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Itching In Healthy Dog


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Guest capers7

Hello! I am new here and could really use your help. Theo is a 5-year-old black boy who looks to be the epitome of good health. He is a seizure dog, well controlled on phenobarbital and Kbr. He is happy and active. Skin is soft, supple and without dander, scale, or blemish. Hair is so shiny he throws back light at the moon. No external bugs to be seen. He has been wormed, anal glands expressed. He has been on probiotics and salmon oil. His stools are nice and firm (finally). I have tried massaging him with grapeseed oil mixed with various essential oils good for itchy skin and even added tea tree oil. All to no avail. He itches. He bites and chews. He rubs alongside me. When I pet him his feet come up to scratch almost instantly and it does not seem to matter where. This has been going on for the last 3 to 4 months. Nothing has changed of note. The chewing does seem focused around his anus and tail, but there are no sores or red areas, unless he really starts chewing/licking, but they go away quickly. I have tried putting antibiotic ointment and tea tree ointment around his anal area; no help. Next stop is the vet, but I really cannot afford it. :unsure

 

Your insight, thoughts, and suggestions would be greytly appreciated!

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We went through this with Rocket this summer, and many of the dogs in our immediate area had similar issues. We think it was related to ragweed that bloomed on the vacant lots in our development, but were never sure. It took high doses of Pred to relieve the itching that Rocket had, and we had to keep it going until after the first frost.

 

He was otherwise completely healthy, and the itching went away after the frost. Iit sounds like the vet is definitely your next step.

 

I would also check the ingredients in the food and treats he is eating and try to rule out anyting that he might be allergic to. If you think there is a food allergy, remove only one item at a time for several weeks until you can be sure what the offending item is.

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My dog got very itchy recently and I was starting to think it was neurological (I even shared a little youtube video of it on this site early January), but shortly after when she injured her knee and the vet sedated her to fix it, they said they noticed a couple of fleas. Now I hadn't seen any but after administering Frontline the itching hasn't come back anything like it was. (Her leg is healed now).

So it must have been fleabite or flea allergies.

They can also have food allergies but the only way to check that is to remove one at a time starting with gluten and see what occurs.

 

I am also pretty sure that if we spray Fabreeze around the house she gets itchier!

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Guest verthib

I think it could be a few things: food, too many additives (oils, etc), or laundry detergent/fabric softener. Even though his stool is firm it sounds like a food allergy.

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Our grey girl Bonny gets itchy skin every May. She is the only one. There must be something that blooms that time of year that doesn't agree with her. We get meds for her at the vet and it clears up within a couple of weeks. This has happened each year. I hope you can figure out the issue and that it's an easy solution.

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Guest mbfilby

Some greyhounds dogs fake scratch (leg kick when you rub them) because it just feels good. Also, rubbing against you/furniture can be a feel good thing, so the itching may not be as bad as you think. Our Mickey did both all the time.

 

For me itching in an otherwise healthy pup makes me think allergies, but I would expect to see dander and dry skin. I'd have a vet check for parasites.

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Guest capers7

Well, he certainly gets more than his share of treats, so will have to weed some of those out for a while. At this point, I would rather weed out a bunch and add them back, than miss one causing a problem! Any idea how long it would take to see results? In my past experience, food allergies usually caused bad skin conditions. Is that not the case with greys? Even with the itching, his skin has remained clear.

 

We just had a good snow a couple weeks ago, so that should have settled any new blooming thing, but did not change his issues. However, will keep the thought in mind in case it becomes seasonal (God forbid).

 

I did use Frontline as well, just in case, but if I had blood sucking bugs, I would be the first to know as they like me better than the animals!!

 

Thanks so much for the great suggestions. I will definitely attack the treat arena and see if that helps.

 

Keep 'em coming!!!!

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Guest verthib

Well, he certainly gets more than his share of treats, so will have to weed some of those out for a while. At this point, I would rather weed out a bunch and add them back, than miss one causing a problem! Any idea how long it would take to see results? In my past experience, food allergies usually caused bad skin conditions. Is that not the case with greys? Even with the itching, his skin has remained clear.

 

We just had a good snow a couple weeks ago, so that should have settled any new blooming thing, but did not change his issues. However, will keep the thought in mind in case it becomes seasonal (God forbid).

 

I did use Frontline as well, just in case, but if I had blood sucking bugs, I would be the first to know as they like me better than the animals!!

