Why is My Dog Itching?
Listening to and watching your dog itching and scratching and
licking is most unpleasant. First, you know your pet is miserable.
Second, it seems like it just never stops. And leaving your dog's
itching untreated can lead to a host of problems from topical damage to
the skin to secondary bacterial infections. But what is causing the itch
and what can you do about it? Following are the top reasons for dog
itching.
dog grooming
Nutrition - one of the leading reasons for your
dog's itchy skin is a poor quality diet. Luckily, this is also the
easiest to fix. When a dog is not eating healthy dog food, they are not
getting the nourishment their body is craving, and their immune system
cannot function properly. This makes it virtually impossible to fight
off the simplest irritant.
Don't rely on what anyone tells you
about your dog food. Only the dog food ingredients listed on your dog
food can tell you if you are feeding your dog the healthiest dog food. A
natural dog food is best for your pet. Other ways to boost the
nutritional value are specially formulated dog multi-vitamins.
Inhalant
Allergies - dog itching from inhalant allergies, or atopy, occur from
allergens that are breathed in. Dogs can be allergic to the same
airborne allergens that affect humans, such as pollen, grasses, and
dust. Other allergens that we don't usually think about are pesticides
(especially those used in yards and gardens) and household cleaners.
Remember, your dog is all over your floor and yard and can develop an
allergy to these types of chemical irritants. Unfortunately, inhalant
allergies are difficult to diagnose. If your dog has an airborne allergy
the best you can do is to try to control them, as they usually cannot
be eliminated.
Allergic Contact Dermatitis - contact dermatitis
occurs when an irritant comes in contact with the skin. Common irritants
are shampoo residue, flea collars, flea treatments applied to the skin,
and household cleaners (usually through the pads on their feet). If you
believe this could be the problem, look into all-natural products for
your dog.
Insect Bites - bites from fleas, mites, ticks,
mosquitoes, and other insects are common reasons for dog itching. Some
dogs even develop an allergy to flea bites - so much so that even one
flea bite could leave you believing your dog is infested with fleas! You
will need to control the problem, preferably using natural products.
Keep in mind that your house might also be infested and need to be
treated as well. And remember, most chemical products will only irritate
your dogs already sensitive skin - use natural products whenever
possible. If you believe your dog has mites (most of which are invisible
to the naked eye), you should take them to the vet for treatment.
Food
Allergies - lots of people think their dog has food allergies when
their dogs have endless itching and scratching. As stated above, it is
more likely an overall nutrition problem that causes a sensitivity to a
particular food or allergen. Determining which food is causing the
problem for a food allergy requires the elimination diet - where you
must eliminate all common allergens and slowly reintroduce ingredients
individually to determine which food is the culprit.
Dog Itching