Dog wont stop scratching!

Question
QUESTION: We have a toy pomeranian that we rescued from a shelter.  We gave him advantage a few weeks ago, but he had a bad reaction to it and we almost lost him and he lost almost all of his fur.  We took him to a vet and he is recovering.  Now that his coat is starting to grow back, he's been itchy and rubbing on everything.  Is there anything that we can do to stop him from scratching?  He's started to get flaky skin from where he's been scratching, and that's making him even more itchy and we feel bad for him.  Is there any remedy that you know of?  The vet said that there isn't any medication or anything that she can recommend, but do you know of any over the counter or homeopathic remedies?  I know you don't answer medical questions, but any input you have would be helpful!
Thanks for your time!

ANSWER:
Hi Leah,

There is nothing over the counter which would be as effective as the prescription medication your vet can provide for chronic itching.

You may have misunderstood your vet, there are definitely strong anti-itch medications she can prescribe. Those medications would only treat the itchy symptoms, and not the underlaying cause of the itch. Your dog needs to have some diagnostic tests run to find the cause of the itch, otherwise the itch will return when the medication is stopped.  This problem can be anything from microscopic skin mites, to an allergy, or a thyroid problem. You won't get a handle on the itching until you get a diagnosis, because treatments will vary depending on what the root problem is.

Best of luck,
Patti



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: He said that he was afraid to prescribe anything because he had such a strong reaction to the flea medication.  He wasn't entirely sure about the cause, but it was probably due to the damage that the medication did to his skin.  Should I just try to find another vet that can actually help him?

Answer

Hi Leah,

Yes, look for another vet, because this doesn't make any sense.
The medications that could be prescribed would be oral, not topical. Since this is a skin problem, you might consider having your dog examined by a veterinary dermatologist. As a specialist, they deal with cases that can stump your everyday local vet. If your vet can't give you a referral to a veterinary dermatologist, you can locate one here:  http://www.acvd.org  (click on "Find a Dermatologist" from the menu on the left side).

If you're using a veterinarian who works out of a pet supply store, such as Petsmart, try using a vet in private practice.

Best of luck,
Patti