 

Thanks so much for the great suggestions. I will definitely attack the treat arena and see if that helps.

 

Keep 'em coming!!!!

 

If its a food allergy it's more likely to be his food, not so much the treats.

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Guest capers7

Some greyhounds dogs fake scratch (leg kick when you rub them) because it just feels good. Also, rubbing against you/furniture can be a feel good thing, so the itching may not be as bad as you think. Our Mickey did both all the time.

 

For me itching in an otherwise healthy pup makes me think allergies, but I would expect to see dander and dry skin. I'd have a vet check for parasites.

:lol Yes, and Theo loves the body slide. But this is getting beyond normal and it is definitely itchy. Today he started stopping while walking trying to reach behind his shoulder area where it is getting more itchy. Course his feet seem unattached to his brain and don't know where they are going (funny to watch)!! So I helped him out a bit, which led to more body slides and butt scritches of course. :P

 

If its a food allergy it's more likely to be his food, not so much the treats.

I so did not want to hear that. But I am asking and listening.

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You may want to bathe him with an anti-itch shampoo. I like "Allergroom" - a shampoo my vet carries. On the label, it reads "hypoallergenic, emollient, restoring, antisebororrheic and keratoseborrheic."

 

I have tried oatmeal-based dog shampoos, which help, but I found the Allergroom works the best on an itchy dog.

 

For particularly bad episodes, Benadryl can offer temporary relief. (I cannot remember the dosage, though, but I am sure some other GT'rs can weigh in here.)

 

Good luck.

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Guest BrianRke

This might sound strange, but...Do you use plastic food or water bowls. I had this happen several years ago with one of my dogs and we couldnt figure out what was causing it. My vet said to me one day..."just for fun, use stainless steel bowls and see what happens"

 

Problem solved!!

 

Strange huh?

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You said it's often itchy around his anus & tail - could it be his anal glands need to be expressed? You can do it yourself (glove up!) but I leave that lovely chore to the professionals. lol.gif

 

I had a boy that was very allergic to dust mites. His problem manifested in his ears & I had to do desensitization shots to get him past it. But I also removed the carpeting in the house & upped the amount of laundry I did (I used detergents with no fragrances or dyes).

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Guest capers7

This might sound strange, but...Do you use plastic food or water bowls. I had this happen several years ago with one of my dogs and we couldnt figure out what was causing it. My vet said to me one day..."just for fun, use stainless steel bowls and see what happens"

 

Problem solved!!

 

Strange huh?

Not at all strange! I do use stainless steel everything, even 4 quart flat-backed water buckets. Glad you were able to solve your problem though!!

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Guest capers7

You said it's often itchy around his anus & tail - could it be his anal glands need to be expressed? You can do it yourself (glove up!) but I leave that lovely chore to the professionals. lol.gif

 

I had a boy that was very allergic to dust mites. His problem manifested in his ears & I had to do desensitization shots to get him past it. But I also removed the carpeting in the house & upped the amount of laundry I did (I used detergents with no fragrances or dyes).

Yep, cleaned those as well. They were not impacted, nor was the material hard. It was one of the first things I thought about, and had checked them to make sure they were not enlarged or inflamed.

 

Now the dust mites might be another issue. I live in an RV and they are notoriously dusty and as mine has a carpet like substance on the ceiling, that does not help at all!

 

HOWEVER!!!!! I do believe he might be slowing down a bit in the itching/chewing! Maybe something is kicking in! I am keeping my fingers crossed!

 

You may want to bathe him with an anti-itch shampoo. I like "Allergroom" - a shampoo my vet carries. On the label, it reads "hypoallergenic, emollient, restoring, antisebororrheic and keratoseborrheic."

 

I have tried oatmeal-based dog shampoos, which help, but I found the Allergroom works the best on an itchy dog.

 

For particularly bad episodes, Benadryl can offer temporary relief. (I cannot remember the dosage, though, but I am sure some other GT'rs can weigh in here.)

 

Good luck.

Many thanks. We used a hypoallergenic shampoo for itching that had eucalyptus and peppermint in it, and left it on for about 7 to 10 minutes. Maybe I was expecting results too soon, because as I said above, it looks like it might be slowing down! I would like to know the Benadryl dosage though!

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Dogs can be allergic to anything.

