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Comment by Tiana & Ein on February 5, 2011 at 2:00pm

I feed both of my dogs Blue Buffalo, and my other dog itches but not as bad....

Comment by Sam Tsang on February 5, 2011 at 10:22am

Hi Tiana & Ein, there are many causes for itching:

 

Atopy / Inhalant (most common)

 Grass, weed, tree pollen (cedar, ash, oak), dust mites, mold, mildew. Temperature is too warm and dry, humidity too low. Check allergy report in your area.

 

Flea Allergy (very common)

Understand the flea life cycle, a single flea can lay about 50 eggs per day, 600 a lifetime. Yes, polar bears get fleas too :) If you dog didn't bring an adult flea home but brought some flea eggs, they will hatch in the right temperature and humidity. Make sure you wash everything, vacuum properly, dispose and seal the bag outside. Don't rely on flea Rx, only use them on a need to basis.

 

Contact Allergy (Walk it, lick it, got it)

Carpet cleaner, floor cleaning solution, grass fertilizers, lawn pesticides, yard bug sprays. Winter salt, sidewalks chemical deicer...etc.

 

Food Allergy (less than 10%)

In reality - only less that 10% of dogs are allergic to what they eat.  While it is quite possible. It is not usually the best place to start looking for solutions. The most common triggers are beef, dairy products, chicken, lamb, fish, chicken eggs, corn, wheat, and soy. (It's in everything) Scientifically narrow down the ingredients and find the actual culprit, do your own elimination diet and make an inform decision. Remember: in order to do it properly, you must allow 6-8 weeks for each brand and flavor to replicate the allergic reaction. Open an excel spread sheet and record the ingredients / findings. Don't guess or simply change brands / flavors and assume what brand works for others may also work for you.

 

Immune System

When your dog's immune system is compromised, he / she is more susceptible to allergies. Meaning the very same ingredient that caused havoc once upon a time can be overcome one day.

 

If you've confirmed dry skin is the root of the problem, turn on the humidifier. Add a teaspoon of oil to his food, keep warm baths to a minimum. Always use a gentle shampoo like human baby ones or oatmeal baths. Good luck!

Comment by Jane Christensen on February 5, 2011 at 10:10am

Fleas???

Comment by Samantha, Daxter and Seeka! on February 5, 2011 at 8:29am

Sounds like it's allergies.....i'd try a different food first and see what happens. Make sure you look at the ingredients list on your current food and make sure you're getting something with different protein and possibly one that's grain free. If you come to the conclusion that it's not a food allergy, there are specialty vets that can do allergy testing to see if the allergy is environmental.

Comment by Stephanie on February 5, 2011 at 4:36am

First check for food allergies...my furbabies stopped itching when I bought a vaporizer.