Itchy Dog

[Floppy Dog]

Hi everyone, my American Cocker Spaniel, Lady, seems to be very itchy lately. Like most Cockers, Lady does have allergies but we seem to have those under control with diet (Natural Balance), limited treats and anti-histamines (Hydroxyzine). She hasn't been presenting with any hives or pustules so I think the anti-histamines are working. She's also up-to-date on all her shots and is regularly dosed with Revolution for fleas, ticks and other nasties. Our cat is also on Revolution and is also up-to-date on shots, so I don't think she's picked up anything from Crush.

Lady's 2-1/2 and is really starting to enjoy swimming. We introduced her to the water last year and this year she's really proving to the world that she's a water dog. Could the daily swims be drying her skin and causing the itching? I don't like to bathe her too often (about once every 2 weeks with Johnson's baby shampoo which we've been using since we got her at 5 months old) but I do try to brush her every day and keep her fur clear of burrs and other "biddy-bids" as my hubby G-Man calls seed pods that stick to you.

Is there anything I can do to moisturize her skin? I don't like the idea of lotion (too messy and to hard to work into the fur). I've heard that fish or flax oil is good. Has anyone had some success with that? What are the doses for a 20lb dog?

[hazelrunpack]

Is there a reason you bathe her every two weeks, Floppy Dog? That's really pretty frequent and could certainly be contributing to Lady's dry skin. Baby shampoo turns out to be pretty harsh, believe it or not, so if you need to bathe her that frequently, switching to something like an oatmeal based dog shampoo might help.

We've used fish oil in the past for dry coats. The dogs love the taste of it on their food and it really does help condition their fur! Not sure of the dose, but your vet might be able to give you a range. Start slow because it can cause a little GI upset till they adjust to it.

[Dee-O-Gee]

Are you feeding Lady the L.I.D Natural Balance blend? We switched to L.I.D about a year & half ago but after finding no allergies in our Springer, I stepped it down to Ultra Premium blend and has been great ever since.

Are the itchy spots developing into hot spots? Swimming can play a major part in skin irritations especially if the fur doesn't dry completely. This could potentially lead to hot spots and infection.

We treat our guys with ZinPro snacks which make for a nice shiny coat and reduces the risks of skin irritations. http://www.lincolnbiotech.com/

[luckypenny]

You've received great advice already. I just wanted to ask if you noticed Lady itching more after applying the Revolution? Two of our dogs are sensitive to both Revolution and Advantage Multi and will scratch excessively for at least 48 hours after it's application. We've switched to another flea treatment that doesn't seem to have an effect on them so far.

For the baths, every two weeks does sound too frequent. Over-washing removes the natural oils that help protect the skin and coat. One good doggy shampoo we like when bathing is absolutely necessary is the Earthbath brand. Just stay clear of any shampoo that has fragrance or dyes added to it (Clear Advantages and Hypo-allergenic are good choices) http://www.earthbath.com/dogs/shampoo/pints.php .

[Floppy Dog]

Thanks for your replies.

hazelrunpack "Is there a reason you bathe her every two weeks, Floppy Dog?"

I bathe every 2 weeks cause she gets smelly, even with the brushing! Since we let Lady up on the couch and bed to cuddle with us, smelly is not nice. I have to go to the pet store today to get cat food and litter so I will ask about a more gentle dog shampoo. I thought baby shampoo was supposed to be gentle!

klmccallum "Are you feeding Lady the L.I.D Natural Balance blend?"

Yes and she seems to be doing really well on it, lots of energy, shiny coat, bright eyes, etc.

klmccallum "Are the itchy spots developing into hot spots? Swimming can play a major part in skin irritations especially if the fur doesn't dry completely."

What are hot spots? The itching sort of seems to be generalized. I have also noticed that it seems to take forever for Lady to dry especially around the ears and "armpits", even with a really good towell drying. All that Cocker fur, I guess. I haven't seen any signs of infection, with her allergies, we check Lady's skin almost daily.

Luckypenny "I just wanted to ask if you noticed Lady itching more after applying the Revolution? "

I haven't been paying that close attention, but will when Lady's due for her next dose on July 1.

PS. Am I doing the "quote" thing correctly? I'm still quite new to this.

[t.pettet]

Over-bathing (even with the proper shampoo) and more often than every 6 weeks can lead to seborrhea, skin allergies and over-active sebaceous glands so if your cocker swims every day then have her clipped down for the summer, dry her thoroughly with a coarse towel and to eliminate doggy smell try a light wipe with scented baby wipes.