or baby wipes and wipe off the dog's paws/legs/belly when they come in from being outside. It might just be grass that's bothering her and that will definitely help.

I know some suggested to bath more often, I would tend to disagree as dogs have natural oils on their skin that are very important to skin and coat health. Bathing them too often can actually strip the oils from their skin causing it to dry out, and thus itch. Also, are you absolutely sure that you got all of the shampoo out of her coat? Like humans, if you leave any shampoo residue on their skin, it will itch. I bathe my short-haired inside dog maybe 3-4 times per YEAR. I only bathe him when he smells bad, other than that, a good brushing is all he needs.


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

I only bathe her once a month.
And I do thoroughly rinse rinse her during baths

I understand her allergens could be anything. I understand owners and vets usually jump to food allergens. I haven't jumped to anything. I've just tried several different options to see what reduces the itching.

Like I said before, if I had such spare money the tests would of been run LONG ago and I more than likely won't be having the itching issue right now.


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## _unoriginal (Apr 8, 2012)

I wasn't trying to criticize you at all. I'm sorry if that's the way it sounded as it wasn't my intention at all. I was just trying to provide a different prospective as the majority of posts in this thread are related to food allergies.


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

_unoriginal said:


> I wasn't trying to criticize you at all. I'm sorry if that's the way it sounded as it wasn't my intention at all. I was just trying to provide a different prospective as the majority of posts in this thread are related to food allergies.


Oh no. I didnt take it like that. I'm sorry if I seemed offended or anything. I appreciate you providing a turn to the thread.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

One thing you might consider is that the allergy might not be to one of the main ingredients in the foods you have tried, but rather to one of the other ingredients further down. My Lhasa, Chelsy, spent years with horrendous allergies. She would turn beet red and itch so badly that she would be rubbing her face and neck on furniture and rolling around the floor (she had back problems and couldn't scratch with her hind legs).

It took me years to narrow it down by the process of elimination. But she turned out the be allergic to other things in the food, not the main meat source. In her case it was, salmon, salmon oil, any fish or fish oil except herring, olive oil, flaxseed or flax, and quite a few of the fruits. I ended up having to really read ingredient labels because many foods have a ton of ingredients in them. I had to find the foods with the least amount of added ingredients and artificial anything. Even so-called limited ingredient diets may have extra things added like flax or oils or fruits that you may not notice at first. Her last few years with us she finally quit itching entirely and was never got the beet red skin again as long as I was really careful with her diet.


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

Has anyone tried coconut oil?


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

PunkyPug said:


> about 2 years now
> maybe a little more than 2 years


Has it been constant itching since Day 1? Or does it come and go w/the seasons?


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

:usa::usa::usa::usa::usa:


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

Jack Monzon said:


> Has it been constant itching since Day 1? Or does it come and go w/the seasons?


She itched minorly when we 1st got her.
I really dont remember when it started kicking up.
It has only gotten worse about 3 months ago.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

:usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa:


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

magicre said:


> What happened three months ago? What changed?


added fish oil about a month ago
her heartworm and fleas meds were changed to Tirfexis, which was done at the beginning of this month.


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

what brand of shampoo are you usuing? start giving her spring water, filtered water
or boil her water. do you feed your dog turkey or chicken?


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

this is off the trifexis' site What side effects might occur with Trifexis?

"Like all medications, sometimes side effects may occur. In some cases, dogs vomited after receiving Trifexis. If vomiting occurs within an hour of administration, redose with another full dose. During field studies, no severe or prolonged vomiting occurred. Additional adverse reactions observed in the clinical studies were itching, decreased activity, diarrhea, inflammation of the skin, redness of the skin, decreased appetite and redness of the ear. All reactions were regarded as mild. For technical assistance or to report a suspected adverse drug reaction, contact Elanco Animal Health at 1-888-545-5973. Additional information can be found at Trifexis® (spinosad + milbemycin oxime) Three Types of Parasite Protection for Dogs — trifexis.com. Alternatively, suspected adverse drug reactions may be reported to FDA at 1-888-FDA-VETS or U S Food and Drug Administration Home Page AnimalVeterinary/ SafetyHealth/ ReportaProblem/ ucm055305.htm "


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

doggiedad said:


> what brand of shampoo are you usuing? start giving her spring water, filtered water
> or boil her water. do you feed your dog turkey or chicken?


