How to Solve Your Dog's Skin and Scratching Problems

Your dog won’t stop scratching. Night after night, day after day, you hear her at night scratching and biting away at the itch. You also probably hear her whine, crying out because all that scratching eventually hurts. It’s not something that can be ignored, so here are a few simple steps you can take to relieve your pooch.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Is your dog flea free? It’s usually the first thing to check. Dogs are allergic to flea bite and will scratch and chew at their skin because of it. It could also lead to hair lost.

2. If your dog is flea free, then he might have allergies. Try feeding your dog a hypo-allergenic diet -- for 4-6 weeks. This basically means cut out food that have coloring in them.

3. Bathe your pet twice weekly in an oatmeal shampoo with cool water. Leave the shampoo on for 10 minutes then rinse well.

4. Consider fatty Acid supplements, which can be helpful in decreasing the level of inflammation. Omega 3 fatty acids are most important, and it can be found in flax seeds. Vets recommend a 1 tsp per cup of dog food. Other sources include fish oil, primrose oil and specific veterinary supplements.

5. There is also the option of using a Calendula ointment, a herbal medication to relieve the itch. Apply a thin coat twice daily to affected areas.

6. Go to the vet. If you’ve done all you can to treat the itching without medication, it’s time to get a vet involved. Vets have several options that can give your pet relief quickly. They include steroid injections, but that can have it's own side effects.

[pianistic]

on 7/8/2009 Thanks for the help. At the vet I found out about ZD food for allergies.