My dog seems to itch a lot. What could cause this?


My six-year old dog is very itchy. It started when we moved to Florida three years ago. He scratches his body and rubs his face on the carpet. When he is outside, he'll roll on the grass. What could cause the itching? Does he have an allergy to something? What can be done to treat it? Should he be on steroids?

Infection, allergies, behavioral problems and systemic disease may cause itching.

Persistent itching is a very common, nonspecific sign of an underlying problem in dogs. Itching is usually associated with dermatitis, which is inflammation or irritation of the skin. There are many conditions that cause dermatitis and prompt an affected dog to scratch or bite itself frequently. Causes of dermatitis include bacterial, fungal, yeast, or parasitic infection; seborrhea; food, fleabite, or inhalational allergies (atopy); behavioral problems; contact with an irritating substance; cancer; metabolic and endocrine disorders; drug reactions; exposure to toxins; breed-specific predisposition, nutritional deficiencies; and even sunburn. Treatment depends on the underlying cause of the signs.

From your description of your dog's signs, it is very possible that your pet has allergies to one or more things. For example, he may be allergic to fleabites and to certain food types, or he may be experiencing seasonal allergies. It is also possible that he may have something else causing his problems.

You need to consult with your veterinarian. After giving your dog a physical examination, the doctor may decide that testing for the various causes of dermatitis is warranted. Some of the tests that your doctor may choose to do include scraping the skin to determine if mites (such as scabies) are present; plucking hairs and examining them under a microscope to search for evidence of fungal infection; cytologic examination of crust or exudate to look for any yeast overgrowth; and fungal cultures of the hairs to look for dermatophytosis (ring worm). Your veterinarian may find it necessary to perform a skin biopsy. He or she may also conduct some blood tests and urinalysis to determine thyroid disease or other systemic disorders are present.

The doctor may put your dog on a strict food trial for 10 to 13 weeks using a completely hypoallergenic diet with ingredients that your dog has never eaten before. This food trial helps determine if your dog has a food allergy or not.

These tests will help narrow the field of possible causes and allow your dog to be treated appropriately. Treatments include, but are not limited to, antibiotics, antifungals, shampoos and dips, dietary supplements and other oral medications, and allergy shots.

If your veterinarian feels that your dog needs specific allergy skin testing, he or she can refer you to a veterinary dermatologist in the area for a consultation. Skin tests involve injecting various substances into the dog's skin and watching to see which, if any, cause a reaction. A dermatologist can then develop specific "allergy shots" to desensitize your dog to the substance or substances (called allergens) to which he is allergic.

If your dog has a specific allergy, allergy shots will result in a much more successful and safe treatment course for your dog in the long run. Corticosteroids, although very effective in some skin conditions, can cause serious side effects if overused. Your veterinarian may recommend using supplements such as an antihistamine, fatty acid capsules, and hypoallergenic shampoos containing oatmeal as well.

If your dog has fleas, he may be allergic to fleabites. The saliva of the flea is what causes the allergic skin condition. Fleabite allergy is very common and typically causes hair loss and scabbing on the back, abdomen and rear legs. You may want to talk to your veterinarian about putting your pet on a topical flea preventive that helps eliminate fleas and thus fleabites.

I hope that you have found this to be helpful.

Back 06-22-2006.

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