Itching problem....

[Maverick]

Mav seems to be very itchy but not all the time... just has moments of itchiness then it stops... He licks at himself more then chew, but it still bothers me that he has to put up with it. I started adding oil to his food a few days ago so we will see if this helps, but I'm not sure that it is dry skin... Any other ideas?

[SWEETBREW]

possible food allergy???

[Maverick]

Originally Posted by SWEETBREW

possible food allergy???

I thought about this too... I am using the same brand of food as always except switched to the adult formula a while ago.... I assume it could be slightly different ingredients. Is there something I should look for in the food that might be causing it? Or is there another way to tell if it is a food allergy?

[SWEETBREW]

I would suggest doing a search!!!
All I know about it is Brew and my last rott were both allergic to corn.
What are you feeding him?

[AngelBunny]

What are you feeding Mav?

[ak moose]

how old is your dog, and has he been itchy since you have had him(you just didnt pay much attention then),also does he itch certain areas? is he licking his paws a lot? where he itches, can you see any red spots on his skin, or feel any bumps?

[guberdog]

Ditto on the corn allergy. My Cain was allergic to corn, had chronic yeast infections in his ears until I switched. I put him on Natural Balance Potato and Duck and no more allergies. I believe it's difficult for the vets to diagnose this allergy (I had Cain to a specialist here in Dallas several times) but just found through trial and error and the blessedness of the internet (and I'm sure a bit of luck) to settle upon the solution.

I've also heard that external allergy symptoms can be grass-related.

[fbkeays]

It could be an allergy. It could be fleas. It could be a number of things. One of the first clues that something wasn't right with my Misty was her unexplained itchiness. She had lymphoma that was undected for another month. In humans, unexplained itchiness is a sign of lymphoma. I really don't want to frighten you, but keep an eye on your dog's lymph nodes.

[Canadianrotti]

Keep in mind that you are living in Canada, and tis the season for dry skin. I know that for my self, this is a brutal time of year for dry skin, and I have noticed that Raelin is doing a little more scratching than usual as well. I will be adding a little fish oil to her food now, and I also have a humidifier going to add a little moisture to the air for both of us.

Good luck

[Maverick]

Feeding him Performatrin (sp?) for large breeds. I was really happy with it as his puppy food and no he wasn't itchy when he was younger. This itching has been going on about a month... maybe 2. Like I said, it's sometimes worse or more noticeable and other times less.

[dogsbydoug]

I 'googled' Performatrin (BTW you did spell it correctly - ha ha!) and the ingredients look good - no corn or anything that *I* would suggest could trigger an allergic reaction.

That said - any new cleaning products or bedding (yours or dogs) in the house?

Any humans with dryer than normal skin due to the weather? We have to fire up a humidifier in just about every room except the bathroom shortly after we turn on the heat here as not only do we get horrid amounts of static electricity (ouch!) everyone gets dry skin - dogs and humans.

[brunie's mom]

Preformatin is Pet Value's house brand of food. It's not the greatest. The Large Breed is full of grain, and I do believe corn.
Try feeding the Ultra-Preformatin, that's their natural line. Much more meat...but still heavier on the grains then I like.

Often a dog can eat and tolerate a food for a long time and then begin to be sensitive to certain ingredients.

Since changing to a better quality food (more meat and less grains), if often the easiest and cheapest option...it's worth a try. Take a look at the Nutrition& Grooming forums...there is alot of info there on better quality dog foods. All of the food are available in Canada.

Gina

[Maverick]

no new cleaning products or anything... I am starting to think it may just be dry skin. However, I thought the food I was giving him was fairly decent and if it isn't I am willing to give another brand a try.

[brunie's mom]

I would try changing the food.
You are probably feeding Maverick twice as much as I have to feed Baxter. You may see improvements in his itching, his coat and his muscle definition, and overall health.
I would not be feeding a Large Breed food...there are full of grains and just a marketing ploy to feed larger amounts.

Give Innova or California Natural or Natural Balance or Canidae a try....these products use human grade meats and grains,etc.

Gina

[Maverick]

Originally Posted by brunie's mom

I would try changing the food.
You are probably feeding Maverick twice as much as I have to feed Baxter. You may see improvements in his itching, his coat and his muscle definition, and overall health.
I would not be feeding a Large Breed food...there are full of grains and just a marketing ploy to feed larger amounts.

Give Innova or California Natural or Natural Balance or Canidae a try....these products use human grade meats and grains,etc.

Gina

Thats the thing... I have been really pleased with this food because of his nice coat, muscle definition, etc etc... I have had many compliments on his coat.

Either way. I will try to get out this week and get a better food for him to try. He has an upset tummy at the moment tho, so I will wait for that to clear up before switching his food.