Itchy Dog

[lucky seven]

I feed my dog purina senior 7 for his meals and he has started itching and scratching a lot. I'm wondering if I should change his food from a grain base to a meat base food. I'm going to try a new shampoo to see if that eases his discomfort. My buddy is 13 years old and since this hasn't been a problem before, my son suggested giving him a mineral oil bath to ease his dry skin. Has anyone had the same problem? My dog sleeps fine at night, just itches during the day.

 

[Mona]

If it just started due to a change in his food, I would definitely switch him back to what he was on, and decrease the amount fed each day, if it was a weight issue for the reason you changed.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I give mine 1/2 half allergy tablet, chlormaleate, once a day when he seems itchy. If he has red bumps he gets 1/2 twice a day.

13 is getting up there... We hate to see them uncomfortable.

 

[jayne]

I gave my old lab a fish oil capsule in her food every day. That really helped her dry skin and made her nice and shiny, too. Not sure what else he might have going on, but it probably wouldn't hurt.

 

[Ashley]

Could be a food allergy. Grain based dog food is pretty much bottom doller food. Also oatmeal baths leaving it on the skin for 5-10 is what our vet recommonded for our allergy dog.

 

[MajorClementine]

The cheapest way to test for a food allergy is to switch to a grain free food for a month. If the itching stops you've figured it out. Dogs often develop grain allergies as they get older. Keep in mind, if you feed your dog treats or scraps, that these too need to be grain free while you are doing your month of grain free food.

You can get the vitamin E oil capsules at any store and poke a hole in the end. Squeeze 1/2-1 pill on your dogs food. If it's just dry skin this will help and won't make them smell terrible like fish oil does. Colloidal oatmeal baths can help but if you have a dog with a skin/allergy problem be careful washing them too much. Always use luke warm water for dogs with a skin problem. Really warm/hot water irritates the skin even more. Good luck!

 

[lucky seven]

Changed him over to a grain free dry food, the vet suggested chicken skin from those pre cooked chickens so he gets some of that with warm water to make his meals more tasty. For treats he gets one milk bone a day and one stew bone from Rachel Ray. We tried the back and it worked, then we found fleas on him from laying out in the grass. He's not so bad now so I think most of his inching is under control. I may still try the vitamin E oil capsules just to see how that works.

 

[paintponylvr]

The vitamin E oil may work from the inside, but for added instant relief you can try coconut oil. It's solid in the container until you get it on your fingers/palms then melts. I have a pit X that I'm occasionally rubbing her in with oil. Since I do it with bare hands, I try to do so when I won't need to use my hands for anything (not while on the computer) and then I let it soak into my hands too. I'm having dry skin right now, too, with some different meds I'm on.

I also found that it worked well on an area on another dogs ears. Don't know what it is about his ear tips, but the bugs LOVE HIM. Its the only place he gets "eaten up" by bugs - I don't even have to wash the scabs off - the oil will soak in and they can easily be wiped off to allow the oil to be directly on the skin.

 

[Ashley]

aquaphor

 

[Watcheye]

Food allergies are so common and can develop in later years. Corn and grain are very often used as fillers. The only thing they do is allow the makers to pump more out cheaper but its a trick. The dogs dont benefit from those things and they almost always have some sort of effect on the skin and coat at least if not more. A customer may think they are getting more bang for their buck with that stuff but the nutritional value decreases. They need to consume more just to get anything out of it. Then they poop more and itch/have funky skin and coats as well as itchy feet. Some get hot spots and ear infections too. I tell people to flip over the bag and look at what you are really paying for. Also check treats. Milk bones have fillers too. A common protein allergy is chicken so IF trouble continues, get rid of chicken. Dont let a formula or recipe fool you. They often use chicken fat further down the ingredient list. The best thing to do is to eliminate the cause of the problem if you can so allergy meds ect are not necessary.

 

[lucky seven]

Prince no longer has the itches, I changed him to a grain free Iams food that he likes and he is at a good weight. We hope this winter we will be able to walk him several times a day for exercise.