 

Allergies in and of themselves do not cause "bad skin." Excessive scratching and licking from alleries cause bad skin.

 

More typical than an itchy anus would be itching of the "armpits," ears, and chewing at the feet.

 

I think you should probably take him to the vet for a look. A basic visit should not be too expensive, and the vet might give you some ideas or suggestions.

 

Have you tried Benadryl to see if it makes him STOP itching? If it doesn't at all, then he probably doesn't have an allergy.


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I was also going to suggest Benedryl. I had a dog that had allergy symptoms that sound like what you describe at certain times of the yr. I would take her to the vet for an allergy shot that was basically Benedryl and that cleared her right up.

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You said it's often itchy around his anus & tail - could it be his anal glands need to be expressed? You can do it yourself (glove up!) but I leave that lovely chore to the professionals. lol.gif

 

I had a boy that was very allergic to dust mites. His problem manifested in his ears & I had to do desensitization shots to get him past it. But I also removed the carpeting in the house & upped the amount of laundry I did (I used detergents with no fragrances or dyes).

Yep, cleaned those as well. They were not impacted, nor was the material hard. It was one of the first things I thought about, and had checked them to make sure they were not enlarged or inflamed.

 

Now the dust mites might be another issue. I live in an RV and they are notoriously dusty and as mine has a carpet like substance on the ceiling, that does not help at all!

 

HOWEVER!!!!! I do believe he might be slowing down a bit in the itching/chewing! Maybe something is kicking in! I am keeping my fingers crossed!

 

You may want to bathe him with an anti-itch shampoo. I like "Allergroom" - a shampoo my vet carries. On the label, it reads "hypoallergenic, emollient, restoring, antisebororrheic and keratoseborrheic."

 

I have tried oatmeal-based dog shampoos, which help, but I found the Allergroom works the best on an itchy dog.

 

For particularly bad episodes, Benadryl can offer temporary relief. (I cannot remember the dosage, though, but I am sure some other GT'rs can weigh in here.)

 

Good luck.

Many thanks. We used a hypoallergenic shampoo for itching that had eucalyptus and peppermint in it, and left it on for about 7 to 10 minutes. Maybe I was expecting results too soon, because as I said above, it looks like it might be slowing down! I would like to know the Benadryl dosage though!

 

 

You mentioned that you had a seizure dog and I noticed that you used a shampoo with eucalyptus in it - this could actually trigger a seizure as it is very aromatic.

 

As to the itching, you might want to try adding cooked oatmeal to the food.

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Benadryl dosage: 0.5 to 2mg per pound of body weight, every 8 to 12 hours. Most generic pills are 25 mg: I'd generally start a 50 pound dog on two of those, a 75 pound dog on three. Then increase if necessary.

 

Take care to get plain old diphenhydramine (that's the generic): Do NOT give any version with pain or fever reducers or other extra ingredients.

 

P.S. If your boy is on seizure meds, I'd run this past your vet before you start.

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Guest capers7

Dogs can be allergic to anything.

 

Allergies in and of themselves do not cause "bad skin." Excessive scratching and licking from alleries cause bad skin.

 

More typical than an itchy anus would be itching of the "armpits," ears, and chewing at the feet.

 

I think you should probably take him to the vet for a look. A basic visit should not be too expensive, and the vet might give you some ideas or suggestions.

 

Have you tried Benadryl to see if it makes him STOP itching? If it doesn't at all, then he probably doesn't have an allergy.

I have not tried Benadryl, not knowing the dose, but seeing the other posts, that is now available. Thanks very much for the suggestions. He is not really going after any of those other points, and he really is getting better, way less chewing and the itch reaction to petting is quite a bit less as well, so perhaps we are on the good side of things here. However, if the vet okays a Benadryl trial, I would still like to try it, just to see if that really helps. Might give some insight as well as some relief. Thanks!

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Guest capers7

You said it's often itchy around his anus & tail - could it be his anal glands need to be expressed? You can do it yourself (glove up!) but I leave that lovely chore to the professionals. lol.gif

 

I had a boy that was very allergic to dust mites. His problem manifested in his ears & I had to do desensitization shots to get him past it. But I also removed the carpeting in the house & upped the amount of laundry I did (I used detergents with no fragrances or dyes).

Yep, cleaned those as well. They were not impacted, nor was the material hard. It was one of the first things I thought about, and had checked them to make sure they were not enlarged or inflamed.

