Itchy skin on a dog, also known as pruritus, is a symptom of a variety of conditions. If your dog is itchy, it may scratch, bite, or lick a particular area repeatedly. Sometimes its entire body may feel itchy and irritated from an unknown cause.
Not only is this constant itching painful for your dog, but it can also lead to infections if the dog chronically keeps scratching and licking.
Here’s what you should know about a dog’s itchy skin.
Possible Causes of Itchy Skin
Skin diseases are some of the dogs’ most common causes of persistent itchiness. But, keep in mind that several other conditions can cause it. To determine the cause, a veterinarian can perform tests to examine the most affected areas of irritated skin.
Here are a few possible causes of a dog’s itchy skin.
Flea and Tick Infestation
Fleas are parasitic insects that feed from the blood of dogs, cats, and other mammals. By biting and feeding, these pests can cause a lot of discomfort and itchiness in your dog.
Fleas have four life stages, which means they can keep living on your dog for a long time if not treated properly. Fleas mate with females that lay eggs one to two days after their first feeding. Adult fleas must find a blood meal relatively soon after arising from their cocoon; otherwise, they cannot survive to mate.
When a flea egg hatches, it transforms into a larva, which feeds on “flea dirt,” or metabolized blood excretions left behind by adult fleas.
You may notice your dog’s itching, scratching, and rubbing around its irritated skin. The itchy spots will get scaly and crusty, and the dog may become restless and even aggressive.
Scabies and Lice
Sarcoptic mange, also known as scabies, is caused in dogs by the Sarcoptes scabies mite, a contagious skin parasite.
The mites burrow into the skin, causing severe itching and the formation of scabs, as well as hair loss and skin irritation. It is a year-round parasite found in pups of all ages and breeds.
Scabies causes intense itching, so most dogs with excessive scratching will most likely lose their hair. Symptoms are most commonly seen on infested dogs’ ear flaps, forearms, hocks, abdomen, and chest.
Scabies is challenging to diagnose. Therefore, clinical signs and the elimination of the risk factors are critical since skin scrapings are frequently unreliable.
Allergies
Allergies are a misguided immune system reaction to foreign substances that can affect both humans and animals. There are many different kinds of allergies and allergens in dogs.
Skin allergies, food allergies, and environmental allergens all pose difficulties for dogs and their owners. Additionally, the symptoms of all of these allergies can overlap.
True food allergies cause an immune response, which can manifest as skin conditions (hives, facial swelling, pruritus), gastrointestinal symptoms (vomiting or diarrhea), or a combination of the two.
A severe reaction resulting in anaphylactic shock can occur in rare cases, similar to extreme peanut allergies in humans.
Contact Dermatitis
Grass (Kikuyu, Buffalo, and Couch) and scrumptious ground covers are the most likely causes of contact dermatitis in dogs.
Topical antibiotics (Neomycin), topical antibacterial covers (Propylene Glycol), and shampoos (Chlorhexidine) can also lead to contact dermatitis.
On the other side, flea products, carpet deodorizers, and metals are some of the other causes of itchy dog skin allergies symptoms.
Severe skin allergies usually appear on the groin and genital area (crops or carpets), as well as the scrotum (floor detergents, cement, bleach)
4-72 hours after interaction with the allergen, an itchy, red rash appears. In chronic cases, self-trauma and chronic inflammation can cause skin thickening and darkening.
Bacterial Infections
Many bacteria species live on the epidermis of dogs without provoking any symptoms. Infection occurs when environmental conditions allow bacteria to multiply.
A flea infestation, an allergic reaction, a wound, or a disease process that depletes the immune system could all be the cause. Staphylococcus Pseudointermedius is the most common species linked with pyoderma in dogs.
Dogs may develop red, itchy pustules that leak blood and discharge when they break. Severe infections can cause painful ulcerations filled with puss and dead skin cells.
Bacteria thrive in moist environments, so many pyoderma infections can be caused by another disorder that increases the amount of oil and moisture in the skin. Signs are more commonly found in skin folds or around irritated skin.
Initial Diagnosis and Therapy for Itchy Skin
Vets must use flea combing to determine whether or not fleas or Cheyletiella mites are present.
Then your vet will take skin scrapes to see if there are any other ectoparasites. Skin cytology is performed to determine whether lesions (pimples, pustules, exudate, lichenification, crusts) are present. This helps in diagnosing bacterial or Malassezia infections.
Alopecic, scaly lesion in young dogs (6 months of age) is the classic clinical evidence of potential dermatophytosis;
Diagnostics include:
- Anamnesis
- Physical examination
- Trichogramma
- Wood’s lamp
- Fungal culture
Natural Remedies
Besides the classical therapy with prescribed medicine, there are other solutions that are easily accessible for anyone.
Chamomile, calendula, and green tea are properties that soothe and cool irritated skin while also reducing inflammation. This makes them excellent bath additions for your itchy dog.
These soaks are ideal for dogs with hot, itchy skin that is at risk of being rubbed raw.
Another great natural remedy is apple cider vinegar, an organic, safe moisturizer for dry, itchy skin.
Apple cider vinegar’s antiseptic and antifungal properties provide immediate itch relief, but it should not be applied to open or dry skin. A solution of apple cider vinegar stings the exposed wound if your dog has itched their skin raw.
The usage is very simple, and you can easily manage to apply it to your dog’s itching spot. You just need to fill a spray bottle with 50% water and 50% apple cider vinegar to approach affected areas and avoid getting vinegar in open cuts.
