Itchy Dog |
| Q: My Labrador Retriever has been chewing at an area near her tail constantly. She is driving me crazy! What can be done about this? A: Chewing and scratching is a very common problem with dogs this time of year. In the spring and summer I see several dogs a day with these symptoms. There are several things to consider upon presentation of an itchy dog. First of all, common diseases such as mange and ringworm must be ruled out. A routine exam, skin scraping and fungal culture can eliminate these as possible causes. Secondly, inhalant and food allergies are very common in dogs. In humans, inhalant allergies typically cause upper respiratory signs. Conversely, with dogs, inhalant allergies are usually exhibited as itchy skin and sometimes runny eyes. Severely affected animals can develop hot spots which are areas of hair loss and irritation which begin to ooze blood tinged fluid. The dog may obsessively scratch and chew these areas until they are very large and painful. Flea allergies are also extremely common in dogs. With today's advanced methods of flea control, flea allergies are easily managed. Lastly, bacterial skin infections can cause itchy skin in dogs, although these infections are usually secondary to something else such as an allergy or mange. Once the cause of the itchiness is determined, and treatment initiated, both you and your dog can experience relief. |
