# Very very itchy dog. No Fleas.



## beauindie (Aug 20, 2009)

Hi, 
I know there have been lots of threads on itchy dogs, and I have searched to see if there are any problems like my dog currently has, but at a bit of a loss and really want to stop him itching as it seems to be getting him down.

Indie, is 5 years old and has had problems with flaky skin and sores in the past (several years ago now).
Suddenly over the last week he has been itching furiously over most parts of his body, it has been so bad that yesterday he actually scratched his head until it bled. 
I really don't think he has fleas, as have checked his fur and can't see anything, and our other Golden, Noah, is not itching at all.

The only thing I can think is causing this is that his diet over the last two months has changed. Indie always used to have a home cooked diet, comprising of vegetables, grains and meat/fish/offal. However due to work commitments he has been having a good quality complete dog food. 

I am going to stop giving him this and start cooking for him again, but do you think this really is the cause of the problem?
I also will start today giving him fish oils and treat him for fleas just in case. But is there anything else that I could do or any ideas what could be the cause of this problem.
Obviously if this continues for much longer I will take him to the vet. 
Any recommendation for shampoo for itchy skin? 
Thanks.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Fish oil would be my choice to start with. Micro-Tek shampoo can really help too.

I would also consider a trip to the vets to rule out some skin conditions.

Good luck


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## julliams (Oct 27, 2010)

Yes it could be something as simple as dry skin. The fish oil would help I would think. Not an expert by any stretch - sorry.


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## 2goldens2love (Feb 8, 2011)

If it happened shortly after the food change I would think that's a probable cause -- they can have a reaction to so many things from the type of protein to the grains to the preservatives in the food, I would switch the food back and see what happens.


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## bioteach (Nov 13, 2010)

Here in Phoenix where it is very dry my goldens always had skin issues. The fish oil is a big help; but I would want to rule out fungal infections, etc. anyway.


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## Tuckers Mom (Nov 12, 2010)

With Many Dogs, it's simply a matter of sensitivity to grains. Wheat in particular. I agree with starting him on a salmon oil supplement to food, and if you cannot cook for him, look for a quality feed, perhaps something that is salmon based, with few ingredients. Some have also had alot of success with the products from dogzymes. There is a lot of omega 3 stuff in their products that may also help. Good Luck! Poor guy, It's hard to see them suffer.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Good advice above. To give him some immediate relief, micro-tek shampoo is wonderful. It will help him heal too while you're eliminating other possible sources.


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

It could be food and/or seasonal allergies or just plain old dry skin. You can give benadryl to alleviate the immediate itching. Microtek Shampoo is what I use too. There's also a microtek leave on spray that works well too...and it smells wonderful. I hope he's feeling better soon.


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## NancyJ (Dec 18, 2008)

My Charlie has allergy and yeast issues so I've had him allergy tested. He get regular injections created for him, specifically. In addition I use a shampoo for antiseptic purposes (KetoChlor) by Virbac, a leave in conditioner (ResiCORT) by Virbac and a newer product we've been using is called allerderm Spot On which is a lipid complex to help restore balance to the skin. 

I know I hate to see Charlie suffer in anyway, and while this is a lot of stuff, if he's comfortable, that is all that matters to me. Good luck!!

Nancy


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Atopy is occasionally caused by grains but more commonly by environmental factors (esp. fleas). For a sensitive dog, it only takes one flea bite to set of a systemic reaction, and fleas are the most common cause of atopy. A dog can be bitten while outside and exposed, but no fleas survive in the house because the topical treatment (e.g., Frontline) kills them within a couple of hours. So you don't necessarily see them.

Even when atopy is caused by diet, protein sources are more common allergens than anything in any grain. The most common allergen is chicken. Wheat, corn, and soy are all possible, but they're pretty far down the list of likelihood.

Fat intake is important too. If your pup was eating a relatively high amount of fat and is now eating less, the skin may dry out and become itchy. What's the fat content of the new food?

I'll add my voice to those who've had a good experience with Micro-Tek. It does seem to be able to control skin reactions amazingly well.


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