Itchy Dog Skin Causes, Treatment and Home Remedies for Dog Itchy Skin

A dog’s skin determines how healthy its coat looks. Itching in your pet may be an indication that the dog is sensitive to some food or new substance it is in contact with. It could also be indicative of a parasitic infestation such as when it has mites or fleas. We explore the different itchy dog skin causes, treatments and home remedies for itching in dogs.

Itchy Dog Skin Causes

There are many causes for itchy dog skin. In the same way, there are different accompanying symptoms depending on the cause. A dog itchy skin may occur with or with no fleas. You may experience dog itchy back, paws, nose or ears or itching on whole body. It may also be accompanied by hair loss, bald spots and hot spots.

The greatest cause of them all though is dry skin. This can result from a number of things. We explore the various reasons your pet may be experiencing an itchy skin below.

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Bathing Problems

Bathing your dog can be the cause for its itchy skin. Don’t get us wrong- regular dog baths are necessary for healthy dog skin. However, if overdone or done using the wrong products, it could become a problem to the dog.

Bathing a dog regularly is important. If it is not done, it leads to the accumulation of dead skin cells as well as loose hair on the skin. These with time lead to flaking and dog itchy skin.

A high quality shampoo is necessary for a fulfilling dog bath. Harsh ones could cause dry skin or allergic reactions. Check on the ingredients to ensure that your shampoo is not the cause of itchy skin in your dog. Always go for a natural shampoo with ingredients such as colloidal oatmeal and follow the bath up with a good moisturizer.

Allergies

Allergies are another common cause of dog itchy skin. These lead to a dry skin in dogs, skin irritation as well as licking, chewing and scratching. Allergies never get cured but it is possible to contain them as well as protect the dog from flare ups by identifying the specific allergens. By protecting your dog from allergic triggers, the cases are diminished.

Watch out for what leads to allergic reactions in your pooch and keep your dog away from them. This is more so where they are suffering from contact allergies as these affect the skin directly. In case an allergic reaction occurs, use antihistamines to control it.

Dog Hot Spots

Hot spots on dogs are open sores on dog skin characterized by hairlessness, redness and inflammation. They also are quite painful, warm to touch and itchy. Hot spots start off as small circular patches which enlarge fast since once they appear your dog will obsessively itch, scratch, bite and lick the area as a means to try and relief the discomfort. In severe cases, they will develop pus and a foul smell.

Under Grooming

One of the requirements for a healthy dog coat is to regularly have it groomed. This helps in elimination of loose hair and dead skin. It also stimulates the dog skin to produce sebum for the skin to remain well moisturized naturally. This is even more necessary for dogs with double coats.

Failure to brush your dog leads to dead skin flakes and loose hairs being trapped on the undercoat. As a result there is a lot of buildup. This causes dog itchy skin in the long end. Ensure your dog is brushed at least three times a week for long haired dogs. Short haired pups can do with less grooming since their undercoat is not too thick and thus not much of the flakes get trapped on the skin.

Hormonal Imbalances

Spaying and neutering are procedures a lot of dog owners who do not intend to use their pets for breeding purposes necessary. Dogs that undergo these procedures are likely to suffer dry skin problems for a while as the removal of sex hormones leads to hormonal imbalance. This causes an upset in other body hormones too. Oil production on the skin coat is affected causing dryness.

To counter this skin problem, observe your dog keenly after the procedure and in case you experience a itchy dog skin, know that this is the cause and use appropriate means to counteract it.

Another case of hormonal imbalance is when your dog has thyroid problems. This also affects production of cortisol too leading to superficial skin infections, formation of bald spots, itching, scratching and licking of the skin.

Parasites

Ticks, mites and fleas are among the most common parasites affecting dogs. Ticks are visible in most cases and should be dealt with immediately they appear on the dog. Fleas on the other hand are quite tiny and only become visible once a whole blown infestation occurs.

Mites on the other hand are microscopic. These could cause mange on the dog. Sarcoptic mange is highly contagious and can be passed on to humans. It is accompanied by an extremely itchy dog skin.

These parasites will cause itchy dog skin and if not gotten rid of they will lead to anemia in your pet. To alleviate the itch on your dog’s skin, it is necessary to get rid of these external parasites using relevant means.

Ring Worms

Ring worms are a type of fungus that causes small circular scabs, loss of hair and itchy skin. They mostly start off on the paws and face. Ring worms are contagious and easily transmittable to other pets and humans too. The will cause itchy dog skin in addition to the visible circular rings.

Seborrhea Itchy Dog Skin

Also known as dandruff, seborrhea is a skin condition characterized by an itchy flaky skin. The condition is easy to spot since dogs that suffer from it will have white flakes on their coat. It results from an overproduction of sebum on the skin. Once there is a buildup, the dog will itch and scratch.

Infectious Dermatitis

The presence of pathogens on the dog’s coat can lead to extreme itching. These could be fungal, viral or bacterial infections. Yeast is known to cause irritation on the skin and is known for causing long term skin inflammation and itch on dogs in left unaddressed. Yeast infections may be as a result of over use of cortisone medication, deficiency of fatty acid or hypothyroidism.

