Itchy Dog HELP! *QUESTION*

[Desert Arabian]

My friend Katie Pipp has a gorgeous Golden Retriever named Abby who is under a little under or over a year old if I remember correctly. Today at school she was telling me how Abby is having these health issues and is constantly itching herself. She said she is always itching her ears, belly, back, groin, biting/licking paws, and even scratching the inside of her mouth. She told me they gave her an oatmeal bath and she stopped itching for about two days then started itching again. I brought up food allergies and mentioned that Abby might be allergic to her food, Katie told me they are feeding her Iams. Abbys a hunting dog, but I don't think it's anything from the field, she hasn't gone hunting for a long time since the seasons over. I mentioned to her that she might want to take her to the vet to get Abby checked out. She told me she'd let her parents know...

What do you think is wrong!? Fleas!? Skin allergy!? Food allergy!?

Just thought I would post this to help her out and give her the information to get Abby help.

*EDIT*: *smacks head* DUH! This should prolly be under "Dog Health" SILLY ME! HELLLLO! Sorry! lol!

Thanks for your help in advance!

[binka_nugget]

It could be food allergies. If I remember correctly, food allergies can be linked to grains and Iams definately has alot of that stuff in it.

[Karen]

Sounds like allergies to me. Tell 'em to try switching to a simpler food - I've heard Lamb and Rice sometimes helps.

Poor itchy girl! As an allergic person myself, I can vouch for it being NO fun at all!

But there's no way to diagnose over the Internet. Has she checked for fleas? Does the pup wear a flea collar?

[Cincy'sMom]

We have been dealing with allergy issues for Cincy for awhile now, and are finally starting to gain some ground.

Genreally, biting, licking at the paws is a sign of a food allergy. What Cincy does is stratch and chew fur of her legs, belly, etc. She also gets pimples and scabby areas. Our vet rightnow thinks this is more of an airborn allergy. Last week, we had blood drawn to determine for sure what she is allergic to.

In the meantime, she is on Claritin (same as the human stuff, 1 10mg pill everyday) and get baths in a special tar free shampoo.

I think the first thing your firend may want to try is a food chage. The trick can be finding a food that works for the dog...and it can tacke a long time. It generally takes a minimum of 6-8 weeks for a dog to get the food allergens out of their system. Non-traditional meat sources ( fish, lamb), and grain like Brown rice or sweet potato tend to be less allergy causing. A higher grade of food may help too...foods made by Wellness, Innova, Canidae, etc.

[dukedogsmom]

Poor Duke is itching a lot, too. I just bathed him and he's still scratching like crazy. I'm using a tea tree shampoo for dogs. The only thing he eats besides his rawhides are Science Diet ID canned and Science Diet for dry skin dry. I've tried the benedryl but it makes him way too sleepy. And, the steroid shots make him pee all the time. So, he's not miserable itching but he's miserable peeing all the time. Anyone know what else I can do? Vet said changing his food wasn't a good idea since he had Pancreaitis last year.

[ScoobyDoo-Doo]

Give the dog Brewer's yeast. It comes in Tablet form. Try to avoid the kind with Garlic. Garlic gives dogs gas. You can get Brewer's yeast in powder form at a Nutritional store as well. Pet stores and Walmart now sells the tablets. They work great for improving coat and avoiding fleas. Fleas don't like the smell from the skin but Humans can't smell it. I use it on my Eskimo Spitz and he is doing great. Make sure the dog isn't allergic to yeast. This should help.

[jillian]

most important thing is to switch Abby food.

Sounds like food allergies

Eagle Pack Holistic
California Natural
Wellness
Canidae
Natural Balance
Timber Wolf
Pinnacle

are some choices, you may want to stick with
a Lamb base food or Duck, Buffalo.

commercial foods, stuff you buy at a grocery store or discount chain store tend to be 90% grains with no real meat and this is where our pets get allergies, bacterial infections and major health problems.

oh and this goes for treats also, best to try carrots or apples or liver treats rather than ones that have alot of grains. Just stick to the brands above for treats and you should be ok.

Dick Van Patten, Natural Balance makes these meat rolls you cut up like a sausage, those are great for treats. Freeze dried liver treats are good to for allergy dogs.

e-mail me if you'd like more help

supplement isn't always nessarry if you feeding a quality food but added Flax Seed Oil to the food a few times a week can help without any side effects.

[Albea]

Goldens are prone to allergies and they are not always caused by food. My first Golden girl suffered from them until the vet found the cause (dust, grass, newspaper ink, and many other things) and gave me the right combination of medications and shampoos.
Your friend can change the food. However, the only one who can determine the cause is the vet through tests.
I hope they find a cure soon.

[jazzcat]

I was just coming here to post that Disney is miserable from her allergies when I saw this thread.

Disney is scratching herself, and us, crazy. She needs a hair cut badly but when I have her groomed when her allergies are bad she will scratch raw places on her body since there is no hair to buffer her nails. So now I have a miserable, scratchy abominable snowman for a dog.

She is taking a half a Tavist a day but I need to get some Fish Oil Capsules to put on her food. Last year the vet gave me a bottle and told me to pierce the capsule with a needle and squirt the fish oil over her food. He said it would help condition her skin and coat and keep it from being so dry and itchy. Between the Tavist, fish oil and twice a month baths with Epi-Soothe shampoo I finally got her allergies under control last spring. Guess I better go buy the fish oil and more shampoo quickly.

[Kathleen]

THey need to change food immediately, its allergic to either its food or something it sleeps on or mingles with. But most likely is the food. Seems alot of pets are allergiced.
Could be red dye in the food I heard is a big one they react too.

They might have to go natural.