Top Paw Moisture Rich Hydrating
Not the best, but it was what I could grab at last minute notice. Someone had rolled in the mud 
Neither. She is fed fish formula.



Liz said:


> this is off the trifexis' site What side effects might occur with Trifexis?
> 
> "Like all medications, sometimes side effects may occur. In some cases, dogs vomited after receiving Trifexis. If vomiting occurs within an hour of administration, redose with another full dose. During field studies, no severe or prolonged vomiting occurred. Additional adverse reactions observed in the clinical studies were itching, decreased activity, diarrhea, inflammation of the skin, redness of the skin, decreased appetite and redness of the ear. All reactions were regarded as mild. For technical assistance or to report a suspected adverse drug reaction, contact Elanco Animal Health at 1-888-545-5973. Additional information can be found at Trifexis® (spinosad + milbemycin oxime) Three Types of Parasite Protection for Dogs — trifexis.com. Alternatively, suspected adverse drug reactions may be reported to FDA at 1-888-FDA-VETS or U S Food and Drug Administration Home Page AnimalVeterinary/ SafetyHealth/ ReportaProblem/ ucm055305.htm "


Her itching got worse 3 months ago.
We just switched to Trifexis this month.
TYVM for the useful information tho.



You know, whats the difference between Natural Balance and Blue Buffalo? When we 1st got her she was fed NB and her itching was seldom. I'm half tempted to trade the bag of Blue that I just bought for a NB.


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

The problem with allergies is they cause itching, which can cause an infection, which causes MORE itching. So your dog might be perfectly fine on what she is eating right now, but is still itching from the infection caused by something else. 

You need to go to a vet and see if there's yeast or a bacterial infection. The vet will eradicate the infection, then you can focus on the allergies. There's no other way. Switching foods around is very unlikely to do anything. Yes, vets are expensive. Find a way to save up for it.


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## dooneygirl09 (Mar 9, 2012)

"I do not like the cone of shame" ♥


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

Jack Monzon said:


> The problem with allergies is they cause itching, which can cause an infection, which causes MORE itching. So your dog might be perfectly fine on what she is eating right now, but is still itching from the infection caused by something else.
> 
> You need to go to a vet and see if there's yeast or a bacterial infection. The vet will eradicate the infection, then you can focus on the allergies. There's no other way. Switching foods around is very unlikely to do anything. Yes, vets are expensive. Find a way to save up for it.


Since I've started wrapping her up all her injuries have completely healed up.
But I do agree on taking her in to have her skin get a look over. Especially since certain spots are grey-ish in color. She is also having an issue staying hydrated. Does dehydration cause discolor of the skin?


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

:usa::usa::usa::usa::usa:


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

PunkyPug said:


> She is also having an issue staying hydrated. Does dehydration cause discolor of the skin?


Will she eat kibble soaked in water?

Back in the day we learned that all kibble is supposed to be fed wet, I guess that got lost along the way. Training puppies to eat soaked kibble is one of the smartest things you'll ever do.


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

magicre said:


> what brand of fish oil. check the ingredients. make sure it does not contain soy or another allergen.
> 
> the flea and heartworm med has itching as a side effect.


The fish oil is walgreens' brand: Finest.
ingredients are as follows:
Gelatin, Glycerin, Mixed Tocopherols, contains fish(anchovy, mackerel, sardine) ingredients.



DaViking said:


> Will she eat kibble soaked in water?
> 
> Back in the day we learned that all kibble is supposed to be fed wet, I guess that got lost along the way. Training puppies to eat soaked kibble is one of the smartest things you'll ever do.


I've started soaking her kibble yesterday. The nice thing about soaking it is she drinks the "soup" 1st and then eats her kibble. By the time she is done drinking her kibble is completely soggy reducing the risk of her chocking on them as she inhales them.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

:usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa:


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

magicre said:


> the fish oil you are buying has mixed tocopherols in it. the source is often times soy.
> 
> there is a fish oil at walgreens that does not have mixed tocopherols as its source for vitamin E.


Those pesky tocopherols - they are in so much stuff!


