Itchy Dog, Advice Please

[Jenwren]

Hi, a foster dog I have with me at the moment is itchy, he keeps rolling on the concrete paving and has rubbed out hair from his tail, and very slightly off his back. Hes been here 3 weeks and for the first week he was fine but since has been rolling to itch.

I bought some Malaseb today and have given him a bath.

At first I thought it was mange, but probably not?. I can't see any fleas on him, Could it be something in the grass? any other ideas?

oh and hes geting fed chicken wings, other chicken, soup bones, beef bones and mince etc mainly all raw apart from a small amount of dry dog food once a day.

[cavNrott]

Do you have him on a flea preventative? If he's itchy on his back at the base of the tail it usually is fleas even though you don't seen any.

[Jenwren]

Hi I got some flea preventative for him today, along with the wash. hopefully that will work.

Edited October 22, 2007 by Jenwren

[sandgrubber]

I have a girl who does this every spring. She looks AWFUL at the moment because she's rubbed a lot of coat out. Flea treatment does nothing. But it doesn't last more than a couple months.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Flea treatment needs to go on once a month and baths in the meantime may affect it's efficacy.

I've had many dogs like this. It will get better but my current foster ended up having to go to the vet in spite of my best efforts and cortisone cream twice a day was prescribed. After 2 months which included a Malaseb bathing regime, her hair had grown back and she is now on normal monthly flea treatments - I use Advocate.

When their skin is red raw, best not to put flea treatments on it I find as it is very delicate and sore. I give them Proban tablets for fleas, Proban is available from the vet.

Feed the dog with a little fish oil on the dinner at night, I also give them sardines for breakfast each morning when they are like this.

[Jenwren]

thank you very much for all the advice using flea treatment and malaseb for now, and will get him some fish oil

Edited October 23, 2007 by Jenwren

[ridgesetter]

Look at diet as itchy dogs are often intolerant of certain foods. Feed chicken and rice only. Eliminate red meat, beef in particular.

TC

[morgan]

Fish oil is essential for itchy skin and a daily zinc tablet will help relieve inflammation and itching very quickly. I have found that most dogs respond to this without changing their diet too much.

If these don't help you will have to go through an elimination process with food to see if any one type is the culprit. Some dogs can't handle red meat, others can't cope with chicken.

[ShesaLikeableBiBear]

As others have said it can be a food intolerance, many wont tolerate beef.

Also check the ingredients in the dry food, esp. the grains e.g. corn and wheat. Some dogs are celiac, i.e. like us they have an intolerance to wheat.