Is Your Dog Itching Up A Storm? 3 Things That Could Be Behind It
If your dog is itching up a storm, that is not normal. Here is a break breakdown of the three things that could be behind your dog's unnatural need to itch their skin.
#1 Fleas
When your dog becomes infected with fleas, they will suffer numerous flea bites. When fleas bite a dog, it doesn't just sting when it bites them, it hurts later as well because the flea leaves behind their salvia. Flea salvia generally causes an allergic reaction with most dog's skin, which is what makes your dog itch and what makes a flea infestation so unbearable for your dog.
If your dog has fleas, you are going to need to go through a multiple steps to get rid of them. First, you will need to give your dog a bath using special soap that is designed to remove and kill fleas. Next, you'll need to wash all of your dog's bedding and cloth toys. You will also need to vacuum, clean and apply flea killer to all cloth surfaces in your home in order to get the fleas out of your house. Then, you'll need to get your dog a flea collar or flea medication from your vet so that your dog doesn't contract fleas again.
#2 Dermatitis
Some dogs just have sensitive skin that becomes irritated when it comes in contact with certain items. This condition is referred to as contact dermatitis. What causes the contact dermatitis can vary from one dog to the next. It is often causes by certain soaps and perfumes, although some dogs are actually allergic to grass pollens as well.
If this is the care, you are going to need to do some testing to figure out what is irritating your dog. Try to change out the shampoos that you use on your dog and see if that gets rid of their dermatitis. Next, try to change out the cleaning products that you use around your house. The soaps you use to wash your clothes or the products you spray around your home to clean with or even to freshen up the air could be causing your dog's dermatitis. Finally, limit the time that your dog spends in the grass to see if that is the issue. It may take some trial and error, but be observant and you should be able to figure out your dog's trigger.
#3 Allergies
Finally, your dog's itching skin could be caused by allergies, specifically food allergies. Your dog could be allergic to an ingredient in the food that they eat. If you just tried out a new type of food and your dog started to have itchy skin, that could be the culprit. Go back to your dog's old food or try something new and see if that gets rid of your dog's itching skin.
For more information, contact a company like Murrells Inlet Veterinary Hospital.