When a dog is scratching itself constantly, the source of the itch, rash, etc. may be the result of:Â An infestation of fleas;Â
A reaction to another type of bug bite or even insect eggs that have been laid by a bug just under the first layer of skin;
Allergies to food or pesticides present in food stuffs;
Seasonal or year round environmental allergies to plants, air born pollen, fungus, molds, etc.;
An allergic reaction to solvents and cleaners (i.e spray application – miniscule droplets/particles becoming airborne in the home or outdoor environment);
Dry skin;Â
Bacteria, fungus or yeast infection;
Scratching can also be an outlet for unspent energy or anxiety.
———————————————————————–————————————–
Once in a while my Chihuahua will come into contact with a plant that he is allergic to – a dose of Benedryl resolves the rash and the itching for him. Â
My Boxer is allergic to some vegetables (but not to fruit). He also has some environmental allergies – seasonal. I find adding two tablespoons of 100% pure aloe juice to his daily food helps a lot with his allergies. If your dog has pollen related environmental allergies you can read here for DIY natural herbal treatments and remedies. He is about 65 pounds. Remember what works for one dog may not work for another – just like with people. When my Australian Shepherd and my Alsatian x Alaskan Malamute get stung by bees or bitten by deer-fly they can get some really nasty swelling and irritation. Just like with us humans, some dogs are more sensitive to bug bites than others are.
 |
Abby, Zoey, Stevie and Tasha on the trails |
As I have a lot of experience with dogs I am often able to diagnose these things myself. Without this kind of experience you would likely have to see a Veterinarian to have the cause diagnosed. But, you can try to draw conclusions yourself if you wish to start the process yourself…
Think back to when your dog’s scratching started:
See if you recall introducing any new food to his diet at the time;
Try to remember if something in his environment changed or a new item was introduced (new cleaning product, new plant in the house, etc.);
Is his scratching seasonal?
Did you start walking him somewhere different? Somewhere he may come into contact with a plant, fungus that he did not before (i.e. wooded trails, meadows as opposed to sidewalks or pavement).
——————————————————————————————————-
I also make sure my dogs get good fats - omega fatty acids 3 and 6 in the right balance from quality food sources, on a daily basis to support healthy fur, skin and immune system health. A lack of enough and good quality omega fatty acids can trigger allergies and a whole host of other health issues. If you would like to learn more about how to make sure your dog is getting the right kind of fats in the proper ratio from the best food sources you can read this article ‘Fatty Acids for Dogs – Omega 3, Omega 6, Health Benefits, Best Sources, Dosage’Â
 ——————————————————————————————————-
The following provides a little more in-depth information on allergies…
Foods: The common symptoms of food allergies consist of skin irritation, excessive itching, hair loss, and hot spots. In addition, they can cause the dog to have loose bowel movements and even cause them to throw up from time to time. There are a number of causes for food allergies including a built-up intolerance to beef, dairy products, chicken, corn and soy. Food allergies can develop over time making it all the more important to be aware of these symptoms. The easiest solution is to change to a different dry dog food and see if the skin problem clears up. But often the best solution is to get your dog off of commercially made dry dog food and instead feed your dog nutritious home made dog food.
Fleas: Much like food allergies, a dog may develop redness to the skin, become itchy, and may begin chewing in spots. The primary instigator of discomfort is the saliva of fleas that irritates the dog’s skin. Similar to mosquitoes, fleas suck blood from the dog. If the dog has chewed his own skin, antibiotics will be sometimes needed, depending on the severity of the problem. I recommend going to your veterinarian to obtain the required flea treatment products. Do not buy off-the-shelf products from pet supply stores – these are not affective. You can also look into holistic treatments. Some dogs do have a reaction to the chemical based flea treatment products.Â
Bacteria: Bacterial allergies can be identified by red blotches, pus pockets, hair loss and skin formation that looks like ringworm. Typically, bacteria allergies are secondary to other problems the dog may have such as parasitism or hormonal disorders. It is vital to get a blood test to see what the actual problem is.
Contact: The symptoms of contact allergies are very similar to flea and bacteria allergy symptoms. The cause of contact allergies is the dog coming into contact with allergens. Anything from materials used for bedding, chemicals, plants, or household cleaning products can bring on contact allergies. There are several different treatment methods including using a specially formulated shampoo (available from your Veterinarian), a prescribed oral form of steroids, or any natural treatments like omega-3 and aloe vera juice.
Atopical: Atopical allergies start with itching, biting, hair loss and face rubbing. Other symptoms may be papules, which are small red bumps, or pustules, which are small pimple-like lesions. Atopical allergies are typically caused by fleas, but can also be caused by airborne, chemicals, and by many of the common products found in your home.
——————————————————————————————————-
I would just add, that it is important to remember that scratching can also be an outlet for unspent energy leading to anxious behaviors such as repeated scratching. It can also be an outlet for anxiety resulting from a state of insecurity. Make sure that your dog is getting the exercise and Leadership it requires. Remember – energy must out!
