Dog- allergy and itching

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Motomom34, Sep 15, 2016.


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  1. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    Apologize for the personal thread but you all are very smart and maybe able to help.

    My little dog has allergies and is itching. I think it is allergies because same time last year he was doing the same thing. He is itching like crazy but does not have fleas. I bathed him with Johnson's head to toe baby wash because it is supposed to be gentle and figured it would not irritate. He smells great but is still itching. We were giving him a small helping of coconut oil daily but he does not want it any more.

    Anyone have home remedies to help with a dogs itching?
     
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  2. VHestin

    VHestin Farm Chick

    Just checked 2 of my dog books, first just said the problem wouldn't exist if the dog had a proper diet, 2nd said antiperspirant powder should help, because it's very common for dogs to get itching in late summer/early fall. They attribute it to that even though dogs don't sweat, their skin still gets moist and that causes the itchiness. Steroids are the last resort because they're an immune suppressant.
     
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  3. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    I share your pain! My Two Dogs go through this every year about this time, and as you can see in my avatar, one is a huge mess with a triple coat, the other has a fine inner coat with a very long guide coat! Both dogs are miserable pre shed, while building up for the winter coat. I have found that an Oatmeal blend with some essential oils really helps out with this seasonal itch! I combine Oatmeal with Tea tree oil, Lemon Grass Oil, and Lavender oils as well as Epson salts, and Castle Soap and give a serious bath in warm water letting the doggy soak for at least 10 min after using a coarse brush to work through out the coat layers. You can also add in a vinegar as a sort of pre wash to help with some of the itching! Follow up this wash with a skin conditioner available on line or at pet supply stores and all should be good for your furry kid!
     
  4. runswithdogs

    runswithdogs Monkey+++

    First ditch the Johnsons. that stuff is really harsh (formulated for cradle cap) Ive seen more dogs react to that stuff than anything else (Im a dog groomer/24 years experience)

    If you tell me what pet shops you have local or whereabouts you are (IE are you in the US?) I can make some recommendations for shampoo. Can you order online if needed? (also what breed do you have?)

    What are you feeding (food & treats)
    Is there a lot of pollen in your area?.
    Is he licking or chewing? If so, where?
    Any sores? rashes?. red fur? anything else you can see?

    What is the local flora/fauna like? (Ie forest, spruce, evergreens, bogs, swamp, fields, etc)
    When did the itching start & based on last time, how long does it seem to last?
    What did you do last year & did it work/help?
     
  5. Dont

    Dont Just another old gray Jarhead Monkey

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  6. runswithdogs

    runswithdogs Monkey+++

    I groom a lot of Newfies,
    Id recommend scrapping the Conditioner & use the vinegar as a rinse after bathing instead. heavy double coats like Newfies don't actually do so well with a conditioner as it tends to build up in the coat and attract crud. It also adds to drying time , Vinegar on the other hand works great to help remove any soap/detergent build up and actually helps to smooth & condition the coat. & coats dry faster. Its also much better for the skin.. downside is the dog smells like a chip shop for a few days LOL (I actually use a product called Showseasons Results rinse, does the same thing but even better & without the smell but vinegars much cheaper & easier to source)
     
  7. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    Another thing I have found is dog food, even the high end stuff is lacking in essential dietary needs. I add in Salmon oil, vitamin E, an Egg twice a week and food grade seeweed, and the biggest is red meat with fat twice a week. I have found that this really improves the coat and lessens the issues as well as a serious improvement in the dog's overall health! My Golden Retriever is 16 years old, and besides the white face, he looks and acts like a two year old! My Neufy is 5 years old and is a monster of energy and stamina!
     
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  8. runswithdogs

    runswithdogs Monkey+++

    Yeah, you dont wanna get me started on dog food:cautious:

    I feed my guys a raw diet.. no kibble, no grains, just meat & bones & offal.. & No vet bills:D
     
  9. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    Good advice, Skidder ( my Neufie) is due for a good wash so I will give your recommendation a try. I'm always looking at ways to lessen the amount of washing's he needs, my Golden is the low maintenance dog ironically, as long as I stay on top of the flees and ticks, he has zero issues! where can I find that wash you mention?
     
