Staffy Itching Scratching

[terrace]

Our Staffy Oscar doesn`t get the Eczema during cool weather here in Brisbane, but in the very hot days now he`s scratching quite a lot and makes it bleed under his armpit. We have been using pawpaw ointment is that ok please? :)

[karen15]

Have you seen a vet? A bit of neocort might help as it has an anaesthetic in it.

[RuralPug]

Your vet can give a short course of cortisone for relief. Have you tried a Calendula Tea rinse? It has helped many. :)

[BarbedWire]

My girl has a similar problem and I wash her with QV shampoo (sometimes only underneath) and give her a polaramine tablet (available from chemist). Within 24 hours itching will stop and wounds will have healed. Polaramine comes in 2 and 6mg tablets. The dosage is dogs <10kg give 2 mg. 10.1 - 30kg give 4mg. Dogs over 30 kg give 6mg. Hope this helps.

[terrace]

:D Thanks for all replies. The vet sold us Mediderm, $29????? it doesn`t work. Epsom salts bath has been suggested and better still ocean salt water, if we can get to it. He does ease on a cool day. We`ve researched a lot, no moses plants or wandering dew around or others. Summer here is hard for him and Staffy`s get it easier. :)

[Scrappi&Monty]

Coconut oil both orally (on their dinner) and melted and applied topically to sore spots works a treat.

It's soothing and moisturising, and also has natural antibacterial properties. Scrappi used to have a terrible itch and our vet thought it was just environmental allergies in Spring. He was on prednisone (or similar?) everyday of summer and spring for two years which worked a bit. The second year he reacted to it though and personality changed and gained a fair bit of weight quickly. We weaned him off it and I did some online research and stumbled upon how food can cause itchiness too. We were feeding him supermarket food (yikes) and then switched to Black Hawk which has emu oil in too which would've helped, + a higher meat content and less bad grains. We started raw feeding at night with the coconut oil (1tsp) and kept using the vet recommended Aloveen oatmeal shampoo & cond. All of this combined worked wonders, and also for the long term. This spring & summer he hasn't had a single itch and shedding has been minimalised. We haven't even needed to use coconut oil or conditioner this Spring/Summer, he is so soft and his coat is thick and longer than before. He is also at a much healthier weight from not having the prednisolone.

[Scrappi&Monty]

Pawpaw ointment is safe to use. ????

I use it religiously for myself as i get dry lips, so if dogs ever need it I just chuck some on. (Usually for dry paws or cuts/grazes or where a bindi or ant bite got them)

[terrace]

Thanks Again. :D

[Boronia]

Pawpaw ointment is safe to use. ????

I use it religiously for myself as i get dry lips, so if dogs ever need it I just chuck some on. (Usually for dry paws or cuts/grazes or where a bindi or ant bite got them)

a quick fix-it for ant bites...rub a piece of cut onion onto the bite; the ouchie will disappear quick as a flash

[terrace]

Pawpaw ointment is safe to use. ????

I use it religiously for myself as i get dry lips, so if dogs ever need it I just chuck some on. (Usually for dry paws or cuts/grazes or where a bindi or ant bite got them)

a quick fix-it for ant bites...rub a piece of cut onion onto the bite; the ouchie will disappear quick as a flash

Thank You,that`s new to me, he does get that occassionally, i`ll try that. :)

[melzawelza]

If all other general remedies have been attempted I can highly recommend the relatively new (in Australia) drug Apoquel.

Much less negative side effects than Cortisone and works an absolute charm within 24 hours.

My girl has a dust mite allergy and gets very itchy in summer. I used to be able to control it environmentally but it's getting worse every year. This year we got Apoquel, because it's finally available, and it's incredible. Not one scratch (she used to scratch her chest until it bled and became infected).

Only downside is it's expensive - about $100 per month for a 27kg dog. I've found though that after a few weeks on it I can drop it off to once every second day, rather than every day, basically halving the cost. We've got pet insurance so cost isn't an issue, but it's a lot of money if you don't.

Edited December 28, 2016 by melzawelza

[Paul777]

Scrappi&Monty

So glad for you & Scrappi that natural treatments are working for you.

That Prednisone, nasty stuff from what I've read (I refused to take it) & seen in fellow patients on long term treatment.

Cold-pressed coconut oil is a very useful supplement, that I take daily & am encouraged to hear that you're finding it beneficial for Scrappi.

Never thought to use it topically though, what a good idea.

How does Scrappi like the taste? It's got a strong flavour & would be hard to disguise.

[Jumabaar]

Ask for a referral to a dermatologist. It is worth doing testing to work out what is actually happening.

[Scrappi&Monty]

Pawpaw ointment is safe to use. ????

I use it religiously for myself as i get dry lips, so if dogs ever need it I just chuck some on. (Usually for dry paws or cuts/grazes or where a bindi or ant bite got them)

a quick fix-it for ant bites...rub a piece of cut onion onto the bite; the ouchie will disappear quick as a flash

I didn't see this before sorry, that's a cool tip to keep for future reference! :)

[Scrappi&Monty]

Scrappi&Monty

So glad for you & Scrappi that natural treatments are working for you.

That Prednisone, nasty stuff from what I've read (I refused to take it) & seen in fellow patients on long term treatment.

Cold-pressed coconut oil is a very useful supplement, that I take daily & am encouraged to hear that you're finding it beneficial for Scrappi.

Never thought to use it topically though, what a good idea.

How does Scrappi like the taste? It's got a strong flavour & would be hard to disguise.

Thanks Paul, I didn't see this earlier.

He LOOOOVES the taste of coconut oil. Only problem then is using it topically he tries to lick it off, not sure if that would be considered rewarding the licking so we try to distract him if we put it on. My Dad was sold some coconut oil in Thailand by this funny old man who told him it had all these uses and it was only $1 a bottle or something so he bought it because the man was hilarious. Anyway he's been using it melted as body, face, hand and head moisturiser, I think for shaving with/as aftershave moisturiser, as lip balm etc, he swears by the stuff now.

In Thailand at a shelter we visited they do applications of tumeric and coconut oil mix to fix skin infections and the like, personally haven't tried that though.

After all Spring & Summer, this week Scrappi only just got an itch, plus he has yeasty paws from licking them, we washed him with aloveen, paws with a medicated shampoo like maleseb (?), flea treated and slathered all the itchy bits in coconut oil but it hasn't seemed to help so will ask the vet at their check up tomorrow.

[Dave-o]

If I had a dollar for every time I've known a simple diet change to stop a Staffy scratching....

 

Staffies are the number one breed to suffer food allergies. Can I ask what you're feeding and does it contain wheat, corn, soy, rye, or anything like that?