Ditch that Itch – Guide to The Itchy Dog
Why your dog itches and what you can do about it.
Do any of the following scenarios seem familiar? You’re walking your dog, and every few steps he has to stop to get that hind leg up to scratch his belly, sides or behind his elbows. Maybe you are awakened in the middle of the night to the sounds of incessant slurping as your dog licks or chews on his feet. Your pet chronically develops red, itchy infected ears. You find scabs, crusts and hotspots over the hindquarters of your dog when you pet him, despite knowing that you keep your pet well groomed. Chances are, if you’ve shared your life with dogs, you’ve probably experienced itchiness in at least one of them!
Why is itching bad?
Itchiness, also called pruritis in medical terms, is more than just an inconvenience to you and your dog. In some cases it can affect your dog’s health as well as his quality of life. Pets that scratch themselves are more prone to skin infections. Scratching can abrade the normal surface of the skin, which usually acts as a barrier to the millions of microbes that inhabit our world. When that normally protective barrier is compromised, bacterial and fungal organisms, opportunistic creatures that they are, may take up housekeeping in those red irritated areas. In addition, being constantly itchy is a miserable way to live. If you’ve ever experienced intense itchiness, imagine that feeling never going away! Would you want to live your life that way?
Why do dogs scratch?
Actually, there are a number of reasons. One of the common causes of itchiness in some areas of the nation is ectoparasites. Ectoparasites are “bugs” that live outside the animal (“ecto”) and use your pet for food and shelter without benefit to the pet (“parasite”). Some of these are visible to the human eye, and others can only be seen under magnification with a microscope. The most common ectoparasites include fleas, mites, ticks, and lice. Fleas, ticks and lice are generally visible to the naked eye, while most mites must be visualized with a microscope. While the parasites themselves may cause itchiness, they also have the additional annoying ability to cause your pet to develop a hypersensitivity, or allergic, reaction to the bites themselves! These ectoparasites can also transmit other serious diseases to your dog.
Another common cause of itchiness in pets is allergies. Yes, allergies in pets are probably just as common as allergies in people. Unlike people, though, pets’ allergies manifest more as itchy skin, feet and ears rather than the symptoms of sneezing and red watery eyes that humans experience. Like people, pets can have either food (ingested) or inhalant (inhaled) allergies.
Food allergies are much less common than inhalant allergies. In fact, only about 20% of pets that are itchy from allergies have food allergies. Most food allergies are to proteins, such as soy, chicken or beef. In addition, pets may have allergies to cereal grains such as corn, oat, wheat and barley. Dogs with itching due to inhalant allergies (this condition is also known as “atopy”) are much more common than food allergies, comprising about 80% of itchy pets. Inhalant allergies are due to an individual’s increased sensitivity to normal environmental factors, such as grasses, trees, weeds, pollens, molds, dander, and dust mites.
How do you determine why YOUR dog is scratching?
Determining the cause of a dog’s itchiness is a multi-step process. The first step is to take a good hard visual look at your pet’s skin and coat. If you rub the hair the wrong way (opposite the way it grows) you can see the skin layer. If present, you may see lice or fleas near the skin, or you may see “flea dirt”, which is the tiny brown flecks of flea waste that are deposited on the skin in cases of flea infestation. If you see ectoparasites, then you know that this is at least part of the itching problem.
The next step is to work with your veterinarian to dig deeper (literally) into the cause of your dog’s itchiness. In most cases of itchy skin without obvious evidence of ectoparasites, the veterinarian will do a “skin scraping”. This involves using a sharp blade to scrape the skin to look for mites that are not visible to the human eye and that may live deep in the skin or hair follicles. There are several types of mites such as demodex (demodectic mange), sarcoptes (sacroptic mange) and chyletiella. Some of these can be passed to humans so it is important to find out which type of mite your dog may have. Your vet may also “pluck” some hairs to culture for fungal infections, such as ringworm (which is really a fungus, not a worm). By looking at the skin cells under a microscope, your vet can determine if a secondary bacterial infection is also present.
