scratching dogs?????

[DDD]

He's been to the vet and has an ointment for one place near his tail that is irritated BUT I swear he scratches WAY too much. I see no fleas.

Yesterday I gave him a "shower bath" and rinsed him with baking soda diluted in warm water which I left on him for about five minutes or so before patting him dry. It seemed to help. Any other suggestions?

by the way, our "woosey" Boxer (whom we have decided must have been mistreated) decided to GROWL at a new workman who came into the kitchen at my side with pleasant conversation. I expected Ace to run over and wag him to death but nope....grrrrrrrrr.

This dog ia a difficult child challenge. DDD

PS: Which monthly flea treatment are you guys using? It's been a couple of years since we traveled the doggie trail and I can't remember what worked best for Logan, RIP

 

[DammitJanet]

There is an anti-itch shampoo for dogs that you can buy at places like walmart. I think it has hydrocortisone in it. That worked for one of my dogs that scratched a lot. Also make sure you are getting the shampoo off. You know what? Maybe a trip to the ocean might be good for him. Salt water might do the trick. Sometimes nature is better than anything else.

 

[Hound dog]

I've had the same issue with Molly for years. Vet said it's fleas. Nope. She can be flea free and still chew her tail to shreds. Glands? Nope. I can have her glands cleaned and still she chews.

I believe there is a plant in the back yard she's allergic to.....and when she sits out there....

I got a medicated shampoo from walmart. Works wonders for healing it up. Gave her a bath 2 wks ago and you can tell she's due for another. Poor baby.

I'll have to look for the anti itch one. I've been threatening to get her one of those weird collar things. But our vet doesn't use them......and we're so rural I'd have to go all the way to cincy or something to get one. And it would have to be huge cuz Molly's huge. lol

Baking soda is a good idea. I've been wondering about vasinline....but am afraid to try it cuz it's on her tail where she can reach it. But the stuff works wonders on Rowdy's ears. Reminds me I have to get some now that hot weather is here.

Oh, any one remember the dose of benedryl per pound for a dog? I've fogotten over the winter........and Molly could sure use it. She's miserable.

 

[DammitJanet]

They also make some hydrocortisone liquid stuff for people that you squirt on your scalp. I bet that would work too. Its in a little bottle but I cant remember the name for the life of me but it begins with an S I think. Comes in a green box but the bottle is white.

 

[donna723]

It could be food allergies too. My Ragan is allergic to chicken and corn and it causes her all kinds of skin problems - almost all commercial dog foods contain corn and a lot of dogs are very allergic to it.

 

[TerryJ2]

Even if it is fleas, it's clearly an allergy, because of the length of time the itching continues. IOW, it could be a flea allergy that lasts long after the fleas are gone.
I agree with-Donna, to be on the lookout for other allergies, as well.

 

[donna723]

Ragan is also very allergic to grass and to FLEAS! All it takes is one flea on her and she will scratch herself raw. And if she walks through the grass right after it's been cut, she will lick her feet till the pads bleed.

 

[FlipFlops]

My dog had the same problem. It turned out he was allergic to fleas. He had chewed the area by his tail also, to the point there was no fur and was a big bloody mess!! I actually put T-shirts on his so he could not get to it until I could get to the vet. He also licked his stomach enough that the hair was all gone, but not raw. I tried the itch shampoo but it did not help. I used Frontline and it all went away. I have also tried K-9 Advantix but it didn't work as well for my doggie.

 

[DaisyFace]

DDD--

I used to work for a veterinarian and we used to see this a lot....

Do you ever give your dog cheese....? Beef? Products containing beef or milk (such as Milk Bones)?

Beef and beef/milk products are a very common food allergy. (Think about it, not too many wolves were hunting for cows).

And where people will show allergic reactions by developing nasal issues-stuffy nose/watery eyes/headaches....dogs will show their allergies by developing itchy, flaky dry skin. Top of the back near the tail first....and if left untreated spreading along the back and onto their belly. They will scratch themselves raw if the allergen is not eliminated....

Try cutting all beef/dairy products and see if you see an improvement....

Good luck!!

--DaisyF

 

[Star*]

D3'

My large dog suffers from allergies like you can't believe. Being albino he's also got to wear sunscreen and we've run through the gamut of allergen causing foods. The number one cause of allergies and itchies is corn. (or so I'm told) Like Daisyface said - When was the last time you saw any dog wild or domestic in a field of corn peeling the husks back going "This one here's a goodn' pa~" haha.

Most dog foods are horrid. I have done a lot of research and know the lingo so I really know what I'm talking about. If you have a Sams club and can get in to their pet food dept. They make a brand that is lamb and rice comparable to Eukanuba. Eukanuba is one of the handfull of dog foods that is safe for human consumption. That means that there are no rendered animals or phenibarbitol(sp) in it from rendering euthanized pets. It also has other ingredients which are beneficial to allergy ridden pups and a higher fat content than most.

