Dog has itchy skin problem????

susi

My german shepherd has started with a skin problem. He is almost 10 and it only started about two years ago. It would happen twice a year , in the spring and autumn (usually coinciding with his moulting) His skin on his back would get very itchy, his coat felt almost greasy and he would nibble and make big sores. This has now got more and more regular and its got to the point where he is having to be taken to the vet every month (for steroid injections), as soon as the injection starts to wear off the problem comes again. Does anyone know of anything that may help. I dont think it can do him any good to keep having these injections, I have tried to shampoo him with shampoo from the vet but that dosent seem to help.

WeirdoMagnet

It sounds really uncomfortable for your dog.

Can I ask what you feed him? Some foods can trigger skin disorders - I know both Burns and James Wellbeloved have helped some dogs with skin complaints.

If you do swap foods, remember to do so over a period of 5-7 days, phasing the old stuff out and the new stuff in.

tieg3

My dog was on steroid tablets for a year as she too had a skin complaint, you could try putting your dog on evening primrose capsules (the cheap one-a-day are fine, from places like savers or lidl) we were advised this from a vet. As it turns out she's highly allergic to fleas/house dust mites:eek: :eek: , my house is clean honestly! The tablets put a layer of oil on the skin to stop the little critters getting through and irritating the skin, they also leave the coat lovely and shiny.

elsien

I can second the evening primrose - that, with a change to James Wellbeloved stopped my mutt from chewing her feet to bits. She still has a bit of a nibble, but its nowhere near as bad. The vet says the evening primrose works for some dogs, and not for others, but defo worth a try.

SiuLoong

z/d is the Hills hydrolysed protein diet, the Royal Canin diet is called something else.


You need to speak to your vets about further diagnosis. Steroids are great for treating the symptoms but they don't get to the bottom of the cause, some animals and situations require them but for further options you need to ask your vet, they know your animal better than anyone on here and are best placed to advise you further. If you are unhappy get a second opinion from another vet at the practice or from another practice but bear in mind skin complaints are often very difficult to get to the bottom of and very difficult to fix.

ElaineE_2

Give your dog some spinach very day it will stop the scratching. Even the frozen type works.
Try to avoid steroids as it shortens their life.

Tigsteroonie

When we first took our dog to the vet with this problem, they gave him a steroid injection and suggested it could be an allergy.

We changed his food and he's been fed on gluten-free (Arden Grange) dry food since then. We also immediately cut out all human tit-bits (to avoid flour as an ingredient), and we've avoided munchy sticks & other treats - all he gets are rawhide chews which we know are safe (almost all other treats contain unspecified "cereals").

This was fine until we moved to a rural area, and now it seems he also has a form of hayfever - he reacts badly to grass seed and pollen. So, even though we've tried to control the sores etc. through his food, he still suffers badly each summer. You try telling a dog that he can't run through the fields when he's been doing it all winter!

On really bad days, he is given half-a-tablet of a human hayfever relief tablet - there's a specific type (of the 4 main types) that other websites have recommended for dogs (chlorphenamine maleate) - this seems to reduce the itching sufficiently for him to get a good night's sleep.

Thanks to the people who are suggesting Evening Primrose Oil capsules, I'm going to try those.

susi

Thanks for your replies everybody, I have two dogs and they have both always been fed on tinned food (mainly butchers tripe) with mixer biscuits and occasionally the dry complete dog food. I have tried giving him hayfever tablets but even the non drowsy ones seemed to make him dopey. The vet seems to think its an allergy to something but we cant fathom out just what. I will try the evening primrose, along with the cod liver oil and joint pills he already takes lol!!! I always think that giving them dried food is a bit boring for them but if it will help then I think I will have to try it.
Thanks again for all your suggestions

Shambler

My GSD developed a similar condition, I ended feeding him Eukanuba Lamb and Rice and sometimes put a teaspoon of olive oil into it.

He didn't suffer with itching again but it may have just been a coincidence...worth a try though.

hollydays

Or dog had an allergy to flea bites.

elsien

Dried food is boring, but I usually add a few veggies to liven it up- helps if you have a dog that will eat anything! I also put in porridge oats (handful of the dry stuff to help with colitis) and the stupid animal thinks she's in doggie heaven.