Friday, April 2, 2010

Reasons For A Pet Dog's Itching Tendencies

By Gina Brabeck

All dogs scratch at sometime, and here are a few reasons why your dog may have an itch.

The first one is those irritating mites all pet lovers are aware of; the flea. You dog may have an infestation or have an allergy to flea bites. See if there are any fleas visible on your pets coat its an infestation.

If there are no fleas visible in his fur, still try a kind of flea control for a month. If he has had a flea bite allergy this should clear it up.

If there is an odor coming from your pet, or his skin is damp and reddened, it could well be a skin problem. Try him first with a therapeutic shampoo to see if it remedies the problem, if it doesn't you will need a medication from the vet.

Watch your dog when he scratches? Is he losing fur? If he is, mange could be the cause of his discomfort.

As soon as you think there is a possibility of Mange, take your pet to the vet as he will need to take some skin scrapings. Tests at a lab will reveal whether there are mites present and appropriate medication prescribed.

When you have dismissed all these possibilities it's time to look a little closer to home. Your dog may have a common allergy to plants, pollen, dust or even certain types of food.

If there is a pattern to his scratching and it worsens during the warm weather it many be an allergy to pollen or grass.

A dog can suffer extreme discomfort from persistent itching and it is well worth the time and effort it may take to pinpoint the cause. You dog will be so much happier.

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