My next thought is allergies. We have been giving Casper OTC benadryl for years. You'll have to consult your vet for a per lb. dosage - and it will tend to make them a little sleepy/less active, but it helps with the itching, itching, itching, itching. We give Casp - 2 tabs 2x a day. MOrning and night.

Most allergies though are airborne - it's just like kids with hayfever. The benadryl will help - but not a cure all. Another GOOD thing to get is the shampoo that the veterinarians sell that have oatmeal in them. You mix a cap full in a cup - wash the dog and rinse, RINSE, RINSE RINSE (cant empahsize rinsing enough) until there is absolutely NO bubbles when you run your hand through the coat. THEN apply this shampoo and let set 5-10 minutes. Rinse again - then towel dry. I think it's something called Chlorahexaderm and there is also a spray that goes with for when they are dry.

WE also powder the bellies of all our dogs with Johnson & Johnson aloe vera baby powder. The generics are **** and only make dog gravy. We do armpits and bellies, privates and under the tail - I'm sure they sweat just like we do with large breasts but it helps keep them a little cooler.

Lastly - we use Frontline as our flea preventative. Have for years. Don't really like anything else and did not have much success with the others. I've heard people complain this year and we ourselves had complaints about Dudes puppy's flea problem. BUT the foster parents have fleas like crazy and never listen to anyone about treating the yard AND house AND dogs - and pens and blankets and beds....so they put Frontline on their dogs and their dogs get fleas and then they say it doesn't work.

I great test to see if you have fleas in your house is to put a white plate down on the floor add a little water and some Dawn dishwashing detergent. THen shine a light on it after dark and leave it sit. Fleas are attracted to the white reflected light and get stuck in the soap. This will let you know if you have an infestation or not.

If you want to cheap out - or can't afford the help this year. Wet your dog thoroughly to the bone - then use a bottle of Dawn dishwashing detergent (the $1.00 a bottle kind from the dollar store is best) literally make a paste out of the Dawn and let it set and comb in the tub with a flea comb. Kill the fleas by popping them with the back of your thumbnail. Rinse and dry as normal. This can only give immediate relief. Once back in an infested yard or home fleas will seek out a blood meal.

I've also heard of people using SEVIN dust on their outside dogs and in their pens. I'm not a huge fan of this either. Also someone told me that diatamacious earth worked but I'm not sure of the application.

Also - in closing - you CAN put some dollar store triple antibiotic ointment on the sore a few times a day. They'll lick it for sure but you'll get some in there.

As a very last resort - I made DF shoot ROUNDUP on all the climbing plants including the poison ivy - I watched my dog rub like a cat on the fence. I think - all these years that he's been breaking out the poison ivy COULD be to blame. (GGrrrrrrrrr we've spent boatloads of money with a local Dermatologist for dogs) Now he gets huge blisters full of dark blood on his back and no one seems to know what that is - except our vet says it's a secondary skin infection...well he goes from having nice fur to blood blisters. NOother signs so it's a mystery.

Good luck - but if you do the bendaryl - Dollar General has it the cheapest unless you find a BOGO somewhere.

Hope your pooch is feeling better soon.

 

[witzend]

If it's by the tail, it probably is fleas. That's where they go. It's the warmest spot, my vet tells me. Although Mandy is just a tail freak. Can't stand her tail! If you just touch it lightly, she's running around in circles trying to keep it in her mouth. She doesn't seem to know why... That is not my dog.

 

[DDD]

Thanks so much great advice. I have the Benadryl at home and had thought of using it for Ace...now I know it's safe. I don't think it is food allergies because Ace only eats one product and doesn't get treats *unless you consider library books a treat ).

He went to the groomers and they used big dog Frontline on him and it has not been a month so I doubt it's fleas. I plan to use it this week again as it's close to one month.

I "think" it is outdoor allergins or a case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Yikes. DDD

 

[SearchingForRainbows]

My "favorite sanity saver" suffers from allergies too. My vet has us give her 2-3 tabs of Benadryl up to 3x/day (She weighs about 90 lbs.) She gets bathed twice a month in a shampoo I buy from the vet's office. From reading some of the responses, it sounds like Wal-Mart carries a similar product. I'm going to check the ingredients on the shampoo from Wal-Mart the next time I'm there. I also put Frontline on her once a month.

When she was younger, she suffered from food allergies. We could only feed her lamb and rice. She seems to have outgrown them. Now she only scratches herself and chews on her paws in the Spring.

