itchy dog

Question
Hi Patty -
My little dog is so itchy.  The vet gave me steroids, which I give him occasionally, and they help, but I have to keep using them.  He is pretty much an inside dog, and I'm wondering if most outside-only dogs don't have the itch problem as much since they aren't exposed to the dust?  Also, is it the dog food we use now, since it has carbs in it?   Dog food from years ago used to be horse meat, I think, no carbs.  Even though that doesn't seem healthy, do you think a meat-only diet is the way to go?  I don't remember dogs having such a problem with itching back in the day.  I'm thinking of trying an old-fashioned diet for my dog.

Thanks!
Rosemary

Answer

Hi Rosemary,

The steroids your vet prescribed treat the itchy symptom, not the underlying cause of the problem, so it might be effective in suppressing the itch for a while, but the problem may remain. Itching can be caused from many things, ranging from a habitual behavior caused by boredom, to an allergy, or a infestation of mites (which can be microscopic).  Chronic itching can be caused by an inherited predisposition, or it can just be the luck of the draw. On top of the things that main thing causes of the itch,  your dog might have a secondary yeast or bacterial infection which also requires treatment, especially if your dog itches a lot and has wet skin.  Outside dogs can itch as much as inside dogs, it all depends on what's causing the problem.

A meat only diet isn't healthy for dogs, they are not true carnivores, as cats are. You shouldn't try a home-made diet without running it past your vet, since malnutrition can result.  Dogs require a carbohydrate source, but it's hard to guess at if it's the kind of meat, or the kind of carbohydrate your dog has been receiving is causing the problem. You can read more about homemade diets for dogs, here:

http://www.petdiets.com/

Dogs with a food allergy usually develops itching on it's feet, tail area or ears. Several studies have shown that some ingredients are more likely to cause food allergies than others. In order of the most common offenders in dogs are beef, dairy products, chicken, lamb, fish, chicken eggs, corn, wheat, and soy. So even though you changed your dog's diet, if it contains any of these common allergens, the problem would remain. A food trial is something to try if diet is the suspected cause. A food trial consists of feeding your dog a "novel" food source of protein and carbohydrate for at least 12 weeks. A novel food source would be a protein and carbohydrate that your dog has never eaten before. Examples would include be rabbit and rice, or venison and potato. There are a number of such commercial diets available on the market, or you can buy a prescription hypoallergenic diet from your vet's office.  In addition, there are specialized diets that have the proteins and carbohydrates broken down into such small molecular sizes that they no longer would trigger an allergic response. These are termed 'limited antigen' or 'hydrolyzed protein' diets.  Regardless of the diet used, it must be the only thing your dog eats for 12 weeks. This means no treats, no flavored medications, no rawhide or pig's ears; absolutely nothing but the special food and water. In addition, your dog should not be allowed to roam, which may result in him having access to food or garbage. Over the counter hypoallergenic diets to consider are:

Avoderm hypoallergenic dog food
Pinnacle hypoallergenic dog (Duck and Potato, or Trout & Sweet Potato)
Orijen dog food (Duck Formula or Salmon & Oatmeal Formula)
Go! Natural hypoallergenic dog food (Salmon and Vegetable)
Eagle Pack Holistic Select (Anchovy, Sardine and Salmon)
Wellness Simple Food Solutions (Duck, Lamb or Salmon) Don't use the Lamb if your dog has ever had that before.

Steroids are powerful drugs that can have serious side effects with long term use. You should work to find the cause of the itch (if possible) and only use the steroids for the worst itching episodes. Besides treating your dog with the steroids, you might try an Omega Fatty Acid supplement to see if that helps. Veterinarians have found that fatty acids play important role in the health of the skin and coat, and also helps with allergies. Marine fish oil such as Salmon Oil  (not Cod Liver Oil) or Flax seed oil, as well as several over the counter brands such as Drs. Foster and Smith, 3V Caps, or Derm Caps ES  can be considered. You would need to give the Omega Fatty Acid supplement daily for at least a month before results may be seen.  You should talk to your vet about using an over the counter antihistamine to control the itch. Different over the counter antihistamines have different active ingredients, you you may need to try more than one before finding one that works for your particular dog, which means your vet would need to give you dosing info on whatever brands you try.  Antihistamines can make your dog drowsy, so watch him around stairs!

If your dog is young and healthy, and you think boredom has resulted in the licking/itching habit, increasing the amount of exercise your dog receives is something worth trying. Letting your dog outside in a fenced yard wouldn't count as increasing the amount of exercise, you need to walk your dog on a leash, or take him to a park. Get him good and tired-out at least once a day.

If after the food trial, your dog shows no improvement in his condition, you can rule diet out as the cause of the problem, and other diagnostic tests would be needed to get a diagnosis. If your vet seems stumped by your dog's problem, having a veterinary dermatologist examine him would be helpful. If your vet can't give you a referral to a veterinary dermatologist, you can locate one here: https://www.acvd.org

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,

Patti