Wednesday, July 21, 2010

My dog scratches himself til his hair falls out, causes and cures?

I have a small dog, not sure what breed. He's some kind of mix, looks like a terrier except all black. We got him from the pound, they said he had a dry skin problem. Things were fine for a while, and then he started scratching constantly, or chewing at himself. Over time, patches of hair were just missing because of it, now it's gotten fairly bad where he barely has any hair. Also his skin tends to be red and irritated from constant scratching, sometimes even bleeding. Someone suggested fish oil pills for his dry skin, I give him one a day. Also I give him weekly baths where I use oatmeal bath in the water, and use a flea/medicated shampoo. It makes him better, but only for that night. The next day he is scratching and chewing like crazy again. Does anyone know what could be causing this, and what I can do about it? I don't have the money to take him to a veterinarian :(

My dog scratches himself til his hair falls out, causes and cures?
Allergies,either to his food or the environment around him.


Vet will have to do tests to see if this is the cause.


I hope he will be better soon.Nothing worse than itching that won't stop.


Since you can't afford a vet try changing his food to one with a minimum amount of any grains in it.
Reply:flea and tick problem. the same thing happened to my pet and this is what the vet said the problem was.
Reply:It could be fleas, ticks, or dry skin. Try a topical ointment or moisturizing shampoo that your vet recommends.
Reply:Take your dog to the vet. I understand the financial situation, but respectfully, if you don't have the money to take care of an animal you should not have one.





Would you be on this website instead of a doctor if you had a child having the same problem?
Reply:Too many baths and the shampoo could do this. I don't bathe my dogs unless they are stinky. My German Shepherd will bite his hair off sometime. I just got a hydrocortisone spray and sprayed the itchy spots. I really think you are bathing him too much and drying him out. Hey, another thing you can do to freshen him up is rub him all over with corn starch, even massaging while you do it, then brush it out. He will be all fresh and clean.
Reply:it could be the shampoo ? or ticks/fleas are in the property/rugs walls ect and just re enter him after a bath.


all the bathing does very little if the house is filled with them.you may want to try flea/tick bombing the house.
Reply:YOu can try giving him to fish oils a day. You can also try to give him baths more frequently. I buy these pills called b-complex they help the skin alot for my dog who also has skin problems.
Reply:sounds like mange..... you may have to take him to the vet if it is as bad as you say it is. The little guy is obviously suffering and miserable! :( How long have you had him? I adopted a pound puppy some time ago, and found it to have more medical problems than usual because of the living conditions of the dog. He is better now that he is getting a well balanced diet and exercise as well as exposure to normal outside air versus being penned up all day long, but your little guy does sound like mange (a skin condition that can be cured with antibiotics and special skin conditioners). I hope it all gets better for you and your little dog!
Reply:Fleas. Contrary to popular belief, they do not live on your dog, but in the carpets and bedding. Your dog is just the food supply. I had a small dog that had the same problem. Moved with him to a high altitude city, so high fleas could not live, and the problem went away, and his coat grew back very nicely. To get rid of fleas without moving to the mountains, simply get some boric acid- sold as roach powder in stores, and sprinkle it on the carpets. Sweep it in very well, leave in the carpets for as long a you can- at least 2-3 hours, and vacuum it up. Will prevent fleas, roaches, silverfish, ants- anything that can crawl on carpets for 1 year, or until you shampoo the carpet. It is safe for other pets and small children to be around.
Reply:My dog used to do the same thing although she never made herself bleed. It could be that you are giving your dog too many baths which could add to the dry skin problem. My vet also said it could be that she has allergies. If your dog is scratching his face this may be the problem. I only give my dog a bath once a month so her skin doesn't become dry- especially in the winter months. Also, the medicated shampoo might be drying out his skin.
Reply:I am sure it is dry skin one of my dogs has it bad too. They do have dog food out there for dry sensitve skin that you could try to use. Also if you catch your dog scratching like that stop it. if anything rub the area for the poor thing. It sucks cause there isn't any lotion that we could give them like we use. What is you just called your vet and maybe just have them give you ideas on what else you can do. and be careful of all the stuff you do try putting on the skin cause it could just irratate the skin worse. I am so sorry I feel so bad. but our dog still itches like crazy but she isn't pulling out hair anymore. I think they will always have dry skin but brush him gently a lot and he will love you even more :) good luck and keep me informed and if i think of anything else I will let you know my parents might know something more. Also as your vet about giving him some over the counter benadril. It could be alergies like another person has said that has worked for us in the past.
Reply:Could be any number of causes - and you do need to take him to a vet for answers -





I assume he is on topical flea preventatives every single month - Frontline or Advantage, nothing else works fully.





Don't bathe him every week, that dries out his skin terribly, he doesn't need that and you are making his skin problems worse.





Sounds as if he has mange actually, and he needs a skin scraping to find out what kind of mange - then your vet can give you dips for the dog that will cure him.





If he has a food allergy, switch his food. Make sure it is a good dry like Canidae, not supermarket junk. Meat should be the first ingredient listed,not corn meal or fillers.





You can afford the vet - you must do it if he has mange as it sounds - you cannot let your dog suffer like this, it's irresponsible and cruel.





