[Bones82]

My dog Freud itches like crazy. I bathe him with medicated soap and he still itches constantly. He itches all over his body. He is on Canidae All Life Stages Dog Food. I have been giving him Benadryl 25mg two times a day but that has not done much. What is the deal?

 

[djpohn]

Benedryl only lasts for 4 hours so that is part of the problem. The baths are probably overdrying his skin as well.

 

[Dannay]

This is a huge complicated question. It could be a lot of things. It could be an auto-immune skin disease. It could be allergies (food or environmental).

I would suggest taking him to the vets and see what they say. They can run some allergy tests on him too and see if they can figure it out.

 

[mspiker03]

Does he itch year round or is it more seasonal? When did the itching start?

 

[Bones82]

Originally Posted By: mspiker03Does he itch year round or is it more seasonal? When did the itching start?

Well he is only 16 weeks old. The itching started about 12-13 weeks. He was on Purina Puppy Chow from the breeder. He is on Canidae now. I onlt bathe him once a week with medicated shampoo for itchy skin. He is definitely itching more now than ever before. I live in AL and the pollen count is definitely high now. Could be pollen, food, or a number of other things.

 

[Bones82]

Originally Posted By: GS MomBenedryl only lasts for 4 hours so that is part of the problem. The baths are probably overdrying his skin as well.

From a once a week bath with shampoo made for itchy skin?

 

[Bones82]

Does this sound at all like food allergies?

 

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Wow-itching is rough!

There are fleas and since you are in the south you probably have more around due to weather?

But he's awfully young-I don't know enough about food allergies and environmental allergies to really say. Would the breeder talk to you about any issues with skin/itching they have with their dogs?

Does he wear a collar? Flea collar? If flea collar, take it off.

I ask about the collar because one of my dogs has a crap fit when he has to wear his collar. He scratches and scratches. Collar off, no scratching.

Is it possible he's sensitive to something in the food? I don't know-it has chicken, my two GSDs don't handle chicken well...but...I hope someone else comes along to see this!

OH-maybe a fish oil would help? Or coconut oil? If you want your head to spin and maybe even get dizzy-there is a thread in the food section about coconut/fish oils.

 

[Tula]

it's possible he has contact allergies, too. Do you wash things like the floor and carpet with chemicals? how about bedding?

It truly could be anything! I would stop bathing so much, though... even though it's medicated shampoo.

it could even be mites. Looks like a trip to the vet is in order!

 

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Oh yeah...puppy mange...

 

[Trixie's Mom]

Even if your bathing in medicated shampoo your dog could be allergic to it. One of my shepherds was allergic to a "special" shampoo too. Non stop itching...it was awful.

 

[LisaT]

Originally Posted By: Bones82Does this sound at all like food allergies?

To me it does.