My Boxer has seasonal allergies. I find that adding two tablespoons of 100% aloe vera juice as well as coconut oil, herbs, good dog kibble and and fresh whole foods to his daily diet makes a big difference – his scratching and discomfort is greatly reduced!Â
If your dog is suffering from skin irritations you can add rooibos tea to his/her diet as well as use the tea to topically treat the irritated spots. If your dog is suffering from candida you can use these herbal soaks to sooth itchiness and irritation. Many commercially manufactured dog shampoos contain chemicals that can trigger allergic reactions and help create a toxic burden in your dog. Chemical based household cleaners are best replaced with natural, non-toxic household cleaners.
 |
Robbie, my Boxer enjoying off-leash time on my trail |
The following provides the dosages for Benedryl (below) but be careful – if the scratching persists you need to find a real solution – please remember Benedryl is not a cure it is only a band aid approach – it is better to find the cause and cure! If the allergies are environmental you can use these natural herbal interventions in-place of the chemical based anti-allergens such as Benedryl.
Here are the standard dosages for dogs – for Benadryl, based on body weight, & using a 25 mg tablet/capsule. The dosages are based on the dogs weight in kilograms – to convert to pounds…there are 2.5kg in a pound: <10 kg 1 tablet; 10-25 kg 1-2 tablets; > 25 kg 2 tablets. Frequency of dosage: every 8 hours.
To begin to track possible causes of allergies, I normally ask people to sit back, and think about when the scratching started and see they can draw some conclusions. You can then try to find a solution on your own…or go see your Vet. Either way don’t leave it untreated to long!!!
â€áµ”ᴥᵔâ€
Related Articles
For related and additional articles on dog and cat, care, health, training, nutrition and animal advocacy go to thispage.
Feel free to leave a comment below – if your comment is polite, informative etc. I will publish it. If your comment is a quick question, I will answer it if time permits…
If you require additional assistancewith your dogs you can engage me to…
1.0) Do an in-person session(see details below)
2.0)Â Do a phone/email consultation (see details below)
1.0) In-Person Sessions are available to you if you live in the region of Ottawa-Gatineau, the Ottawa Valley and Region.
(i.e. Ottawa, Hull, Alymer, Orleans, Bells Corners, Manotick, Vars, Kanata, Stittsville, Smith Falls, Fitzroy, Carp, Arnprior, Renfrew, etc.)Â
 and surrounding areasÂ
(i.e. Brockville, Smith Falls, Perth, Kingston, L’Original, Val-des-Monte, St-Pierre-de-Wakefield, etc.)
or if you will be visiting the area from out-of-town.
Methods of Payment (for In-Person Sessions):
Cash, Email Money Transfer and Credit Card via PayPal
2.0) If you reside elsewhere you can engage my world wide consultation service, details of which are provided just below…
My Hourly Fee
$ 100.00/hour in Canadian funds.
Purchasing Consultation Time:
Client’s often start out by purchasing an hour of my time and then augment that if required to suit the situation;
Or you can – if your situation requires it, purchase whatever block of time you want (i.e. multiple hours).
Methods of Payment:
Email Money Transfer and Credit Card via PayPal
1.0 Email Money Transfer:
1 hour = $ 100.00 in Canadian Funds;
For payment via email money transfer I provide you with a password (security information).
2.0 Credit Card via PayPal
1 hour = $ 100.00 + $ 5.00 PayPal Transaction fee = $ 105.00 Canadian Funds;
For payment via PayPal I send you a PayPal invoice to enable payment.
Method of Consultation – Canada, USA and Abroad (i.e. UK, Asia, etc.)
If You Are Located In:
1.0 Canada:
I can work with you via:
Phone with follow-up by email, or;
Via email only;
The choice is yours;
If you want to work via phone you provide me with your phone number and I will call you at the mutually agreed upon Consultation time.
2.0 USA:
I can work with you via:
Phone with follow-up by email, or;
Via email only;
The choice is yours;
If you want to work via phone:
You call me at the following number 613-622-7958, at the mutually agreed upon consultation time.
3.0 ALL OTHER GLOBAL LOCATIONS (i.e. UK. Asia, etc.):
I can work with you via:
Via email only, or;
Phone with follow-up by email…
The choice is yours;
If you want to work via phone:
You call me at the following number 613-622-7958, at the mutually agreed upon consultation time.
To Set-up a Consultation
Step 1 – Identify how you would prefer to pay for the consultation;
 Payment options as noted above are:
o   email money transfer, or;
o   Credit card via Paypal.
Step 2 – Identification of a consultation time that works for both our schedules;
Step 3 – You then pay the fee for the amount of consultation time you want to purchase;
Step 4 – Consultation takes place on the agreed upon time.
Contact me at
Office 613-622-7958
Cell 613-293-3707
Ottawa Valley Dog Whisperer Services
Training;
Behaviour Modification;
Rehabilitation;
Nutrition;
Health
Whether you are experiencing dog behavior problems and would like assistance, or just want to bring your dog up to be a well-balanced canine -Â I offer both a local and international service for people with one or multiple dogs.Â
I work with all breeds – from small (i.e. Yorkie, Pomeranian, Chihuahua, etc.), medium breeds size (including Pit Bulls) and large breed dogs…
International e-ConsultationÂ
Contact me at
Office 613-622-7958
Cell 613-293-3707
I’ve been hearing about how wonderfully healthy Chia seeds are lately, so I decided to look into them for  my dogs. My girls are allergic to flaxseed, so chia seeds would provide an alternative source of omega’s  3 & 6, plus other wonderful nutrients like protein, fiber, calcium & much more. Chia seeds are rich in antioxidants & won’t deteriorate or go rancid. Making them ideal for long term storage.  There are no known allergies to chia seeds & they are virtually tasteless, making them easy to add to your dogs food. Chia also has natural antibiotic & anti-inflammatory properties, which could be very helpful to our ailing pups.
The gel will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.
