# Itchy after swimming



## Castaway (Dec 19, 2011)

Where is he swimming?

Is the itching a new thing?

If it's a pool, I might suggest researching alternate chemicals to use, perhaps he might be having a reaction to that.

If it's a natural water source... is the water clean? Could there be something in the water, like algae or bacteria?

Cassie swims in our pool every day during the warmer months here in Florida, and every weekend during the winter months. Although I do a quickie towel dry, she's still damp at that point, and the rest is just air dry. Never really an itchy issue. Although sometimes she does get a bit of swimmers ear which will cause her to shake her head and scratch her ear. I have special drops for that.


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## Ksdenton (Mar 17, 2013)

I'm local to you, central FL, and he's swimming in a lake. The lake is large and it's a clean lake. We've swam in it for years and years. Maybe something in it doesn't agree with him? I'm trying to remember if he's itchy when he's swam in the pool at daycare but I can't remember. I know I have to worry more about his ears after daycare. My other dogs don't have any reaction however they are short haired/different breed. 


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Do you rinse him off + give him a bath afterwards?


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## Ksdenton (Mar 17, 2013)

I've bathed and not bathed and he's itchy either way. At least I'm pretty sure. I'm trying to remember specifically when I bathed him if he itched. This last time I know I didn't bathe him afterwards. 
Ok next time I'll bathe him and see if it makes a difference. I'm pretty sure it didn't but I'll try again. 


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## Ksdenton (Mar 17, 2013)

I've bathed Bentley and he's still itchy. Here's his tummy and he has a spot that's really red from biting at it. Ugh!














I'm trying to figure out if it's the water or the high grass along the beach he loves to roll in. It's kind of muddy there too in the grass. He's always back into the water which rinses off the mud. 
His poor belly is red like a rash. 


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## Ksdenton (Mar 17, 2013)

It's been over a week and still itchy plus we went to lake again. I felt he wasn't itching as much and I had taken him to the vet for a shot to help. We had family in town so let Bentley play and swim which he loves. I made sure to not let him roll in the high grass or mud and after I bathed him as soon as we came up from the water. I noticed he had developed a mat in his hair between his back legs. When I looked at his belly I see it's so raw the skin is broken and scabbed in places. Poor guy. So odd though that his itching has decreased. Guess we're going back to the vet. I hate that I can't take him to swim anymore. 


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Poor guy! Can you get some anti itch spray from the vets? I wonder what's making him itch? If it only happens at the lake then I guess it's time to avoid it, which is unfortunate! Hope you figure it out soon!


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## Castaway (Dec 19, 2011)

Aww, poor guy. Do other dogs go in this water? Is it possible to do a water test to see if there might be something in it?

And I know that if he lives swimming even half as much as Cassie, it's very difficult to say no to swimming. Cassie goes nuts when you say the word swimming, and she'll do just about anything to go in my pool including busting through screen doors. When I used a topical flea prevention, I couldn't let her swim for 3 days. The puppy dog eyes I got... You'd think I was holding back food or something.

Is there another place that you can take him swimming? I know my friends used to take their malamutes out to a beach on the gulf coast. I think that's a bit far for you, though.


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## Castaway (Dec 19, 2011)

You know what... Random thought. I remember when I first got Cassie, she kept getting bit by fire ants in my lawn. (Quickly scheduled pest prevention after that)

I wonder if when he goes in the grassy areas if he is getting bit?


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## Suni52 (Jan 18, 2012)

This happened the last time we went to a lake too. Its the same lake we take our dog swimming since she was a pup. But for some reason this last time she was so itchy for a couple of days. When I washed her though, she got better. But I was wondering what was different all of a sudden with the water too.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

There could be algae or some type of bacteria in the water you can't see that might be causing the problem. 

I live on the NC Coast, my Vet Clinic gives my two a booster every year since they swim in the Inter Coastal Waterway. The Booster is protection against any bacteria in the water. During the summer months, the bacteria levels are high here.


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## Ksdenton (Mar 17, 2013)

My Min Pin is in the same lake for hours. I mean HOURS and he has no reaction. Only difference is Bentley has rolled in the muddy grassy area which I didn't let him do this last time. He's not itching like he was before though. He was doing that "flea-bite" chewing up and down his legs, sides, back, belly, and hips but not after this last trip. Now he's just licking the existing raw areas. I think I'll get him a cone-of-shame today to wear this week and see if he heals. I wonder if what he has now is just from the original but I do notice big bumps but that could be lingering too. All that darn fur covers so much. 