Please get your dog some help. Call your local Humane Society and ask for a recommendation to a low cost vet clinic if you really cannot afford a private vet - but get your poor dog some help.
Reply:lamb and rice food helps a lot
Reply:Pyrethrins or permethrins are the active ingredient in flea shampoo and NIX and RID. Use only the one approved for animals. If there are fleas, it's likely he's allergic to them. Use Advantage (read the directions very well, it's easy to mess up) and if that helps, that's your problem. When the skin is that bad, they often need steroids to get some relief. Only a vet can do that. You may want to call several vets and explain your situation. Where I live there are places to go where donations cover your cost. Your dog could also have mange, pemphigus, allergic dermatitis, or other conditions that can only be treated by a vet and will only get worse if left untreated. Part of owning an animal is being able to provide for them this way.
Reply:Try wet food or if he really likes dry food putting vegetable oil or bacon grease over it do that every other day untill you see a change in his skin. Now don't do it for a long time. if there is no change in a month u need to take him to a vet rather you have the money or not.
Reply:for dry skin an easy and cheap solution.. 1. oatmeal shampoo bath and 2. add a tbs of corn oil to his food day and night (or when you feed him)...... that will put oil back in his skin





the flea/tick shampoo might dry his skin out or he might be having an allergic reaction to it... (might).





have you changed or use something new in the house? carpet deodorizer or something????? It could be allergies to something.
Reply:Same thing that happen to my dog. She had fleas. We had to buy a special shampoo that killed off the fleas. Also make sure that your clean good because fleas could be hiding anywhere in your home. Make sure that you clean ur house and wash your dog everyday.
Reply:He could have allergies. My dog takes Benedryl when he is due for his steroid shot, that could help. Do not feed him chicken dog food, my vet said a lot of dogs are allergic. The lamb and rice is good. Try to find a free or low cost vet somewhere. Imagine if you were so itchy that you chewed sores in your skin.
Reply:First, do not use any flea (crab), tic or any other insecticide on him especially if his skin is inflamed or possible open sores.


I know you cant afford a vet but it would please me to know that there is not a condition called mange which has to be treated by prescription medicine.


Assuming that this is not the case, your pup has, as you put it has excessively dry skin. Fish oil is not a bad choice (Cod liver is best but tastes awful). You also may want to treat the condition topically as well as internally.


Look for soothing type skin treatments that will keep the skin from drying out. Vitamin E oil comes to mind. Stay away from anything with alcohol in it as it dries.


Assuming its not Mange or a similar skin disease, he hopefully will feel better.


good luck
Reply:Actually, you dog may have mange. Does your dog smell too? If so the signs you described along with the scent may be clear signs. My dog had mange when we got him as a pup, (breeders were careless) but we tried the Borax and peroxide home remedy and it worked. He no longer scratches and doesn't stink anymore. You should also try putting him on a better brand of food like NutroNatural. He may be allergic to what you are feeding him.
Reply:I understand that finances are tight for some people, but it is your responsibility to take your dog to the vet when he is ill. And if he has lost almost all of his hair, then he is most definitely ill. He needs to go to the vet for a skin work up.





As for potential causes, this sounds most like classic allergies, especially since bathing seems to make it better (bathing a dog can physically remove environmental allergens). Fish oil with omega fatty acids will help, but you need to be doing more. Supplementing with vitamin E in addition to fish oils/omega fatty acids can help support healing and healthy skin and it seems to have anti-inflammatory properties. You will have to start with a food trial, where you put him on a "novel protein" diet for at least 4 weeks to see if it improves his itching. Look for a food that has a protein source that he has never eaten before (like duck, fish, venison, rabbit, turkey, or lamb). Make SURE there is NO wheat, corn, or soy in the food. It will probably be more expensive than whatever you are feeding him now, but it's a heck of a lot cheaper than allergy tests. No commercial treats or treats that contain something that isn't in your food (you will probably have to use your food as treats or use a jerky made from whatever the meat source in your food is).





You also need to change your bathing schedule. Since he has irritated skin and bathing seems to help, I don't think bathing him once a week is necessarily a bad thing. But you need to use different shampoo and add a coat and skin conditioner to help counter the drying effects of frequent bathing. Make sure the oatmeal shampoo does not have any colorings or artificial scents in it as these can cause allergic reactions. And STOP using the flea shampoo! Any over the counter flea shampoo you can buy is virtually useless and they contain harsh chemicals that dry out the skin and can be toxic to dogs if they get too large a dose or too often a dose.





Finally, antihistamines can help. My allergy dog switches between benedryl, which we buy over the counter, and hydroxazine, which we buy at the vet. Call your vet and ask them what an appropriate dose would be for your dog. When he is having skin flare ups, my dog also gets a cortisone-cream on the trouble spots.





You still need to get him to a vet. This kind of hair loss is also common with mites, which you will not be able to see with the naked eye and you can not treat with over-the-counter products. Plus, if his skin is really really red and irritated he may have a secondary bacterial or yeast infection that will require medication to treat.
Reply:Your problem could be as simple as a food allergy. Many dogs are allergic to corn which is in almost all dog foods, or some kind of by product. I suggest switching to a brand that had no corn or chicken by products. I like to use Dick Van Patten's fish and sweet potato for my dogs allergies. It is a bit more expensive but worth every penny. The hardest part is keeping her out of things and making sure people don't feed your dog treats.
Reply:He's got crabs. Stop playing with him and give him a bath with NIX or RID.


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