If no specific cause of itchiness is determined by visual and microscopic examination of the skin and hair, then it is possible the pet is itching due to food or inhalant allergies. Your veterinarian can assist you with implementing a strict food trial to differentiate itchy skin from food versus inhalant allergies. These food trials may range from 8-10 weeks in duration and involve feeding strictly a novel (meaning your dog has no previous exposure to these ingredients) or hypoallergenic diet. Yes, that means no other treats, bones, dental chews or table scraps during this trial period! If the itchiness resolves during this trial period, then the itchiness is probably due to some type of food allergy. If your dog continues to be itchy, then chances are your dog is in the majority of dogs with itchy skin due to inhalant allergies.
How do you stop or control your dog’s itching?
Once you have some idea why your pet is scratching, you can determine the best way to stop it.
If parasites have been detected, you need to find a way to eliminate or control them. While there are many over-the-counter flea, tick and lice control products, your veterinarian is also a great resource. Many of the products available through your veterinarian are safer and more effective at controlling ectoparasites than what is available at your local department or grocery store. Most of these products control parasites for approximately 30 days, so once monthly treatment is required. Some of the products available, such as Frontline, are supplied as a liquid to be applied once monthly directly to the dog’s skin. Other products, such as Sentinal, come in a tablet or chewable form that is fed to the pet once monthly. There is a wide variety of products that can control or prevent different parasites such as fleas, ticks, lice, mites and heartworms. It is best to consult with your veterinarian to determine which product is needed for your individual dog.
If your pet has a fungal or bacterial infection, your veterinarian can provide medication in the form of antibiotics or antifungals to eliminate the infection. Your veterinarian may also prescribe a special medicated shampoo for you to use to bathe your pet. Unfortunately, most bacterial and fungal infections are secondary to some other skin condition so it is important to try to determine the underlying cause for your pet’s skin problems.
If the food trial determines that food allergies are the cause of your pet’s itchiness, then you can work with your veterinarian to find an appropriate diet that limits or does not contain the ingredients your pet is allergic to.
Itchiness due to inhalant allergies (atopy) is the most difficult and frustrating to treat. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most common reasons dogs scratch. In most cases it is impossible to remove the offending environmental allergens from your pet’s life. However, there are several things that can be done to minimize the itchiness and provide comfort to your dog.
1) Bathe your dog weekly with an oatmeal based gentle shampoo. Oatmeal based shampoos have been shown to sooth and calm itchy skin. In addition, it is thought that some of the environmental allergens on the dog’s coat may be absorbed through the skin, contributing to the allergic itching. Weekly bathing may help remove these allergens from the coat.
2) Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation. We’ve all heard of the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids. There is evidence that supplemental Omega-3 fatty acids improve the quality and condition of dogs’ skin and coats. They also may improve the efficacy of antihistamines when used concurrently.
3) Over the counter antihistamines. Some dogs, especially those with seasonal allergies, may benefit from antihistamines. Discuss with your vet which brand and dose of antihistamine would benefit your pet.
4) Allergy testing and desensitization. Your veterinarian can provide either skin or blood testing to determine which allergens your pet is sensitive to. Once you know what these allergens are, a customized desensitization program involving tiny injections at lengthening intervals can be implemented to try to minimize or eliminate the allergies.
5) Steroid and steroid/antihistamine combo drugs. Since allergies are due to an over-reactive immune system, steroids are very effective in controlling itchiness. Steroids suppress the immune system so the dog’s body cannot over-react to these common allergens. Unfortunately, steroids have many side effects and need to be used carefully and under direct supervision of your veterinarian. Despite the side effects, some dogs need to be on steroids to control their itchiness.
6) Immune modulators. Your veterinarian can discuss with you other options of manipulating the immune system without the use of steroids, such as using a drug called cyclosporine. Like any medication, it may also have adverse reactions associated with its use and should be used only under a veterinarian’s supervision.
Itchiness in dogs can be a frustrating problem. Fortunately, there are options available to determine why you dog itches and there are treatments that can prevent or minimize the itchiness. It is important to realize that most itchy dogs, regardless of cause, will require lifelong, diligent care to control the condition. This may mean keeping your pet on year round flea control products or investigating allergy testing and desensitization for your dog.
Itchiness is not something we expect our precious dogs to just “live with”. Through a logical and systematic approach we can determine the cause of our dogs’ itchiness and find ways to manage it. It is possible to ditch that itch!
admin Veterinary Articles allergies, atopy, dogs, itchy, pruritis, veterinary