 

Now the dust mites might be another issue. I live in an RV and they are notoriously dusty and as mine has a carpet like substance on the ceiling, that does not help at all!

 

HOWEVER!!!!! I do believe he might be slowing down a bit in the itching/chewing! Maybe something is kicking in! I am keeping my fingers crossed!

 

You may want to bathe him with an anti-itch shampoo. I like "Allergroom" - a shampoo my vet carries. On the label, it reads "hypoallergenic, emollient, restoring, antisebororrheic and keratoseborrheic."

 

I have tried oatmeal-based dog shampoos, which help, but I found the Allergroom works the best on an itchy dog.

 

For particularly bad episodes, Benadryl can offer temporary relief. (I cannot remember the dosage, though, but I am sure some other GT'rs can weigh in here.)

 

Good luck.

Many thanks. We used a hypoallergenic shampoo for itching that had eucalyptus and peppermint in it, and left it on for about 7 to 10 minutes. Maybe I was expecting results too soon, because as I said above, it looks like it might be slowing down! I would like to know the Benadryl dosage though!

 

 

You mentioned that you had a seizure dog and I noticed that you used a shampoo with eucalyptus in it - this could actually trigger a seizure as it is very aromatic.

 

As to the itching, you might want to try adding cooked oatmeal to the food.

There is so much to learn. I was not aware eucalyptus could trigger a seizure. He is overall a pretty stable seizure dog. Nothing particular seems to trigger them and seeing as I have been rubbing him down with massage oil with eucalyptus and tea tree oil and others without any apparent problems, thankfully he does not seem to be susceptible to the fumes.

 

As to the oatmeal, I had not heard of adding it to the food, but I can certainly give it a try. Thanks!

 

Benadryl dosage: 0.5 to 2mg per pound of body weight, every 8 to 12 hours. Most generic pills are 25 mg: I'd generally start a 50 pound dog on two of those, a 75 pound dog on three. Then increase if necessary.

 

Take care to get plain old diphenhydramine (that's the generic): Do NOT give any version with pain or fever reducers or other extra ingredients.

 

P.S. If your boy is on seizure meds, I'd run this past your vet before you start.

Thank you very much! Theo is 84 pounds, so I will run it by the vet in the morning and see what he says. I have the generic diphenhydramine from Costco.

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Guest capers7

Just in case anyone is still following....Theo seems back to his normal self! No clue what did it for him, but he is no longer going into paroxysms when I pat him, nor chewing himself to pieces. Guessing it was some kind of environmental allergy.

 

Thanks again for all the help and support!

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Guest FullMetalFrank

That's good to hear. Anytime I see a post about an unexplained itchy condition, I think of a flea allergy; even if you see no fleas or use a preventive a really allergic dog can pick up a transient flea, get bit a couple of times, and set off an allergic reaction. I also think of my #1 go-to all-purpose home remedy for stuff like that, for myself and the houndies, pure emu oil! I mix a couple of drops in shampoo (mine and theirs) apply to itchy, scaly patches (I have psoriasis along with my RA) and have been using it on Jewel's scars since she was healed enough to use a topical treatment and her scars are very soft and flat and about as minor as could be. No; I don't own stock in emus or sell the stuff, LOL! I bouhgt a bottle at my old job at the pet hotel and have been sold ever since. It's spendy but a teeny bit goes a long way.

 

Glad Theo's less itchy!

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Guest capers7

That's good to hear. Anytime I see a post about an unexplained itchy condition, I think of a flea allergy; even if you see no fleas or use a preventive a really allergic dog can pick up a transient flea, get bit a couple of times, and set off an allergic reaction. I also think of my #1 go-to all-purpose home remedy for stuff like that, for myself and the houndies, pure emu oil! I mix a couple of drops in shampoo (mine and theirs) apply to itchy, scaly patches (I have psoriasis along with my RA) and have been using it on Jewel's scars since she was healed enough to use a topical treatment and her scars are very soft and flat and about as minor as could be. No; I don't own stock in emus or sell the stuff, LOL! I bouhgt a bottle at my old job at the pet hotel and have been sold ever since. It's spendy but a teeny bit goes a long way.

 

Glad Theo's less itchy!

Emu oil huh? I actually have some for moisturizing my emu eggs that I carve, so I will pull it out and give it a shot on the areas that are still a little itchy!!

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