Itchy Hound In Wisconsin

[Guest cdholl]

I was just wondering if anyone else has an itchy hound right now? I can't find any issues with bites, bugs, etc...she looks like she has healthy skin and coat, except for the last week she itches her neck constantly. I rewashed her and she quit for a couple hours and now she's back at the itching. She's already on a raw diet so potential food allergies are out (well, more than likely anyway-the itching is new, the diet is since we got her jan 1). So....does anyone have any advice? Thnx

Ps, my seasonal allergies are in full bloom so she might have similar?

[Guest RMarie]

A while back James was itchy for seemingly no reason. We started him on Missing Link and his itchiness cleared up in no time.

[Guest Plygreygirl]

My girl Mia is also having problems with itching. The past couple of years at the end of August 1st of September she gets these what I call hot spots. Angry red splotches that are very itchy. I have noticed the past couple of days she scratching more than normal. Today the spots are getting very red. I gave her Benadryl a short time ago but I just know it's not enough. I will be calling the vet in the morning hate to have to do it but steroids are the only thing that will fix it. Last year I tried to fix it with the Benadryl but it's just not enough to keep her from going crazy. So not waiting this year but was wondering what the Missing Link is used for? I would rather use almost anything other then steroids but it gets so bad so quickly. Her whole body is like super itchy and I just know she wanting to scratch and that is not helping. I have really bad poison ivy so have a good idea just how much it hurts. But would be interested in the Missinf Link if it would help!

[tbhounds]

I have a itchy hound in NJ :-). My boy has environmental allergies--they are pretty bad now-ragweed is pretty high right now. I keep my boys allergy symptoms at bay by frequent bathing (with Ketachlor shampoo) and antihistamines. I also use a topical steriod spray-Genesis-when hes eeally bad. Right now he's taking Zyrtec. I find Benadryl while safe is ineffective for allergies. Think it's more benefical for an allergic reaction like a bee sting but, not for seasonal allergies. You may have to find the antihistamine that works best for your dog-Chlortrimeton, Zyrtec, Allegra and Claritin are all safe to use (just remember do not use anything with a decongestant in it--no "D")

[Guest budsmom]

I have an itchy cat, and the first thing my vet suspected was allergies. She said their clinic is seeing many dogs and cats recently with allergies - typically to airborne stuff like pollen or mold. I would try some benadryl and see if that helps, but I don't remember the dose off the top of my head. It turned out not to be allergies with my cat, but I thought it was interesting that the vet suspected that first and mentioned how prevalent it seems to be.

[Guest cdholl]

Thank you for your input everyone! I got some hydrocortisone spray this afternoon which seems to be helping some-the itching is less but I am going to keep the allergy meds in mind. Maybe we have the same problem except mine is all in my head. Lol

Edited September 2, 2013 by cdholl

[MP_the4pack]

My Tanzi is itching horrible and I had her on Benedril but it hardly touched the itch. How much Zyrtec do you give your grey?

 

(I'm also in NJ)

[a_daerr]

So not waiting this year but was wondering what the Missing Link is used for?

 

It's a coat supplement. It will work for regular dry, itchy skin, but probably not a solution for itchiness caused by inflammation or allergies.

I've used it on my two with much success.

[GeorgeofNE]

It's ragweed season. August to October, which is when George is itchy.

 

I give him two Benadryl 2 or 3 times a day on the advice of our vet, and it keeps it under control.

[tbhounds]

My Tanzi is itching horrible and I had her on Benedril but it hardly touched the itch. How much Zyrtec do you give your grey?

 

(I'm also in NJ)

Typically a dog greater than 40lbs can take 10mgs by mouth twice daily.

[krissn333]

I have had this come up with Ozzie...he had a bath September 1st but just started being super itchy a couple of days ago. I would think that if we didn't get the soap out he'd have been itching long before now.

 

I just gave him a Zyrtec...I hope it helps!

[sobesmom]

My Sobe got itchy every Autumn. As soon as the leaves changed, he'd start chewing his feet and scratching his haunches. Environmental. I assumed it was fallen leaves, but it could have been any fall thing. A benedryl a day - 2 when it was at the worst - for about a month did the trick. Vet's advice, BTW to give the Benadryl. I bought generic - it works just as well. No sense doing a bunch of testing, or food-swapping if it's a seasonal thing.

