Finishing off where we left off yesterday, we will be covering treatment options for an itchy dog.
Help! How to stop my dog from scratching itself, Fortitude Valley Vet?
Treatment
- Eradicate fleas - Treat all animals with flea treatments. I prefer oral treatments as topical treatments tend to wash off if you shampoo your pooch. If you have carpets, vacuum regularly. Consider steam-cleaning if you can. Treating fleas is a two step process where you have to treat the pet and the environment. I won't be bothered with "Flea Bombs" as they do not penetrate carpet fibers or underneath floor boards adequately. Getting rid of fleas in your environment can take up to 6 months.
- Food trial - It is quite likely that your dog is allergic to one of the 4 main type of proteins (beef, pork, lamb and chicken) commonly found in majority of commercially prepared dog food. Try a hypoallergenic dog food or look out for dog food that do not contain the 4 main type of proteins. You will need to stop giving your doggie treats that are made out of those proteins too. Try a fruit treat instead. A food trial can take up to 8 weeks of continuous feeding of the same food before you notice any improvements.
- Investigate atopic dermatitis – This is usually based on the exclusion of other skin allergies. Treatment includes avoidance of potential allergens (plant materials are the most likely reason why your dog is itchy), life-long corticosteroid or immunosuppressant medication, anti-histamines, fish oil, medicated shampoos containing chlorhexidine and miconazole and skin protectants (QV bath oil).
Sometimes your dog may need all of the above treatments as some pets may have more than 1 allergies. Talk to us at Fortitude Valley Vet if you are unsure which type of allergies and respective treatments your dog needs. Dr Nic has special interest in dermatology and can help relieve your pet's itchiness.