I hope Ace feels better soon! WFEN

 

[donna723]

My dogs are 22 and 27 pounds but it's the smaller one that has the problems with allergies. The vet said, if she gets really bad, to get the childrens liquid Benadryl and give her 25mg. This is a very good thing to keep around anyway even if they don't have allergies. If they get an insect sting, they can get a reaction and swell up very quickly and a quick dose of Benadryl can be a lifesaver. It's also a very good idea to keep a bottle of regular old hydrogen peroxide on hand to use if they swallow something they shouldn't have. The peroxide will make them throw up. Just give it to them, a couple tablespoonsful at a time, until they throw up ... and they will! Those medicine squirters that the vet has work well, or a syringe.

DDD, does your dog have what looks like a rash or broken out places under the arms? That's almost a dead giveaway to food allergies. I would start by eliminating corn. Virtually all grocery store dog foods and treats (Milk Bones, etc.) contain corn and with some, corn is the main ingredient. It's a HUGE allergen for dogs, and it's just a filler in the food - dogs can't digest corn and it goes right through them (resulting in massive poops!). Check this out: www.dogfoodanalysis.com. It rates the dog food brands on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the best) and gives complete lists of all the ingredients in each brand. The best thing is to find one of the premium brands at an independently run pet supply store (the 'big box' stores don't carry them). Barring that, you could try Purina Lamb & Rice. I don't have a very high opinion of Purina, but the Lamb & Rice has no corn and is usually available in Vet's offices.

Chicken can also be a common allergen for dogs. I had been giving mine a very expensive premium brand of food, but I was giving them the chicken formula and Ragan was still having some problems with her skin. Apparently she's developed a sensitivity to chicken too. When I changed them to a non-poultry formula of the same food, she cleared right up! This is the first year since I can remember that Ragan's skin has been healthy and her coat has come in full and thick and shiny! What they eat can make a huge difference.

 

[Fran]

We are a big fan of frontline and frontline plus.
I am bitten to the point of looking like my legs have chicken pox because of where we walk but the pups seldom have a flea. They do itch on occasion but I am always looking for fleas or ticks so I know they don't have them. I wish I could use the frontline on me. Sheesh.

Someone recommended oatmeal type bath for dogs. Don't know if it helps or not.

Good luck DDD.
by the way, the growling may be the pup feeling like it's his home and strangers are suspect. As long as he doesn't get aggressive, bark and warnings are a good thing.

 

[Hound dog]

Well, Molly doesn't chew anywhere but her tail......the whole tail, to the point where she barely has fur left at the moment. I looked today for one of those dog collar thingies......OMG they're expensive!!!

But she's getting another bath tomorrow. by the way she did this on the Frontline ect type products. It did not improve. Which is why I think it's a plant. She also didn't do it until husband started letting the back yard turn into a jungle of weeds. Which this year Nichole is doing her utter best (despite the rain) to keep mowed down.

Now that I'm off school she won't be spending much time outside and we'll see how it improves. (cuz it usually does)

Poor thing chased a bee today and got stung on the eye. Guess she can't win in her old age.

 

[Abbey]

Fleas are a...b. You might never see them as they seem to gravitate to certain persons. My mom would come to visit and be bitten up like she was hamburger. My daughter...HUGE welts. Me? Nothing. I finally had to give my dog away because of daughter's issues. Vet said...you're dipping this dog to death. We did everything available to help the problem but nothing seemed to work. This dog only went outside for the 30 seconds it took to take care of business. He was sprayed before he left the house, then sprayed when he came back in. VERY limited outside contact. Had the house 'bombed' several times...no change. I could have run a store on flea products/combs, etc. that you try.

I wish I had something positive to give you, but dogs get fleas, plain and simple.

Abbey

 

[Kjs]

Two years ago Chloe had an awful itch. Was scratching/licking herself raw. I was told at first her anal glands were full which made her itch back there (it was by her hip). She continued to do this on both sides and had ointment and such. Turned out to be allergies. Vet said there were many animals in with allergies. WE gave her Benedryl and she was on prendisone for a while until it calmed down. But the Benedryl continued all summer.

The other thing we got from the vet at first, then through Pet medications is a shampoo. On Petmeds it is not a prescription, it is called Oxy-Dex. It does wonders. You lather the dog up and leave it on a little bit. Chloe seemed SO much more peaceful after.

We use Frontline plus. Can't seem to find another one for a dog of her size.

 

[DaisyFace]

Our yard has no fleas....NONE....and we live in a very rural and woodsy area.

Our secret..?

FIRE ANTS!

Fire ants eat protein, not sugars, and will rid your yard of most other pests.

So, I guess you just need to decide whether you prefer flea bites or ant stings.

(by the way--If anyone decides they would prefer the ant stings, I am happy to invite you over to my place where you may help yourself to as many ants as you like....)

--DaisyF

 

[Hound dog]

No thanks Daisy.

I'll take the fleas anyday. lol