A very used age-old remedy for dry, itchy skin that is also safe to use on our canine companions is the oatmeal! Don’t be surprised because most hypoallergenic shampoos for dogs contain oatmeal as an active component to soothe and combat a dog’s skin itchiness in up to five minutes.
Begin by powdering plain colloidal oatmeal to sprinkle in your dog’s warm bath. Whatever the cause, the oatmeal will normally take 10 to 15 minutes to cool down the red, irritated dog’s skin.
And Is also nontoxic, so licking some off your pet during their long bath is fine; the same goes for the apple cider vinegar solution.
On top of this, oatmeal is also non-toxic. So, if they lick the affected area during their long bath it is completely fine. The same goes for the apple cider vinegar solution.
Antibiotics
- Oral first-generation Penicillinase resistant beta-lactam
- Amoxicillin Clavulanate
- Cephalexin
- Chlorhexidine wipes/sprays or mupirocin ointment
- Baking soda and water mix to reduce inflammation, for occasional or mild itching on dog’s skin.
Medicated Baths
Many medicated shampoos contain compounds that are intended to soothe injured skin and reduce inflammation in itchy dogs.
Furthermore, frequent bathing of your furry friend (weekly to every other week) can remove irritants from the hair coat, which may add to the pet’s allergies flare-ups.
We recommend medicated baths containing anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agents and additives that allow the skin to be bathed more frequently without drying it out.
Using a rinse afterward also helps to keep the skin and hair coat from drying out the skin from the underlying cause.
Antihistamines
Antihistamines are safe to use in dogs. They are an effective allergy treatment for about one-third of owners and have varying effects on different itchy dogs.
Antihistamines are very effective in controlling the symptoms of allergic skin disease in some allergic dogs. Other dogs show no response to this medication and seek other treatment alternatives.
As a result, owners should try at least 3 main kinds of antihistamines before abandoning this therapy.
Benadryl, Chlortrimeton, Atarax, Claritin, Zyrtec, and Clemastine are some antihistamines that are commonly used in dogs, as well as for seasonal allergies and chronic itching.
However, antihistamines are considered worth a try in most cases because the side effects are minimal, and they are typically cheap medications.
Flea Control
A strict flea control regime must be maintained for dogs with this problem. The best flea control options include using Advantage, Revolution, Frontline, Comfortis, and Sentinel as spray bottles or dog shampoo.
Let your dog soak inside the solution for their antibacterial and antifungal properties, and instant itch relief. Have your dog soak for about 5 to 10 minutes.
This treatment should be use several times a week and checked by a veterinary dermatologist after the therapy.
Diet Changes
Because allergies develop as a result of exposure to certain food alergens, most hypoallergenic diets include proteins and carbohydrates that usually don’t cause any irritations or severe reactions in pets.
Diagnostic allergy testing is the quickest and most accurate way to determine which foods one’s dog may or may not be allergic to.
Venison, egg, duck, kangaroo, and fish not commonly found in pet food are examples of novel protein sources used in specially formulated diets. Potatoes, peas, root crops, sweet potatoes, and canned butternut squash are all excellent sources of carbohydrates.
Hydrolyzed protein diets contain protein sources that have been artificially reduced to tiny fragments.
The protein fragments in the food should be small enough so that the allergic dog’s immune system does not recognize them and does not mount an immune response that results in an allergy.
Supplements
The Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acid supplements improve skin health overall. These fatty acids have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and can lead to healthy skin or help soothing itchy skin.
Fish oils contain omega-3 fatty acids, while plants incorporating gamma-linolenic acid contain omega-6 fatty acids (GLA). These supplements are not the same as those sold to achieve a glossy coat like the aloe vera plant or the coconut oil supplements.
But the good news is that they help with skin irritation and speed up the skin renewing process.
Allergen Caps and Halo are two products that contain both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and have improved skin allergies and other skin issues in many dogs.
Immunosuppressive Agents and Corticosteroids
Prednisone, prednisolone, and dexamethasone are cortisone products that reduce itching by reducing inflammation on the dog’s skin. Because these medications have side effects, they must be used with caution when treating skin allergies.
Steroids should be used only when the allergy season is brief, the amount of drug needed is small, or the dog is in severe pain.
Enhanced thirst and appetite, elevated need to urinate, and behavioral changes are all possible side effects. Diabetes and decreased resistance to disease can result from the long-term use of these medications.
Long-term, low-dose substitute day therapy is the only management protocol that successfully regulates the atopic reaction in some dogs.
After all other options have been exhausted, this method should be used as a last resort to help your pet.
Immunotherapy
This type of treatment is not very commonly used in dogs but can be discussed with your vet when other options are not possible.
Immunotherapy gradually introduces small quantities of the ingredients your dog is allergic to so that their immune system develops a tolerance.
The process necessitates frequent injections and can take up to a year to determine effectiveness. While immunotherapy works, your dog may require additional medications to relieve itchiness.
Immunotherapy necessitates a referral to a veterinary dermatologist, who will undertake an intradermal skin test to determine what your dog is allergic to.
Dermatologists have observed that 50% of dogs respond extremely well to immunotherapy, 25% respond moderately, and the remainder does not respond at all.
FAQ:
To Sum Up
Itchy skin in dogs is called pruritus, and it can be caused by many different circumstances. Some of them are food allergic reactions, contact dermatitis, fleas, and bacterial infections.
Pet parents can get horrified just by seeing these conditions, especially when it comes to dog skin allergies. Therefore, our suggestion is to ask for veterinary advice and prescription before administering any drug.
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*photo by Vox19 – depositphotos