[krissn333]

Zyrtec has been working like a charm for Ozzie No itchy scratchy sessions tonight

[tbhounds]

Zyrtec has been working like a charm for Ozzie No itchy scratchy sessions tonight

Glad it's working for Ozzie :-). Itching is miserable :-(

[KF_in_Georgia]

I changed dog foods yesterday (didn't transition), and foster dog was itching like mad last night and this morning--chewing at the base of his tail and licking his groin. Three possibilities, I think:

 

1-Food allergy. There's grain in the new food (Iams green bag), and there wasn't any in the old (Nature's Recipe Venison & Rice). Would a food allergy show this quickly (i.e., within the first 12 hours)? And licking in those two areas?

 

2-Pollen/ragweed. It's been bad for a few days, but he spent more time than usual outside yesterday when I took him to the park. But we just walked, and he doesn't get roll-in-the-grass time since I know the pollen's been bad.

 

3-Worms. Foster has been here nearly two weeks, and this suddenly happened--but my other dog is fine. Maybe new guy has been stressed enough (he's a bounce) that a latent infection of worms has become active? I threw this in because he's chewing his tail a lot, but his poop is okay.

 

I'll give him a Zyrtec this morning, and I'll go buy new dog food for him today. If he doesn't get better quickly, we'll see the vet.

 

P.S. Not fleas. He's on a flea preventative, and there's no sign of fleas (and they'd show in his groin). Also, Silver isn't itchy.

 

Obligatory photo:

 

 

He's GRA Peter.

 

ETA: I gave him two Benadryl last night and we all got a good night's sleep. Fleas or hooks wouldn't have allowed that.

Edited September 12, 2013 by KF_in_Georgia

[Guest cdholl]

He is beautiful! I had a couple people ask me if it was fleas...as if I wouldn't have checked that first? lol. Can't wait for the ragweed to die down for my puppies sake and MY SAKE!!! Argh!

[KF_in_Georgia]

Can't wait for the ragweed to die down for my puppies sake and MY SAKE!!! Argh!

 

Agreed. We had a lost greyhound in the area this weekend, and some of us spent Saturday, Sunday, and part of Monday hunting for her in orange pollen count, orange air quality conditions, in one of the most inhospitable areas a dog could go missing. She's home safely, though--and I'm still taking antihistamines.

[Guest Celestrina]

I changed dog foods yesterday (didn't transition), and foster dog was itching like mad last night and this morning--chewing at the base of his tail and licking his groin. Three possibilities, I think:

 

1-Food allergy. There's grain in the new food (Iams green bag), and there wasn't any in the old (Nature's Recipe Venison & Rice). Would a food allergy show this quickly (i.e., within the first 12 hours)? And licking in those two areas?

 

It probably is not the food. If he was sensitive to grain his original food would have triggered a reaction - rice is a grain.

[KF_in_Georgia]

It probably is not the food. If he was sensitive to grain his original food would have triggered a reaction - rice is a grain.

 

But the Iams has corn as its 2nd ingredient, and the NR has no corn. Both formulas have poultry fat, so I'm less inclined to blame the chicken in the Iams. (Neither formula has wheat.) His Kongs have been whatever kibble is current, with a tablespoon or two of yogurt (and a couple of mini-marshmallows). The current yogurt is strawberry/banana, but they've been getting that flavor for several days and the marshmallows since Day 1. (He arrived here 31 August.) He's had no people food besides the yogurt and marshmallows (and a slice of turkey lunchmeat to wrap his pills in), and he usually gets kibble as a treat. He sometimes gets BilJac chicken liver training treats, but has been getting them off and on for several days. (But they have wheat flour, so perhaps I need to watch them.) And he gets Missing Link Hip and Joint formula, 2 teaspoons a day. (His hips and joints are fine, but he's getting the same formula my 8-year-old gets, and he's been getting it since the beginning.) Flea preventative (Frontline Plus) more than a week ago; heartworm (ivermectin in a capsule, so no flavoring ingredients) one week ago.

