Sudden Itch Skin Flare Up In 3yr Old Pooch With No History Of Itch.

[Pailin]

My girl has suddenly started scratching ceaselessly and I would like suggestions on how I can help her stop. It started about a month ago and before that we have never had an issue with scratching at all. She doesn't have fleas and the main areas that seem to be bothering her are the top of her bum/lower back and the middle of her back.

The itch actually started under her belly and her front leg underarms (for lack of a better term) and she was really red and sore to the point of scabbing. I washed her and treated the area with a dilution of apple cider vinegar and water and put some antiseptic cream (doggy stuff) on it and it cleared up within a week or two. Now she has two patches near her tail that are becoming bald. There is no broken skin etc but I feel like she is just constantly scratching and itchy and I really feel for her!

Any suggestions on a wash, powder, cream or something that could help her? I just noticed on the calendar that she is overdue for her worming, could that be a factor at all?

Thank you in advance.

[Guest Clover]

It sounds like a Flea allergy dermatitis, base of tail and the back are common ares. A lot of dogs only need to have one bite from a flea to set them off, and you may not actually see any on them. Have you treated with a spot on or chew for fleas?

[Erny]

My suggestions :

• Avoid shampoos
  
• Wet up with Calendula Tea - don't rinse. If the Calendula Tea works, you should see signs of improvement reasonably quickly (eg reduced itching; skin redness easing) - within 12 to 24 hours
  

Using the Calendula Tea to sooth the itch and help prevent secondary skin infection is one thing. Finding the cause of the skin irritation is another.

Think of what could be different :

• Have you changed foods?
  
• Has your dog been anywhere different (grass contact allergy)?
  
• Are there different weeds apparant in your lawn (again, exploring grass contact allergy), or a different plant you have introduced to your garden?
  

If it is none of those things or anything else you can think of, then it might do well to explore the possibility that your dog has become intolerant to something within her diet. As to whether this is the case depends on your dog's age and how long she's been eating what you've been feeding her, as food intolerances can build over a period of time.

However, let it be made clear I am not an expert in the field of allergies and food intolerances - I am only finding my own way with the troubles I have experienced with my own dog.

I can well attest to Calendula Tea wash helping out a GREAT deal though and through being able to use this to ease the discomfort/pain of skin flare-ups, have been able to buy time to investigate cause and subsequently avoid the use of drug chemicals.

[Guest lavendergirl]

My suggestions :

• Avoid shampoos
  
• Wet up with Calendula Tea - don't rinse. If the Calendula Tea works, you should see signs of improvement reasonably quickly (eg reduced itching; skin redness easing) - within 12 to 24 hours
  

Using the Calendula Tea to sooth the itch and help prevent secondary skin infection is one thing. Finding the cause of the skin irritation is another.

Think of what could be different :

• Have you changed foods?
  
• Has your dog been anywhere different (grass contact allergy)?
  
• Are there different weeds apparant in your lawn (again, exploring grass contact allergy), or a different plant you have introduced to your garden?
  

If it is none of those things or anything else you can think of, then it might do well to explore the possibility that your dog has become intolerant to something within her diet. As to whether this is the case depends on your dog's age and how long she's been eating what you've been feeding her, as food intolerances can build over a period of time.

However, let it be made clear I am not an expert in the field of allergies and food intolerances - I am only finding my own way with the troubles I have experienced with my own dog.

I can well attest to Calendula Tea wash helping out a GREAT deal though and through being able to use this to ease the discomfort/pain of skin flare-ups, have been able to buy time to investigate cause and subsequently avoid the use of drug chemicals.

Erny - does the Calendula Tea stain the coat at all? I have a white coated dog so am cautious about trying it.

OP - have you tried any of the medicated washes - Malaseb etc?

[becks]

I have found neem oil shampoo stoped my boy being itchy, one shampoo greatly reduced it and the 2nd shampoo and he isn't scratching anymore.

Neem can be used to treat all sorts of things.