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

PunkyPug said:


> Since I've started wrapping her up all her injuries have completely healed up.


Not sure what you mean by this. An infection isn't necessarily visible. She could be itching from the yeast on her skin, not from whatever she's allergic to. The itching that was caused by the allergy caused the infection. A vet can do a swab test and determine if there's an infection and prescribe medication to get rid of it. This happened with my dog. As soon as we got rid of the infection, the itching was GONE.


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## ShanniBella (Jul 1, 2011)

PunkyPug said:


> Emma's itching is a bit bad if it isn't correctly preventing with the "cone of shame" and mummifying her like this:
> View attachment 7094
> 
> 
> ...


Sounds like severe allergies and no kibble will fix it. I was experiencing the same issues with my pit bull and ever since switching her to raw almost two weeks ago a complete transformation has happened. No more allergy pills, her hair has grown back and her scabby body from welts have dried up and fallen off. I tried all the different kibbles even home cooked but as hesitant I was to feed raw it proved to be the answer to my poor girls issues. Even the best of the best kibbles still have crap in it and ingredients that could be causing her troubles. So from one itchy dog owner to another I would give raw a try


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

magicre said:


> the fish oil you are buying has mixed tocopherols in it. the source is often times soy.
> 
> there is a fish oil at walgreens that does not have mixed tocopherols as its source for vitamin E.


Do you know which one it is?



Jack Monzon said:


> Not sure what you mean by this. An infection isn't necessarily visible. She could be itching from the yeast on her skin, not from whatever she's allergic to. The itching that was caused by the allergy caused the infection. A vet can do a swab test and determine if there's an infection and prescribe medication to get rid of it. This happened with my dog. As soon as we got rid of the infection, the itching was GONE.


I understand this.
That is why I said


> But I do agree on taking her in to have her skin get a look over. Especially since certain spots are grey-ish in color.


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

ShanniBella said:


> Sounds like severe allergies and no kibble will fix it. I was experiencing the same issues with my pit bull and ever since switching her to raw almost two weeks ago a complete transformation has happened. No more allergy pills, her hair has grown back and her scabby body from welts have dried up and fallen off. I tried all the different kibbles even home cooked but as hesitant I was to feed raw it proved to be the answer to my poor girls issues. Even the best of the best kibbles still have crap in it and ingredients that could be causing her troubles. So from one itchy dog owner to another I would give raw a try


I'd LOVE to feed her PMR.
I must move to new apartment and convince husband 1st.
I am currently doing research into the costs and places I'd get her food.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

:usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa:


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

I am with Jack and others here. Looking at the food here is somewhat down the list. See a vet and sort out any lingering yeast or bacterial infections. Then see an allergist who can probe for a broad spectrum of environmental issues. Also look into stress and mental factors. When all that is taken care of and if the problems are still there you can look into the food. Simple formulas like Back To Basics Pork or even K9 Naturals or Ziwipeak.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

:usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa:


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

magicre said:


> If not raw, which would be your best choice, then at least, home cooked or limited ingredient kibble.
> 
> When you talk to your husband, ask him how he's liking the vet bills.


He'd say he likes it alot because she hasn't been to the vet since last year xD
Shes due for her annual check up.


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## Cara (Apr 17, 2012)

I haven't read all the replies, but I recently went through a spell with my aussie where she was pretty itchy. We switched her food to a fish based formula, got some fish oil, some olive oil (around a tablespoon drizzled on her food daily), and I started misting her down everyday with diluted down Infusium 23 conditioner and brushing it in (her big issue is that she had a bit of dry skin). Between a combination of everything her itchiness has completely disappeared. I think something that's important to remember when using fish oil/salmon oil/olive oil is that it does take time to build up in their systems and cause a noticeable change. I can say that Cara now has the nicest coat out of all three of my dogs. lol


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

Cara said:


> I haven't read all the replies, but I recently went through a spell with my aussie where she was pretty itchy. We switched her food to a fish based formula, got some fish oil, some olive oil (around a tablespoon drizzled on her food daily), and I started misting her down everyday with diluted down Infusium 23 conditioner and brushing it in (her big issue is that she had a bit of dry skin). Between a combination of everything her itchiness has completely disappeared. I think something that's important to remember when using fish oil/salmon oil/olive oil is that it does take time to build up in their systems and cause a noticeable change. I can say that Cara now has the nicest coat out of all three of my dogs. lol


Never thought to spray with conditioner.
I do understand that feeding oils takes time to show improvement on the outside. I'm planning on giving this fish oil atleast 2 months to show me some changes.
TYVM for the idea


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

Cara said:


> I started misting her down everyday with diluted down Infusium 23 conditioner and brushing it in (her big issue is that she had a bit of dry skin).