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  10. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    He is eating Fromm food with a bit of kibble & bits mixed in. His treats are beggin strips alternated with a healthy probiotic yogurt, fruit treat. He likes the junk food. We try to discourage it but he is a teenager.
    I do not know if there is pollen. Everything is dry, the grass and trees. Lots of pine and grass. He is scratching. He had a hotspot three weeks ago on his neck area, they had thought maybe a botfly because they were seeing a lot in our area but it was a hot spot. He is mainly itching the back of himself. Sometimes chewing but he loves back scratches.

    IMG_0979.JPG
     
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  11. azrancher

    azrancher Monkey +++

    You might try benadryl, Niece is a vet she suggested that for our yellow lab that has a coughing problem, it was her yellow lab, trained as an assistance dog, failed the final test... on purpose I'm sure, now we are stuck with a spoiled yellow lab!

    We give her 2 morning and night...

    Rancher
     
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  12. runswithdogs

    runswithdogs Monkey+++

    The results rinse is a finishing rinse (so basically use in place of a conditioner) they sell it retail here 32 oz. Results Rinse®
    looks expensive but youd only use about 2 oz diluted for a Newfie so that bottle will last you a long time. (Dilute in water -work through the coat, let sit 10min & then light rinse if needed. It dosent "need" to be rinsed out unless your using it to make sure all your shampoo is out of the coat)

    I like their "Texture" shampoo for Newfies that dont have any skin issues but for dogs that are prone to hot spots /heat sores, bacterial infections etc I usually follow with a soak in the soothe shampoo. that suff is 100x better than any of the vets shampoos ive dealt with (and a heck of a lot cheaper if your treating a Newfie!)

    Another thing you might want to look into is getting a doggie blaster. Its a high velocity dryer that you can use daily/weekly etc to blast through the coat to remove all the loose coat, dirt, debris, etc (also drying which is what there intended for) it really helps to cut down on the brushing if you use it regularly (blast while brushing even better) and cuts down on skin issues as the coat stays cleaner.
    Most of my Newfie clients have gotten one & the ones that are prone to skin issues have been much better since they started blowing out the coat regularly (also its much easier to spot issues like hotspots/rashes etc earlier when using the blaster)
     
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  13. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    That's great help, Thanks a bunch, I will be getting some of that rinse and the wash in a day or three! My Newf really has a great coat, no tangles or matting, and he never has any oders or issues , just the skin itch this time of year! He spends a lot of time in the stream with the Golden and they both dry out pretty quick. I will give the Blaster a think, I don't really know if We need it or not, but will try the rinse and shampoo first and see how it goes! Again, thanks for the help!
     
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  14. Seacowboys

    Seacowboys Senior Member Founding Member

    My Golden Retriever needs a bath. She loves baths. She doesn't get them very often so if anyboidy wants to wash my dog, feel free to volunteer. :)
     
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  15. marlas1too

    marlas1too Monkey+++

    I use skin so soft by Avon on my sons basset mix dog I just spray it on my hands then rub her trouble areas she loves not itching all the time and it seems to kill any fleas too just MHO
     
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  16. Mindgrinder

    Mindgrinder Karma Pirate Ninja|RIP 12-25-2017

    Good thread and replies /ALL.
    This is why I love this forum.

    MM - give'em a raw egg and shot glass of creamer in the morning and see what happens.
    If you can't cure it with the stuff in this thread...go for harm reduction...
    Your dog wants deep fried bacon but you don't even have a fricken deep fryer!
    I aint no dogitchologist but i know a thing or 3 aboot the dog bacon conspiracy...

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    They've been bitcointelproreverseinversioned into working for .gov.
    #damnliberals
     
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2016
  17. runswithdogs

    runswithdogs Monkey+++

    My Guess is most likely an indirect food issue

    OK, so ill start with the food... Most of the issues I see can be ether directly traced back to the food( allergic reaction or symptoms directly related to the food itself)
    Or indirectly (food allergy that dosent show up unless other stressers are added . ie environmental triggers , pollen for instance)

    Orange means advisory, Red means Warning

    Fromm ingredients (ill assume the regular adult formula) dont look to bad. Ingredients: Duck, chicken meal, chicken, brown rice, pearled barley, oatmeal, menhaden fish meal, chicken fat, lamb, potatoes, dried tomato pomace, dried whole egg, salmon oil, cheese, flaxseed, brewers dried yeast, alfalfa meal, carrots, lettuce, celery, chicken cartilage, monocalcium phosphate, salt, potassium chloride, dl-methionine, l-tryptophan, taurine, chicory root extract, calcium sulfate, Yucca schidigera extract, sodium selenite, sorbic acid (preservative), vitamins, minerals, probiotics

    Brown rice is a cheap filler but fairly benign.
    Barley, filler, sometimes triggers the same issues as wheat.
    oatmeal again cheap filler.
    brewers yeast can be an issue with dogs that are prone to yeast issues.
    So some potential issues depending on the dog but not overall that bad.