 

Any ideas what else could have triggered such a sudden reaction? He's been exposed to the high ragweed pollen levels for more than a week, and he's not showing the typical pollen reaction (he's not chewing or licking at his feet). And he's much better on Benadryl or Zyrtec, which leads me to worry less about the possibility of worms. The Benedryl might not have actually helped with the itching, but it made him dopey enough to sleep. The Zyrtec hasn't made him groggy, but he's not itching or scratching since I gave him 10mg this morning.

 

No change in laundry detergent--and, in fact, bed covers were washed the day before he arrived, but not since. There's no sign of any bug bites--no-see-'ums or flies or anything like that. And no rash on his skin.

 

The biting and obsessive licking started about 8 or 9 last night, 12 hours or so after his first meal of the Iams, 9 hours after our short trip to the park. (The park trip was less than an hour long--just walking on concrete, dirt, or grass.) The licking started again this morning when he woke up. He still had Iams for breakfast, but his lunchtime Kong was NR, and his supper and bedtime Kong will be, too.

 

If it's the pollen, then once the Zyrtec wears off, he should have a relapse--tomorrow's pollen count is forecast to be in the red range.

Edited September 12, 2013 by KF_in_Georgia

[a_daerr]

IME, twelve hours is a very short amount of time to start seeing food allergy issues. One of my guys had an allergy to one of the ingredients in TOTW. It took several weeks before he started getting itchy. Also, you would probably be seeing some kind of digestion problem along with that.

 

The base of the tail and groin, combined with his persistence leads me to think flea allergy dermatitis (and hear me out on this one). Frontline kills the flea after it comes into contact with the dog. It doesn't prevent bites from occurring. I had a cat who had a flea allergy, and she had problems even when she was on a preventative, and even in the winter. For an animal with a flea allergy, a few flea bites can turn into huge problems. Rarely is it a full blown infestation. My cat had to be on a steroid when her itching got severe, so that's an option if the antihistimines aren't working. You may also want to consider K9 Advantix as a preventative, since it kills AND repels.

 

 

Here's an article from Pet Web MD on Flea Allergy Dermatitis:

 

This is the most common allergy in dogs. It is caused by a hypersensitivity reaction to one or more substances in the saliva of fleas. Flea allergy dermatitis is an allergic reaction of both the immediate and delayed type; itching begins immediately and tends to persist long after fleas have been eliminated. One bite is enough to trigger this reaction. Symptoms are worse in midsummer during the flea season. However, dogs who live in the house may suffer all year long if fleas are present.

Flea allergy dermatitis is characterized by severe itching with inflamed skin and red papules found where fleas are heavily concentrated-over the rump and base of the tail, under the legs, and on the groin and belly. Dogs chew and rub at these areas. Hair falls out and the skin becomes dry and scaly. In some cases the skin breaks down and develops raw areas that become crusted and infected. In time, the skin becomes thick and darkly pigmented.

Treatment: The majority of dogs with flea allergy dermatitis can be cured by eliminating fleas on the dog and controlling fleas in the environment. All pets in the household, even those who are not affected, must be treated simultaneously to eliminate fleas. Antihistamines and/or corticosteroids may be required for two to three days to control itching. A medicated bath may also help to make your dog more comfortable. Pyoderma requires topical and oral antibiotics. Seek veterinary attention for these problems.

Edited September 12, 2013 by a_daerr

[RedHead]

It's shedding season right now here. Teague's neck is losing a lot of fur and I always notice he scratches it more during this time. I have no idea if shedding makes them itchy, but scratching the neck seems like a strange area if it was an allergy (??).

[KF_in_Georgia]

Peter got the Nature's Recipe instead of Iams today and tonight. No itching, licking, or chewing. And it's been about 14 hours since any antihistamines. He finished his bedtime Kong about 30 minutes ago, and he's sleeping like a log.

 

The article says flea allergy dermatitis causes immediate itching. But there has not been a single glimpse of a flea in the entire 13 days he's been here. I've checked his groin and his belly (both pretty hairless), and he has no sign of any bites, bumps, pustules, or anything like that.

 

If it's not a food allergy, then I'm guessing it's the ragweed. We didn't go out as much today as yesterday, and the pollen count was lower today. Sometime soon, when the pollen count drops to a sensible number, I might try him on the Iams again to see if there's a reaction.