Where did you get this advice? Not criticizing it, just curious. Sounds like it worked for you.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

PunkyPug said:


> He'd say he likes it alot because she hasn't been to the vet since last year xD
> Shes due for her annual check up.


How long has she been itching like this? I was under the impression that you had taken her to the vet for her itching. i guess it was the photo of the cone.

I disagree that food should be down on the list. If you aren't going to do extensive testing, a food change is easily done and could (not will, but could) fix most of her problems. It could also be mange if that hasn't been tested. She could be allergic to something environmental. But those things are not easy to isolate - food allergies are easily determined by stopping dry food.


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## Cara (Apr 17, 2012)

Jack Monzon said:


> Where did you get this advice? Not criticizing it, just curious. Sounds like it worked for you.


A friend who shows her gsd's and then checked with my vet who said it would be fine.  I dilute the conditioner down around 10 parts water to 1 part conditioner and then mist her down lightly and take a rubber curry brush to her immediately to work it down to her skin, but as I said her biggest issue was a bit of dry skin. She no longer is misted every day, but around once a week.


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

xellil said:


> How long has she been itching like this? I was under the impression that you had taken her to the vet for her itching. i guess it was the photo of the cone.
> 
> I disagree that food should be down on the list. If you aren't going to do extensive testing, a food change is easily done and could (not will, but could) fix most of her problems. It could also be mange if that hasn't been tested. She could be allergic to something environmental. But those things are not easy to isolate - food allergies are easily determined by stopping dry food.


The testing for environmental allergies is a half day at the vet. I don't consider that extensive.

Even if the OP were entertaining feeding raw, results could still take up to three months. Three months is more extensive than 4 hours.

And again, no amount of food switching will get rid of an infection, if that's what this dog is itching from.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Jack Monzon said:


> The testing for environmental allergies is a half day at the vet. I don't consider that extensive.
> 
> Even if the OP were entertaining feeding raw, results could still take up to three months. Three months is more extensive than 4 hours.
> 
> And again, no amount of food switching will get rid of an infection, if that's what this dog is itching from.


You are right. But she hasnt gone to a vet. 

It didn't take any three months for my dogs to lose their allergies. It took about three days. And it cost nothing but food.


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## tdkeesh (May 4, 2012)

Hi there -- am new to this forum but felt as if I was reading a post I might have made, when I read yours. I have two dogs who both have food allergies (grains for both, and one is also allergic to chicken and peanut butter). I had good luck with the Wellness Core Ocean (very expensive though), and am now feeding them the Simply Nourish, which I am also having good luck with. I did however, have a really bad time with one of them when I first moved us to FL from NH. After many months of cooking foods and working to figure out what else, if anything, he is allergic to, I finally found out quite by accident that he is also allergic to fleas. He had the head shaking, scratching til he bled, incredibly sensitive to the touch skin thing going on, and from what I understand, a regular flea treatment will not help with this allergy because it kills the flea after it bites the dog, and the problem is that a flea allergy is an allergy to the flea's saliva. As far as the increased scratching when excited, my vet explained that when the dog is excited, an increase in the dog's body temp due to the excitement causes increased flea activity/biting. Advantage makes a product (Advantage Multi) that, as was explained to me, basically glues the flea's mouth shut before it bites thus eliminating the saliva contact. It's only available by prescription and is a bit pricey as well, but it also contains heartworm preventative medicine so it all kind of evens out. It's not perfect because the flea moves around on the dog as it dies and causes a little minor itching, but it's made a huge difference. I also give him Zyrtec and fish oil daily because he seems to have some environmental allergies to things that grow here in FL that he'd never been in contact with in NH. I have found out over the past couple of years that dog allergies can be a real problem to treat since they may not be an allergy to simply one thing, and the more they're in contact with the allergen the worse they get, so don't get discouraged. If worse comes to worse, you can have a skin sensitivity test done and have the allergy shots similar to the way humans are treated. I hear that can be somewhat succesful, but again pricey so I'm trying to avoid that. And in some cases it requires a multi-pronged approach (specific food, antihistamines, special flea treatments) so don't feel that just because one thing didn't work, the allergies are not treatable. Good luck to you and your pup...hope some of this helps!