    Kibbles and Bits
    Ingredients
    Corn, Soybean Meal, Beef & Bone Meal, Ground Wheat, Animal Fat (BHA Used As Preservative), Corn Syrup, Wheat Middlings, Water Sufficient For Processing, Animal Digest (Source Of Chicken Flavor), Propylene Glycol, Salt, Hydrochloric Acid, Potassium Chloride, Caramel Color, Peas, Sorbic Acid (Used As a Preservative), Sodium Carbonate, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Calcium Sulfate, Wheat Flour, Carrots, Green Beans, Titanium Dioxide (Color), Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Red 40, BHA (Used As a Preservative), Blue 1, DL-Methionine.

    Just so you know the above ingredient list causes me to develop a serious twitch.
    Corn- possible allergen & un-digestible for dogs(so it goes in one end & out the other)
    Soybean meal-Very high Allergen risk.
    Wheat (any form) Very high Allergen Risk. Commonly leading to both skin &/or behavior issues.
    Animal digest-the key issue here is "animal.. what kinda animal?.. if they don't specify where its coming from (ie chicken, turkey, beef) then use your imagination (& its still probably gonna be worse than you think)
    Propylene Glycol-depends on who you ask, this falls under the suspicious category.

    Hydrochloric acid. Caramel Color & the colors are all also a bit iffy
    BHA is a "possible carcinogen" (same stuff everyones now trying to avoid in their plastic bottles)

    Hmmm I think I covered that all.... bottom line.. Not good.

    Beggin strips
    I just copied this directly as it pretty much covers it
    The main ingredients in Beggin Strips include ground wheat, corn gluten meal, wheat flour, ground yellow corn, sugar, glycerin, soybean meal,salt, and bacon fat preserved with carcinogenic BHA.:censored:



    My guess would be that its likely his immune system is just coping with all the red/yellow ingredients and at this time of year, hes coming into contact with something in the environment thats causing his system to overload. It could be any of a lot of things, pollen, tree sap, a particular plant (you dont have devils club in your area do you? that stuff is nasty at certain times of the year) local councils spraying for weeds...etc.
    Or
    Hes simply reacting to something in the environment irregardless of diet.

    Id try to find a better substitute for food/treats, at the very least cut out anything with wheat/corn/soy.

    wash any bedding using white vinegar (Soap residue can often trigger skin issues)
    If he developes a hot spot, wash with a good quality soap (The soothe I mentioned above is great for any bacterial/fungal type issues like this but even just getting the skin clean & dry will help) Rinse really REALLY well (soap residue Bad) and keep the area dry. if you need to, clip the hair around the hotspot to allow air to it. colidal silver is good but try to keep the area dry so I don't recommend things like aloe as the keep the area wet.

    I dont know where you are but if you can get it, look for a "shampoo" called Quistel they also do a spray. I highly recommend both for skin issues.
     
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  18. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    Thank you @runswithdogs he loves his beggin strips but I guess it is time to say goodbye to them. I used to give him all natural treats and he would sit at the cupboard waiting for his beggin. I will look for the shampoo. The vet treated his hot spot for $125. This will be nice if I can treat them at home.

    @Mindgrinder I am not getting my dog a deep fat fryer. They are not allowed in my house. #nogreaseallowed
     
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  19. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

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  20. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    I find that what ever I feed the dogs, I must be willing to eat my self! If the list of ingredients might be bad for me, it will be bad for the boys! I'm working on gluten free my self, and I have all ready went this way with the dogs food! Some folks say my dogs eat better then they do! The very worst food on the planet is CORN!!!! That is so bad for us. Having eliminated corn and corn products from our food has all but eliminated my and the dogs issues! I make the food for my dogs, this way I know that they are not getting any un natural stuff! I have an ongoing deal with the butcher to get all the trimmings from him for making the food. We also get leg bones by the hundreds and I give them to the dogs when ever the last one is gone!
     
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