Itchy Holly

[hollyminidoodle]

Holly seems to be very itchy and scratchy at the moment. Poor pooch. She's up to date with her Advocate so I suppose that should count out fleas (though you never know) - I've not spotted any on her.

Does anyone have any answers/clues/ideas? We've got a vets appointment for Monday but in the meantime I wondered if there was anything you would recommend to reduce the itching? She's been biting herself too on elbows/hips/ legs etc and she's lost some of her hair around these areas - nothing in big clumps or anything but the hair is thinner in the areas she's been licking/biting/scratching more. Have read about mange - but Advocate I believe should prevent against this as the cause of the itching. She's currently on a raw diet - manifold meats duck or turkey 'sausages' of mince which we started her on about 3 months ago - could it be she's allergic to those meats I wonder and it's making her skin flare up? Lots of potential causes I suppose.. hopefully the vet can assist us on Monday.

Until then, we have quite an itchy and scratchy doodle Katie & Holly doodle

[Bid]

It could be harvest mites - Advocate doesn't treat them, but I believe Frontline spray does. Are there any little orange spots between her toes?

[pixie's mum]

I had an itchy patchy dobermann some years ago and after many tests etc tried in desperation original chappie tinned food ( I dismissed this option may times before i gave it a go) and it sorted him out.
It is fish based and easily digestible and not medication so may be worth a try ( can't do any harm ) I saw a great improvement in 2 weeks
Hope she's sorted out very soon
Kathy

[susieQ]

My friend used Advocate on her dogs and they scratched like mad for weeks, so I've never used it, I use Frontline. Could it be the Advocate?

Tea tree oil spray may help to reduce the itching, it works on my itchy arm where I got a wasp sting six weeks ago!

[ClareV]

Hi there,

Three things spring to mind. Firstly, you haven't had a new wool carpet laid, have you, as this can cause itches?

Secondly, harvest mites are indeed driving my boy crazy, and until we have a frost they will still be around. As Bid says, orange tiny dots between their toes, behind the dew claw, on their ears ann anywhere they transmit them via scratching. Frontline spray is recommended as the best treatment, and you can only get that on prescription.

Thirdly, I would advise changing the food. I would read up On an exclusion diet, and try her on fish plus mashed sweet potato and if you want, so e cooked veg, though really they just need the fish. This really calmed Charlie's skin down so quickly. Try it for a fortnight at a minimum (absolutely no rawhides or other non fish treats) and see if she improves. It was almost an overnight change I saw in Charlie.

Fourthly, I would buy Yumega Plus as this helps with skin conditions. You can I am sure get it online.

One question: on reading your post it appeared that there is a correlation between you changing her feed and her itching. What did you feed Holly on before, and what were the main proteins? Was it completely grain free?I wonder if the fact that the raw meats you are feeding her on are from animals which are fed on grain, might be an issue. Certainly mine has a problem with chicken, so my vet advised that I do not feed him on poultry as they would have been fed on Grain, and I wonder if part of their stomach content goes into the raw (otherwise I cannot understand the link personally). So if you do want to keep her on raw, I would stay off poultry for the time being.

Remember some dogs find rice an irritant, hence my boy having fish with a little potato. My only concern is that it is difficult to keep the weight on them so you might want to try her on some sardines as a treat if that isn't going to upset her gut.

Lots to think about, and only my opinion and experience, but I am hoping it might be of benefit.

Good luck! It is horrible seeing them itch like crazy!

Clare xx

[Bid]

I wonder if the fact that the raw meats you are feeding her on are from animals which are fed on grain, might be an issue.

My understanding is that the grain is changed by the digestion process of the animal, so a dog that is allergic to grain won't have the same reaction to a grain-fed animal. The exception is if your dog is alergic to the mycoproteins found in a lot of grain. If that is the case then you really will struggle as you need to find meat that is from animals that have never had grain. Most grass reared cattle are "finished" with feed so you are left with wild rabbit, wild venison and possibly some lamb. Even the wild beasties feed on crops at the end of summer so it is VERY hard - I have a friend with a dog like this and she struggles to feed her!

[ClareV]

That might well explain the issue re grain fed animals, Bid. It confused me, I must say, especially as I have a friend who is coeliac yet can eat chicken. I just presumed the difference might be that dogs get the whole of the animal, guts and all.

Daisy did well on rabbit, didn't she? It's finding something they can eat yet not get too skinny on, if they are like my boy and the gorgeous Holly, who is a lean build.

I don't worry half as much about what I eat as I do the dog!!