Constantly Itchy!

[irideazip]

My (horse) trainer and his wife have a coc.ker spaniel named Rudy. He is a year old and is black and white. She baths him about once a week and gets him professionally groomed...and he itches! He has been to the vet MANY time to try and help him, but he just scratches all the time! He itches so much and so bad he whines all the time. Mostly it is his legs, that I can see. Everytime I go over to their house poor Rudy is so sad because of his problem. The vet said he is just sensitive, but after his bath, he is OK for a couple of days, and then he itches again.

They also have a Dachshound (sp?) and he USED to have skin problems..mites or something? when they first got him, but he seems to be OK now...he itches only when Rudy itches now! It is very strange...

If anyone has any tips or thoughts on why this poor spaniel is so itchy, I am open for suggestions. We just feel so bad for him!

Thanks!

Sandy

[carlar]

Could it be allergies?

[irideazip]

The vet has said she has ruled that out and says he is just sensitive...but he was not always like this. When they got Nicky, the hotdog, he was itchy all the time and the vet said mites. He was treated, but then Rudy had it, so he was treated. But he still has the itch. No bleeding or anything, though.

[Dignity]

My one dog (Denali) has allergies and has the itchies. The vet told me that it was not food allergies, however I changed her food to a 'clean' food and has helped considerably!! I might bathe my dogs once a month, but their fur also has oils in it that help their skin stay conditioned and protects them against the weather.

So here are my questions:
1) What food is the dog being fed?
2) What shampoo is the dog bathed with?

[Dobified]

I do not think it is a good idea to bath a dog so much, it strips the oil from the skin.

One thing that could be an issue beside food ( good suggestion Dignity ) is the carpet. Does she use de-odorants on it ? Is it new ? Also, cleaners around the house can cause issues with itchy skin. There are just so many things that can cause this that your friend will have to start going one by one to eliminate them.

She can try using flax oil caspules once a day given to the dog at feeding time to help add oil back into the skin, fish oil caps ( if giving cod liver oil becareful salmon is better ). Adding oils like these will help. Also a teaspoon of sunflower oil or canola or corn or olive on the food helps as well.

[Bosley Slave]

If you do bathe that often be sure it is a non detergent one.

Also I had a Aussie Terrier that had horrid sores on him at times. We had all sorts of tests by specialists and found no allergies. But what they did find was he was allergic to the staph found naturally on his body. I was given all sorts of meds and nothing helped.

I then switched to PetGuard canned food and he never had another outbreak again. It worked miracles. I can't say enough for that food.

[bernicesmama]

I like the food suggestion, bernice itches horribly with any food containing corn. what kind of dog food is he getting? you may need to suggest that they get a higher quality food with flaxseed oil and/or vit e.

Also, what kind of shampoo is being used on the dog? are there any carpet powders or anything like that being used?

also, if the vet can't get the dog to stop itching, i would seek a new vet. imo

[Bosley Slave]

Originally Posted by bernicesmama

I like the food suggestion, bernice itches horribly with any food containing corn. what kind of dog food is he getting? you may need to suggest that they get a higher quality food with flaxseed oil and/or vit e.

Also, what kind of shampoo is being used on the dog? are there any carpet powders or anything like that being used?

also, if the vet can't get the dog to stop itching, i would seek a new vet. imo

I agree Bernicesmama. I tried all sorts of special foods the vet recommended and nothing was helping. Special shampoos, etc. Then I did my research and found the PetGuard CANNED food (I used Venison and Rabbit). It was amazing the difference. I should add OD had a weight problem too (yes, we tested the heck out of his thyroid and he went to an endoc.) with PetGuard canned that was never a problem again either.

Food is so important to us and important for our people family and dog family members, I can't stress that enough! Just the difference in what nutrients you body can absorb from organic produce and chemically treated produce is amazing. I'm a big believer in organic anything!

[irideazip]

They are already in the process of getting a new vet. She uses a perscription shampoo and a shampoo for dogs with sensitive skin. I do not know what he eats and she does not use anything on the carpets, which are not new.

I think she baths him too much as well, but since she says it helps, I can't tell her otherwise. She has had years of dog ownership and this is the first problem i know of that has gone on for any period of time. He gets oils in his food and benedryl when he is REALLY bad. He also has an anti itch spray that the vet gave her.

It is only since they started going to North Carolina that he has had this problem and they think it has something to do with that...chiggers or something. But, like I said, the vet said it was his skin sensitivity. I think there is something else going on . I will have her try out different foods.

Thanks for all the advice so far!

[bernicesmama]

is he on flea preventative like frontline? has she tried to just stop bathing him for a month or two?