This looks new. Like hives maybe?







Now I just bathed him last night and this is how he looks. He's not itching at all. 
I have an appt with the vet. Last time I took him the vet never rolled him over to look and didn't seem too concerned. 


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Oh yikes that looks bad!! Let us know what the vet says!


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## Ksdenton (Mar 17, 2013)

Infection. Starting him on antibiotic and getting a cone to stop the licking/scratching and help it heal. 


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Oh no!! Is it an infection from licking it?


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## Ksdenton (Mar 17, 2013)

I guess so. From the initial irritation and then him going at it scratching and licking. 


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## Ksdenton (Mar 17, 2013)

Any suggestions on a cone? I bought one today that's either not the right fit, not put on properly, or not a good one. He was able to pull it apart. Grrr
They only had the hard plastic one. 


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Ksdenton said:


> Any suggestions on a cone? I bought one today that's either not the right fit, not put on properly, or not a good one. He was able to pull it apart. Grrr
> They only had the hard plastic one.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Yes! So Champ was able to get past the soft cones and still lick himself, so we bought a hard cone at petsmart that is adjustable and snaps into place. Even though it's a hard cone it was way better than the one that the vet gave us and it has a soft lining on the neck part and on the outer part that tends to hit you in the back of the knees I'm sure you can find it at most pet stores. People also recommended putting boxer shorts on him, so you could try that with Bentley since the rash is on his backside. It wouldn't have worked with Champ...he would have pulled them off and run around the house with them


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## Ksdenton (Mar 17, 2013)

SMBC said:


> Yes! So Champ was able to get past the soft cones and still lick himself, so we bought a hard cone at petsmart that is adjustable and snaps into place. Even though it's a hard cone it was way better than the one that the vet gave us and it has a soft lining on the neck part and on the outer part that tends to hit you in the back of the knees I'm sure you can find it at most pet stores. People also recommended putting boxer shorts on him, so you could try that with Bentley since the rash is on his backside. It wouldn't have worked with Champ...he would have pulled them off and run around the house with them


Thanks. The one I bought was at Petsmart and sounds like it might be the same you're talking about. I flipped it and put on again and it stayed however he didn't like it at all and paced back and forth and up and down off the bed as well as lying on my head. He would walk from foot of bed to head and lie on my head with his cone head. Seriously, I had my face mushed with a big plastic cone. He was so miserable which resulted in me being miserable. I ripped it off him about 5am after being woke up for the tenth time throughout the night. It's back on him now and he looks so pitiful. I will admit we had a good laugh watching him bang into things walking around with it on. 


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

Ksdenton said:


> Thanks. The one I bought was at Petsmart and sounds like it might be the same you're talking about. I flipped it and put on again and it stayed however he didn't like it at all and paced back and forth and up and down off the bed as well as lying on my head. He would walk from foot of bed to head and lie on my head with his cone head. Seriously, I had my face mushed with a big plastic cone. He was so miserable which resulted in me being miserable. I ripped it off him about 5am after being woke up for the tenth time throughout the night. It's back on him now and he looks so pitiful. I will admit we had a good laugh watching him bang into things walking around with it on.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


That's exactly what happened with champ too!! Our faces would be smushed by the plastic cone!! Ahh! Poor Bentley!! I'm sure he will get used to it though and it's better to keep it on so the rash can go away. When champ first started using it with his sores, he would freeze, literally not move! He quickly got used to it though and was the same whether he had it on or not. It's so sad that they have to wear it and I wish we could just say to them don't lick yourself and you'll heal and you won't have to wear this silly cone!! Hopefully it'll clear up quickly though!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I hope his infection clears up quickly. 

So sorry he's going through this, I know it's hard on you too.


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## SMBC (Jul 31, 2012)

How's Bentley's infection? Is it all cleared up?


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## Ksdenton (Mar 17, 2013)

He's still on medication but it looks healed to me. I'm giving him the full course of meds to make sure it's fully gone. Thanks for asking. 
It had gotten so nasty looking I got really worried. 


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