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## tdkeesh (May 4, 2012)

hey -- forgive me for being long winded, but I thought of a couple other things that might help...first, there is a ton of information online. I google each of my dogs symptoms for causes and then look for common threads. ie "canine difficulty breathing causes" or "canine red eyes causes," take notes and then take what I've found to my vet with questions. If we take a dog to the vet with an ear infection, she'll treat the ear infection. But combined with other symptoms the cause might be addressed rather than just the symptom. And as for food allergies, if you think there might be something other than a grain allergy (chicken perhaps), be sure to read all the ingredients. I looked at the ingredients in every bag of dog food in my local PetSmart whose name did not include chicken, and the only ones I found that did not actually have chicken of some sort (chicken, chicken by-products (Ugh) or chicken fat) regardless of what the name implied, were the Core Ocean, the Simply Nourish Limited Ingredient, and a Vegitarian one (but that one contains garlic which is on the ASPCA's list of toxic food so I gave that one a wide berth). I also found that the generic benadryl I tried was something like 80% cornmeal. So be very careful about reading ingredients. Again, good luck!


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

The vet had goften back to us either yesterday or the day before. There isn't any good allergies. No environmental allergies. She's even checked our clears. Only reactions are to the kitchen counter top cleaner and the bleach. 
Emma isn't allowed in the kitchen. It is gated off for the cat food and Emma's food is handled in the dining room. Lord knows I keep her far away from the bleach as well. 
The vet has narrowed it down to behavioral or OCD disorder. We are currently working on ruling out behavioral.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Some people believe the allergy testing is not very accurate. I'm sorry they didn't find a specific cause, but I wouldn't rule out allergies totally.


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## Donna Little (May 31, 2011)

My Chihuahua Toby has every health issue known to man. He was red skinned, and pitiful (among other things) for a long time before we started raw. His skin looked better really quickly but then got red and itchy again after a couple of months. I discovered for him it was fish oil so I switched to coconut oil and now give that to all my dogs. It has made a world of difference. He was on raw about 6 months before his hair grew back (well as much as it's gonna grow back) because he has a severe thyroid issue too. Here's a picture of him right around the time I switched him and a pic I took of him in Feb.















I know raw is very intimidating to some and your hubby sounds like he's not on board so I'm not trying to arm twist you into it. BUT, it has made a huge difference in my dogs. And I can just about guarantee it would be cheaper than expensive kibble.
I'm gonna also throw a couple pics in of my Min Pin Briana. I really didn't think she looked bad on Blue Buffalo. Until I compared the pictures....















She's always been chubby, and aside from starving her I could not get weight off of her. So here she is on BB and then about 6 months into raw. Her weight is so much better and her fur is like silk!
Maybe if you are considering it yourself you can show hubby these pics? Please don't think I'm trying to be obnoxious and pushy. I just love what it's done for my guys and want your little girl to feel better too. :smile:
I wish you all the best for her though and hope you can get it resolved no matter what you try. I'm sure it has to be just miserable to itch so much...


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

PunkyPug said:


> The vet had goften back to us either yesterday or the day before. There isn't any good allergies. No environmental allergies. She's even checked our clears.


What?

Did you have your dog tested? If so, what kind of test was it? Skin, or blood?


