My Yorkie scratches and bites herself

Question
I have a 10mth old yorkie - female - about 2mths ago I moved from one apt to another - I have taken her numerous times to the vet, because she is scratching her eyes and biting at her skin constanly- Ive put frontline and flea collars and flea shampoo. I feel she is allergic to something - I just dont know what ? The Vet just put her on d/d food to see , but still she has this scratching and biting ? what do u think it might be .... Desperate -- please help  

Answer
Hi Esther,

The fact your dog is still itching means the allergy or sensitivity is not being caused by her diet.

There are many things which can cause the kind of itchy symptoms your dog is suffering with. Inhalant allergies (called atopy), are common allergens like pollens, dander, grasses, trees, and fabrics; any airborne particle can potentially become an allergen.
While humans usually show respiratory symptoms with atopy, dogs almost always show allergic reactions through their skin.

Blood work for diseases of the thyroid should probably also be run, just to rule it out as a cause. Cushing's disease can make some dogs itchy. So it is worthwhile to check for this at some point, if the itchiness can not be controlled.

Omega fatty acid supplements might help. These products are NOT the same as adding fish oil to the dog's food. Instead, these special fatty acids act as medications, disrupting the production of inflammatory chemicals within the skin.  They must be given daily.
Brands to look for are OmegaDerm, DermCaps, EFA-Z and 3V Capsules. It takes several weeks for a benefit to show from essential fatty acid supplementation and not all dogs are helped. Antihistamines used in combination with the fatty acid supplements may be beneficial. The antihistamine most likely to help, based on studies on dogs, is Clemastine (Tavist tm). Regular bathing with soothing or antibacterial shampoos can be helpful, although not all dogs are cooperative about this.

Discuss using over the counter antihistamines and supplements such as the Omega Fatty Acids with your vet. He or she can tell you which dose would work best for your dog.

To control chronic itching, many vets turn to Prednisone for relief. Prednisone (and all the cortisone medications) can have serious side effects when used long term.
Allergies are lifelong and that makes it important to think of the long range effects of everything that is done. It is best to use Prednisone for as short a time and at as low a dose, as possible.
It may also be possible to adjust the dosage of Prednisone to get some anti-itching effect with less of the side effects, especially if combined with fatty acid supplementation and antihistamines.

In a dog this young, it would be worth considering going to a dermatologist, confirming that allergies are the problem and trying hyposensitization (allergy shots).
It works about 70% of the time to control the itching and has few side effects compared to medications. This is costly the first year but over time I think it is less costly and more comfortable for the dog, when it works. Knowing that allergies are present and what the allergies are can sometimes allow better planning for medication use, even if you don't elect to try allergy shots.

Because dogs can't tell us what's bothering them, it's not uncommon to need repeat trips to the vet when the first course of action has not been successful.

I hope I've been a help,

Best of luck!
Patti