Jan 26 2011
Why Do I Have An Itchy Dog?
Don’t you just hate the sound of your dog itching and scratching? You know they feel miserable – that itchy feeling that just won’t go away, no matter how much they scratch. But all that scratching can cause even more problems down the road if you don’t get control of it. Continuous scratching can really tear up your dog’s skin, creating possibilities of bacterial infections. It also stresses them, which in turn, stresses their immune system, causing them to itch even more. It’s a vicious cycle, one that needs your help to stop.
The problem may be something as basic as fleas. Fleas are easy to kill – just bathe your dog. The problem is that if your dog has a bunch of fleas, then chances are so do your house and/or yard. And as soon as you kill them, new ones will jump right back on. If your dog has a flea problem, you need to treat your house and possibly even your yard as well as your dog.
Or your itchy dog may just have dry skin. Many dog foods don’t contain enough good essential fatty acids. Or perhaps, your dog just needs more than the average dog. Either way, something as simple as adding a coat supplement to your dog’s food may be all that is needed. Coat supplements are primarily omega 3-6-9 based, and will not only help with your dog’s skin and coat, but supports the immune system and proper development of the nervous system.
If neither of these seem to be your dog’s problem, then they may have allergies. Dogs can develop allergies at any time to anything, just like people. Dog food is a big offender, as well as artificial products, such as pesticides, household cleaners, preservatives, colorings, and flavoring. One thing to consider trying is switching to a super-premium dog food, such as a hypoallergenic dog food. These foods are limited ingredients with nothing artificial. This helps in isolating ingredients in case it is a food allergy. These foods also help build the immune system and create a healthier dog to help fight any other type of allergies as well.
Fleas, dry skin, and allergies are the top three reasons for an itchy dog. Treatments are relatively simple, but can take a long time to see results. It can take a week or so to entirely eradicate fleas from your home, and it can take up to 12 weeks on a supplement or new dog food before itching has completely ceased. Don’t get discouraged at how long it takes. Just know you are doing the right thing for your dog.
