Itchy Dog

[~Anne~]

I recently moved into a new house. One of my dogs, who has always been an itchy kind of dog, is now going crazy with the itchies.

I am a little confused though as there is no redness or spots, I can't detect any fleas, and there is no hair loss.

Her diet is the same, we have no plants that I can determine are causes for allergies and there is no grass in the back yard so it can't be a different grass type causing it.

She ha sonly been btahed once in the last 4 weeks and I normally bath them more often. This time, she was done by a mobile goomer so I am not sure what she used, but the itchiness isn't really coincinding with her bath last week anyway as it was there before and after the bath.

It has worsened in the last few days in particular it seems. I rang my old Vets and they advised giving her a 4mg Periactin tablet twice a day. I have done this since Tuesday night and although this was only a few days ago it should have an instant effect anyway, and apart from being a tad quieter, she is still itchy.

She has always been one of those dogs that when you pat them on the back she squirmed in pleasure as if you were scratching her back.

Does anyone have any clues?

[Staranais]

Could be a lot of things, if it's associated with the move to a new house. New type of pollen in the neighbourhood? Carpet or dust mites that she's allergic to? A few fleas left over from the last occupants? Different types of plants encountered where you take her for walks now?

The distribution of itchiness on her body might give you a clue as to whether it's something like fleas (typically itchy lumbar back & thighs) or something like a plant or rug that she is lying on.

If she has a flea allergy, just one flea bite can be enough to make her scratch like crazy, there don't need to be enough fleas for you to see. Have you tried flea bombing the house and treating all the animals for fleas at the same time to make sure there are really no fleas there at all?

[~Anne~]

Thanks Staranis. My gut feel is fleas but I haven't spied any at this point in time. I haven't felt any, seen any and the other dogs aren't scratching.

The dogs are all on Sentinel. The previous owners did have a dog in the past, but it seems it was a few years ago. There is very little carpet or areas that fleas could be hibernating as well.

She seems to have calmed down again the in the last few days. As they are not used to having fleas, I had considered there may be one or two around, and her reaction is just typical of the dizzy blond she is.

The Sentinel, as you know won't kill the fleas so maybe she has had one or two on her biting her and she is carrying on like a pork chop and over reacting. If she was allergic, she would have irritation somewhere and there is no redness or change in her skin anywhere at all.

I might see how she goes and then decide about bombing. We have just had the place pest controlled, not specifically for fleas, but maybe this is why she is settling down too??? Maybe it is a fela or two and the pest control has got them?

[Erny]

We have just had the place pest controlled, not specifically for fleas, but maybe this is why she is settling down too??? Maybe it is a fela or two and the pest control has got them?

Is it possible that she started itching at the time you had your home treated? Or was she itching before that?

[~Anne~]

We have just had the place pest controlled, not specifically for fleas, but maybe this is why she is settling down too??? Maybe it is a fela or two and the pest control has got them?

Is it possible that she started itching at the time you had your home treated? Or was she itching before that?

She was itching before. We've been in the new place for around 5 weeks now and the pest control wa sonly done last week.

I spoke too soon as well as she started going crazy again last night. I have no idea what her issue is to be honest.

She has always been an 'itchy' dog without cause, but not like she is now. Now she is actually looking a little distressed with it but there is no redness or anything on her. It seems to be her back mainly that is itching her so I gave her (and the others) another Capstar last night. I checked her, and the others, all over again and I can not find any evidence of fleas at all though.

I am stumped.

There is a 'hedge' style bush that is planted in the yard that my husband trimmed back the other week. It has white flowers on it and it has a very, very heavy scent and attracts bees. I have no idea of its name, but perhaps it is related to this???

Edited April 17, 2011 by ~Anne~

[SparkyTansy]

It could be anything. when I had my dogs allergy testing done, he was allergic to a specific type of mould!!

[~Anne~]

It could be anything. when I had my dogs allergy testing done, he was allergic to a specific type of mould!!

Hmm, now there's a thought! We have an issue with moisture at the moment so maybe it is an allergy? Did your dog show obvious signs though of a skin problem? Every dog I have had experienced allergy issues with has had obvious visual signs of a reaction apart form scratching.