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## stockdog (May 23, 2012)

*try this EQYSS Microtek Medicated Shampoo and Spray*

I have had many dogs with various itchy problems, a few chronic cases over the years dealing with rescue dogs. I had a border collie of my own that was crazy with itching, and she had thin hair and scaly red areas, with hard skin like leather, that would turn brown and scaby and flaky. I tried a product EQYSS Microtek medicated spray and shampoos, they come in black bottles. It is very much cheaper to buy the product in the bottles for horses, than for pets. This stuff works wonders, and is easy to apply. Use the shampoo first, then use the spray every time your pup looks to be getting uncomfortable. Spray and work into the coat so it reaches the skin. The first time I used it on the BC, her angry red skin turned a cool white, and her eyes just relaxed. In 3 months people commented on her beautiful coat, I laughed out loud. That was something I'd would have never thought I'd hear about that poor girl. She stopped incessant itching, scratching and chewing at herself. Since that time, I have used it on dozens of dogs, and it has helped every time. It is a formula that has an ingrediant used to decomtaminate astronuats, and was labeled with Microban, but that is not named on the label now. Although the claim it was formualted by NASA remains. It is the best fungicide for ringworm, and all kinds of bacterial skin infections. People use it for atheletes foot and the like. 
Micro-Tek Spray
I hope it helps! Your post just reminded me of BJ so much I wanted to let you know.


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## PunkyPug (Apr 4, 2012)

stockdog said:


> I have had many dogs with various itchy problems, a few chronic cases over the years dealing with rescue dogs. I had a border collie of my own that was crazy with itching, and she had thin hair and scaly red areas, with hard skin like leather, that would turn brown and scaby and flaky. I tried a product EQYSS Microtek medicated spray and shampoos, they come in black bottles. It is very much cheaper to buy the product in the bottles for horses, than for pets. This stuff works wonders, and is easy to apply. Use the shampoo first, then use the spray every time your pup looks to be getting uncomfortable. Spray and work into the coat so it reaches the skin. The first time I used it on the BC, her angry red skin turned a cool white, and her eyes just relaxed. In 3 months people commented on her beautiful coat, I laughed out loud. That was something I'd would have never thought I'd hear about that poor girl. She stopped incessant itching, scratching and chewing at herself. Since that time, I have used it on dozens of dogs, and it has helped every time. It is a formula that has an ingrediant used to decomtaminate astronuats, and was labeled with Microban, but that is not named on the label now. Although the claim it was formualted by NASA remains. It is the best fungicide for ringworm, and all kinds of bacterial skin infections. People use it for atheletes foot and the like.
> Micro-Tek Spray
> I hope it helps! Your post just reminded me of BJ so much I wanted to let you know.


I know this product and use it on my horses to fight rain rot on her legs. So much hair on her legs. She's broken 5 CLIPPERS.
I've tried it on Emma since I've seen it improve itching on horses and it only made it worse. I think it might of been the PH level.


Anyways, I've started her on Apple Cider Vinegar 1 teaspoon every night and like magic, 3 days, almost NO itching.
It is also fighting off the fleas and ticks as well. Last night she was able to sleep without cone!!! I only woke to her chewing her front paw.


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## bullyBug (May 31, 2012)

PunkyPug said:


> The vet had goften back to us either yesterday or the day before. There isn't any good allergies. No environmental allergies. She's even checked our clears. Only reactions are to the kitchen counter top cleaner and the bleach.
> Emma isn't allowed in the kitchen. It is gated off for the cat food and Emma's food is handled in the dining room. Lord knows I keep her far away from the bleach as well.
> The vet has narrowed it down to behavioral or OCD disorder. We are currently working on ruling out behavioral.


Hi, I also have an itchy dog, and have read your thread with great interest. 

Can you talk a little more about your vet visit please. Were any meds given? What type of allergy test was performed? Did they do a skin scrape or DTM? How was your vet able to test for the cleaner and bleach?


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## millertime (May 16, 2012)

Sheffield has had some very severe allergies. He will be 3 in July, I got him in September of 2009. He has been on an organic, soy free fish oil since he was about 1 years old. He started getting hot spots about a year ago. My vet has done a blood allergy test($350), and nothing was far enough above normal levels to matter. I started giving him coconut oil, which didn't seem to do anything. I took him to a dermatologist and they did a skin scrape,($175) everything was normal. Both the specialist and my vet say it is food related. They have been pushing me to put Sheff on a hypo-allergenic food.($70per 25# bag) I switched him to raw about a month ago and started giving him wild blueberries, and all of his spots are gone or nearly gone, but the more important thing to me is he isn't itching anymore and there haven't been any flair ups.


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