[huntrox]

Hi where do you get neem oil shampoo from?

[Pailin]

Thank you very much everyone for your replies.

Clover- I haven't treated for fleas as she has NEVER had them before and I can find no evidence of them on her. That being said, to rule it out I have ordered some Comfortis and will treat her with that. Until it gets here I have a Frontline spot treatment I will use JIC.

Erny- I will definitely give that a try. Will head down to the health food shop tomorrow. She hasn't changed foods at all lately, and nothing has changed in her environment. I put the belly and underarm itching down to increased mosquito activity because my kids had made a "stew" of dirt, water and leaves etc and left the bucket where I didn't see it and there was a LOT of mosquito breeding going on in that bucket. I washed her, treated with the AC vinegar and got rid of the bucket and her belly and underparts healed up within a week or two. A couple of weeks later she started on the back and bum scratching. There is basically no real skin damage done and apart from the small amount of hair loss on two small parts of her bum, the skin isn't bleeding, red or otherwise inflamed....just itchy. I can barely pat her back now without triggering her itch and scratch reaction.

Lavendargirl- My pooch is white as well but I feel so bad about the itching I wouldn't care if the treatment turned her blue, so long as it works LOL! I will buy some tomorrow and wash her in it and let you know about the staining if you'd like? I haven't tried any of the washes yet, I was actually wanting recommendations on them from this thread but I do love a natural solution best so will try the tea first I think.

Becks- Thanks for the suggestion. If the tea and flea treatments don't help I will keep the Neem in mind.

[Guest lavendergirl]

Thank you very much everyone for your replies.

Clover- I haven't treated for fleas as she has NEVER had them before and I can find no evidence of them on her. That being said, to rule it out I have ordered some Comfortis and will treat her with that. Until it gets here I have a Frontline spot treatment I will use JIC.

Erny- I will definitely give that a try. Will head down to the health food shop tomorrow. She hasn't changed foods at all lately, and nothing has changed in her environment. I put the belly and underarm itching down to increased mosquito activity because my kids had made a "stew" of dirt, water and leaves etc and left the bucket where I didn't see it and there was a LOT of mosquito breeding going on in that bucket. I washed her, treated with the AC vinegar and got rid of the bucket and her belly and underparts healed up within a week or two. A couple of weeks later she started on the back and bum scratching. There is basically no real skin damage done and apart from the small amount of hair loss on two small parts of her bum, the skin isn't bleeding, red or otherwise inflamed....just itchy. I can barely pat her back now without triggering her itch and scratch reaction.

Lavendargirl- My pooch is white as well but I feel so bad about the itching I wouldn't care if the treatment turned her blue, so long as it works LOL! I will buy some tomorrow and wash her in it and let you know about the staining if you'd like? I haven't tried any of the washes yet, I was actually wanting recommendations on them from this thread but I do love a natural solution best so will try the tea first I think.

Becks- Thanks for the suggestion. If the tea and flea treatments don't help I will keep the Neem in mind.

It could be a reaction to flea bite - if she has not been treated before she may have them - you don't always see them and one bite is enough to set off a reaction if she is allergic and a lot of white coated dogs seem to be. Aloveen shampoo and leave in conditioner is often recommended on this forum for skin issues and is very gentle. It will be interesting to hear how the tea goes!

[dancinbcs]

Erny - does the Calendula Tea stain the coat at all? I have a white coated dog so am cautious about trying it.

The Calendula Tea Erny uses does not stain but the Blooms brand one does. Erny sent me some of hers to try after I died my boy's white markings, yellow with the Blooms brand.

[Erny]

As per Dancinbcs' post.

The Calendula Tea brand I use is "Health Reflections" is organically grown and contains no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.

Only just noticed it is a product of egypt. .... prefer Aussie owned and grown stuff where possible, but I've had so much success with these now I'm unlikely to change.

[becks]

Hi where do you get neem oil shampoo from?

Sorry, you will have to google for it, I get mine in the UK