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Bacterial skin infections occur when there is a proliferation of healthy bacterial on the skin of the dog. An upset of the skin’s pH could see bacteria increase leading to an itchy skin. Antibiotics can help with such a situation.

Itchy Dog Skin Treatment

My dog has itchy skin, what should I do? The best way to offer relief for a dog itchy skin is to know and eliminate the cause. Once this has been done, various dog skin itch treatments can be used to alleviate the symptoms. However, it is important to note that no topical treatment should be offered to the dog if the skin is bruised or has open sores without consulting the veterinarian. Also remember to use the treatment as frequently as advised.

1. Anti-Itch Dog Shampoo

There are different types of shampoo appropriate for various causes of itchy dog skin. Prescription shampoos are great for severe dog itchy skin. These can be obtained with recommendation from your veterinarian. They can help manage itchy skin in dogs that is as a result of bacterial and yeast infections.

Shampoos containing coal tar can be used to treat flaky skin. These can be bought over the counter. Oatmeal shampoo for dogs can help reduce itching as well. Antidandruff shampoos will be a great remedy for dog itchy skin resulting from dandruff.

2. Antihistamines

Antihistamines are a great treatment for allergic dog itchy skin. You can obtain an over the counter product for mild cases while more serious reactions can be quelled using prescription strength antihistamines such as benadryl for itchy dog skin.

Although these help to take care of the immediate itch, the cause of the allergic reaction will have to be eliminated to manage allergies.

3. Parasite Elimination to Control Itchy Dog Skin

Fleas, ticks mites and other parasites cause a lot of itching in dogs. There are specific products appropriate for the control of specific pests. In addition to using parasite control products, you could vacuum the carpet and furniture. Keep the household on check too to avoid re-infestation.

4. Dog Food for Itchy Skin

There are many reasons why you should check on your dog’s food. First, you need to fight allergic reactions to get rid of dog itchy skin resulting from foods the dog is sensitive to. Where you are not certain, you can try discover what it is through the elimination method.

In addition, it is important to give your dog a balanced diet. This will improve their general health and keep their coat well hydrated. Giving the dog fatty acid supplements can help in keeping the coat healthy and thus prevent itchy dog skin.

5. Medication

There are different forms of medication that can help itchy dog skin. These range from antibiotics, topical steroids and other recommended products. Consult your veterinarian for the same.

Home Remedies for Dog’s Itchy Skin

In addition to the above products, you can make use of natural methods to stop dog itching. Try the following home remedies for dog’s itchy skin to relief the discomfort.

6. Tea Soaks

Specific tea soaks can help in treating skin irritation and inflammation to ease the dog’s itch. This can be achieved by either spraying the dog with the herbal tea or giving it a soak if suffering itchy paws. Tea is anti-inflammatory and contains astringent properties. Chamomile tea will help to soothe dog itchy skin. Try a calendula soak or green tea remedy for itchy dog skin to get quick results.

7. Vitamin E Oil

Vitamin E is not only great for human skin- it can also be used to improve the health of a dog’s coat. It helps to hasten the regeneration of skin cells so your dog gets relief from itch. There are different ways that you can use the vitamin E oil on your dog.

You can use the oil to give your pup a massage to make him feel better and relieve itch. This is most convenient where a small part of the skin is affected. For larger areas, give your dog a soak in a bath enriched with the oil.

Oral consumption could also help work out persistent itch from inside out. This though should only be done under the guidance of a veterinarian.

8. Yogurt

Low fat yogurt helps in keeping a balance in the dog’s good bacteria. It will help n keeping at bay any yeast infections. Yogurt is quite essential in boosting puppies’ immune system thus keep itching at bay. You can give this healthy treat to your dog as a snack daily to help stop itching.

9. Evening Primrose Oil

This home remedy is rich in anti-itch and anti-inflammatory properties. It can be applied directly on the dog’s skin. Given orally, the oil will help boost the immune system and bring down allergies. Only a few drops put in the dog’s food should be enough to soothe itchy dog skin.

10. Baking Soda

Baking soda will act as an anti-inflammatory agent when used on your dog. Make a paste with clean water using equal portions. Apply this on the affected skin and leave it on to dry then rinse it off. You could add some baking soda in the dog’s bath water and give the dog a bathe with the solution in cases of widespread itch.

11. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cedar vinegar helps in normalizing the pH level of the dog’s skin. This helps in regulating the bacterial and soothing the itch too. Dilute the vinegar in a ratio of 1:3 and use a spray bottle to saturate the dogs coat for itch relief.

12. Aspirin Paste Dog Itchy Skin Relief

Worth noting is that aspirin should not be administered orally to dogs. To use it for itch relief, crash some tablets and add some rubbing alcohol to it to form a consistent paste. Apply this directly on the problematic areas.

13. Essential Oils for Itchy Dog Skin

Essential oils can help replenish the moisture in the skin. Coconut oil and olive oil are known for their moisturizing properties. There are different ways you can use these to ease itchy dog skin. Adding the oils to dog food can help. You could also dub some directly on the pet’s skin after bath.