How to stop my dog from itching
Does your dog have dry itchy skin that he just can’t stop scratching? Is he relentlessly biting and licking these areas with no relief in site? By now, more than likely you’re feeling helpless with you dog’s itchy skin problem. You know there’s just got to be a simple solution that doesn’t involve dragging your dog to the vet and paying a high priced doctor’s bill.
Well…you’re right! There ARE some simple solutions to a dog with dry itchy skin. After all, it’s a VERY common problem. Here I’ll be giving you some great tips that will give your dog (and you) the relief you’ve been searching for. Let’s get started!
There are many reasons why your dog would scratch, Instead of fixing the fruit on the trees, fix the root of the problem. Before you can stop that stubborn itch, you got to figure out what’s causing the itch.
What are the causes of dogs itching?
Neurogenic – This is cause by licking excessively and chewing. This is usually caused when your pet doesn’t have enough exercise or mental stimulation. This can also due to separation anxiety.
Infections – This is one of the most common reasons of dog scratching and it is usually caused by yeast, bacteria or fungi. What you need to do is look for greasy sores, patches that are hairless or red swelling.
Allergenic – There are many types of allergy that can make your dog scratch too much such as food allergies, flea allergies, plant and dust allergies and other type of allergies that can cause skin problem.
Nutritional – When your pet doesn’t have the right nutrients in their body, they can get dry skin, develop eczema, sores or can have dry hair that can lead to scratching.
Environmental – Did you know that too much water, like from swimming, digging or playing outside can cause scratching as well?
Parasites – Parasites can cause itching as well and that includes tick, fleas, gnats and mites. There are medications though that can stop parasites.
How can i cure and protect my dog from scratching and itching?
When you are training your dog to stop scratching, it would be hard to do especially if it is caused by neurogenic. The other issues that have been shown can be treated if you have shifts in diet, medication or you can change their exercise routines. If your dog is scratching because of this, you need to know why your dog have the urge to continuously scratch his skin.
1) The first thing that you can do is to make sure your dog has enough exercise. Most of the time your pet is just bored and has developed a neurotic tick to scratch himself. You can stop your dog’s boredom by averting the behavior. What you can do is applying bitter apple spray or cayenne pepper spray on the spot where your dog loves to lick or scratch.
2) A cone is also helpful and you can get one from your vet. It won’t allow your dog to reach those itching spots. When your dog has stop trying to scratch himself and have a more active exercise routine, you can make them return to their activities and have the cone remove.
3) You should visit the vet when your dog continues to scratch to make sure that it can rule out any other types of physical ailments. You may not know but infections can grow and thrive in your dog.
It can be a bit intimidating at first, trying to cure a pet’s health ailment. Don’t let your lack of knowledge on the subject intimidate you. You don’t have to be a veterinarian to solve MOST itchy skin conditions in dogs. You simply need to know what safe treatments you can start implementing and go from there. Here, I’ll be giving you my top two favorites:
The Shampoo Factor: Shampoos can work FOR or AGAINST a dog with itchy skin. It really all depends on root cause of the itch. For instance, if he’s suffering from fleas (flea allergies cause the insatiable itch), you’ll want to pick up a reputable flea & tick shampoo. He’ll feel relieve INSTANTLY as most flea shampoos kill the fleas within 24 hours of application.
Shampoos can also work against your dog when it comes to itching. If your groomer is using a particular brand, you may want to investigate. Perhaps you’re taking him to the groomer too often. See, whenever your dog has a bath with shampoo, the oil from his fur is stripped and a drying effect takes place on the skin. This can cause itchy dog skin but the solution is much simpler than the former scenario. You can either give him less baths or…
They do make dog dandruff shampoos which moisturize itchy dog skin. Try this out if you’ve already eliminated the possibility of fleas, rash, infection or a sore as the cause of the problem. Moisturizing his skin with one of these shampoos is a nice easy fix.
Soothing Solutions: Aloe Vera works especially well on “hot spots” (sores). Hot spots are incredible itchy patches of irritated skin. They usually occur when a scratch on the skin becomes minorly infected. Applying a dab of aloe vera to the spot will immediately soothe your dog. You can also dissolve Aloe Vera in a spray bottle with water. Spray the solution on your dog’s coat to give him FAST relieve.
Emu Oil is another natural substance that relieves irritated skin. It’s used best with skin irritated by ringworm, flea bites and hotspots.
Finally, Petroleum Jelly works wonders on patches of itchy dog skin. It can get a bit messy, so just put a dab on. I prefer using this solution for hotspots. It’s a nice way to prevent the dog from further infecting the area and allowing the sore to heal. Petroleum Jelly is less effective for a recurring issue such as a flea infestation
