Itchy skin...help!

• 11-02-2009 12:12 PM

  Rusty's Momma Joined on 06-23-2009 Posts 13 Points 5

  Itchy skin...help! Reply Contact My 7 month old Australian Cattle Dog pup is very itchy around his neck and now in other spots on his body.  Its not like "hot spot" itchy - he's not obsessive about it, but is definitely itchy.  He is treated with Frontline and we flea-bomb twice a year.  Plus I have yet to see any fleas or flea dirt on him.  He is fed Blue Buffalo chicken and sweet potato, has been on it for about a month after switching from Purina Puppy Chow.  I tried a supplement called "Fresh Factors" from www.springtimeinc.com (i get garlic from them for the horses in the summer and its very effective) so when placing an order for garlic, I ordered some of the fresh factors supplement. I did not see any improvement.  Suggestions?  I have tried Lipoderm on past dogs and it gave them seriously smelly gas!

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• 11-02-2009 1:06 PM

  In reply to Rusty's Momma

  shamrockmommy Joined on 09-10-2007 Innerspace Posts 1,099 Points 0

  Re: Itchy skin...help! Reply Contact I have 2 bichon girls who are verysensitive to a few ingredients which are commonly in dog food. They did not do well and itched a lot on Blue Buffalo.   They are sensitive to barley, flax and especially brewer's yeast will send them into an itch frenzy which will last for weeks. Can you try a more basic food like California Natural Lamb/Rice or PetGuard Lifespan?  they are more basic with less trendy ingredients and might help. You could also give him an oatmeal or aloe shampoo, but be sure to rinse rinse rinse afterwards. Hope this helps. Shamrockmommy Furmom to Gobie the minpin terror, Lexi and Darby the bichon girls

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• 11-02-2009 1:43 PM

  In reply to shamrockmommy

  Rusty's Momma Joined on 06-23-2009 Posts 13 Points 5

  Re: Itchy skin...help! Reply Contact Thanks for the reply! Rusty itched even prior to the switch to BB so I'm not sure that is the problem.  We are treating for fleas this weekend, but even still, I do not see ANY sign of fleas.  He was recently given a bath with oatmeal flea shampoo (cannot remember the brand right now) but it didn't seem to help. I think I am going to try the lipiderm and see if it helps.  Any other suggestions?!

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• 11-02-2009 2:33 PM

  In reply to Rusty's Momma

  CoBuHe Joined on 08-03-2007 Southeast Texas Posts 2,536 Points 85

  Re: Itchy skin...help! Reply Contact With Heidi, I had ruled out skin issues; and fleas, so I figured it was her diet.  I had Heidi on Innova when I noticed she was itching badly.  I switched her to Eagle Pack Holistic because I felt like it was the Barley that was causing her problems.  It helped.  But, after I put them on a grain free diet (TOTW), I saw much improvement. "No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich." Louis Sabin ________________________ Barbara, Proudly owned by

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• 11-02-2009 7:39 PM

  In reply to CoBuHe

  calliecritturs Joined on 09-10-2007 Central Florida Posts 10,865 Points 3,330

  Re: Itchy skin...help! Reply Contact Since you say "Frontline" (and knowing what a horrific year we've had here) -- are you seeing ANY flea dirt at all?  Even one flea can make a dog crazed and if a flea gets on the dog and takes a while to die -- I know my pug is driven wild by the feeling of a flea running over her skin.  It's just the tickle more than anything I think ... but I've had to switch to something else because she's been so wild about it.  I never SEE flea dirt -- but I can tell instantly when she gets even ONE flea -- she's nutzoid. Next -- how long have you had this dog?  I'm wondering about demodex.  Normally it starts on the face but if it's generalized already you would have missed that.  some dogs itch a lot with demodex - others don't.  Is this an inside or an outside dog?  (sorry, I don't know you so I gotta ask) What does the skin itself look like?  any broken skin?  dandruff?  flaking?  Can I ask where you live?  Don't want your address -- but state, country/city -- what your environment is??  I'm thinking about stuff like atopic allergies (which can make itchy skin and irritation), etc.

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• 11-03-2009 12:20 PM

  In reply to Rusty's Momma

  erica1989 Joined on 02-21-2007 Clearwater, Florida Posts 4,363 Points 410

  Re: Itchy skin...help! Reply Contact  BB has a lot of ingredients. It is what I feed my dog, and I have seen improvment with his skin problems - but not all dogs are the same. With any new food, it takes a few months for the old food to completely leave the system. So if a dog is sensitive to something in one food, you wont see results from a new food for a few months. To also help my dogs itchies - I give fish oil/vit. e.  You may want to look into some of the grain free, limited ingredient foods - those are good for dogs with the itchies.

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• 11-06-2009 8:59 AM

  In reply to calliecritturs

  Rusty's Momma Joined on 06-23-2009 Posts 13 Points 5

  Re: Itchy skin...help! Reply Contact I have not seen ANY flea dirt or fleas, and anytime in the past when our cat has had fleas, I'm the first one to know because they attack me!  I have had him since 12 weeks old, and he is now 7 months.  I'm googling Demodex right now (maybe I know what it is but have never heard it called this?)...okay, no he does not have mites. We had a St. Bernard years ago that had that as a pup from the breeder, so I know how to recognize it, and no signs of that. He is an inside dog - we are firm believers that if you're going to have a dog as a pet, it certainly should not be thrown outside to live.  What is the point of having it if its outside and not providing companionship? The skin itself looks fine - as a pup when I first got him, he had dry skin around his neck (I coudl see the dandruff and it was scabby from his scratching.)  Now its smooth and no signs of dandruff or anything. I live in Vermont.  Right now its getting colder and drier, but he has scratched all summer so winter around the corner will probably add to his itching if he gets drier skin, but it was an issue before.

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• 11-09-2009 11:35 AM

  In reply to Rusty's Momma

  jettababy Joined on 03-05-2006 Posts 147 Points 0	Re: Itchy skin...help! Reply Contact  He probably doesn't have fleas then!  I would switch to a minimum ingredient food--like Wellness Simple Solutions or the like. He could have food AND environmental allergies like my dog, but she almost never itches from her environmental allergies because I have her on food that she does well on, so her allergies are kept below her threshold.
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• 11-09-2009 11:56 AM

  In reply to jettababy

  Rusty's Momma Joined on 06-23-2009 Posts 13 Points 5	Re: Itchy skin...help! Reply Contact I just last night treated him with Frontline and we're flea bombing this coming weekend. If after that he is still itching, I will look into switching his food.   Thanks everyone!
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• 11-09-2009 1:07 PM

  In reply to Rusty's Momma

  erica1989 Joined on 02-21-2007 Clearwater, Florida Posts 4,363 Points 410	Re: Itchy skin...help! Reply Contact Just remember - it can take 2-3 months for a new food to really show it's results
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