We just got Packer 2 weeks ago from the Humane society, and besides a small seizer (which the vet said was bc he ate a poisonous berry) he's been great.  However, over the past few days he's began itching a ton!  He's belly is red and warm.  The lady at Petco said he could have developed a grass allergy? We started integrating Natural Balance Allergy Formula and I've washed him with Anti-Itching shampoo twice. I've heard of salmon oil? ANy advice?? We were trying to see if their was something we could do before we took him to the vet.

 

I just hate to see him uncomfortable or itching like that....

 

Thanks! :)

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Are there any marks/bites? Just making sure it's not fleas. Is the shampoo mild? Does his food you switched to have corn in it (sorry I'm not familiar with it).Sorry I don't have much info but there are many post on this, maybe you can look back. It's hard to see them miserable and glad you adopted him from a humane society...he's a cutie!
No bites, and we've been checking pretty vigerously for fleas, since that was our first reaction. The food is a lamb and brown rice, no corn. And yes, the shampoo is mild. The original one I was using was just "puppy formula" but once the itching picked up I switched to an oatmeal one. Thanks for the tips tho... :/
After I had Laika a few days I noticed her itching A LOT! I tried anti-itch shampoo, gave her benedryl, etc. but nothing helped much. She couldn't walk across a room without stopping multiple times and she would wake up every hour in the middle of the night and scratch. The only thing I could think to do was switch them to grain-free food so I started feeding them Taste of the Wild. Slowly the itching slowed and about two-weeks later it was gone all together. Her belly was no longer red and the scabs in her armpits and belly went away too. So I figured she had some type of grain-allergy. A few weeks later she got caught eating deer poo (gross, I know!) and the itching came back for a few days which leads me to believe her allergy is strictly a corn allergy (my neighbors put corn out for the deer). It can take up to about 2 months for the itchiness to stop if it's a food allergy so if it is corn maybe he hasn't had time to adjust to the new food. Some dogs can be allergic to the protein source in food too (I hope this isn't the case, it can be expensive to buy hypoallergenic foods) so if you rule out EVERYTHING else, you may want to switch to a totally hypoallergenic food that they probably will sell through your vet's office and start a food allergy trial. I've heard that a little olive oil in the food can help with itchiness and I've also heard of dogs being allergic to tons of other things in the house, like fabric softener.

If he continues to be very uncomfortable I'd consider taking him to the vet to see what they have to say, and possibly have him allergy tested if nothing seems to be working. But like I said, it can take time for the itching to stop even after you've eliminated the allergen so be patient!! I hope Packer feels better soon!
Thanks, although he looks uncomfortable, it's reassuring to know other pups go through it too :)
Yeah it was really frustrating to see Laika so itchy and not being able to do anything about it :(
Please read this article I wrote on eliminating dog food allergies. If its dry skin then I suggest giving him a small spoonful of coconut oil once a day to hydrate his skin. BUT if its dog food allergies I highly suggest preparing Packers food your self. Its not as difficult, crazy, or expensive as it sounds. I've gone in circles with trying different dog foods and concluded that even the most expensive foods are not good for our dogs. If you prepare his food yourself, you can be sure that its not preservatives or other junk triggering this, and determine exactly which protein or ingredient Packer is sensitive to. Best of luck, I know its heartbreaking to see your pet miserable, but with persistence he'll be better in no time!
I would wipe him down with a hypoallergenic, non-scented baby wipe after he's been outside. If it is some sort of outdoor allergy it might help.
I was also thinking to wipe his tummy with a cloth with baking soda on it. When my kids were little and had the chicken pox you gave them a bath with this in their water. I use it in my laundry , it's natural and won't harm anything. I would caution not to try one thing after another either as you may think something hasn't worked...because it hasn't had enough time to help. Talk to you vet about benadryl for a temperary solution till you can get this worked out! Good luck!
Murray has seasonal allergies: some kind of pollen. The vet put him on Chorpheniramine Maleate (6mg twice a day) a few days ago and his itching is MUCH less. He had some problems last year also and it went away as soon as we had a good freeze.

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