My dog licks, scratches and chews herself raw, bloody, and bald. Her skin is very dry and flaky. Please help.
By Sharon from WV
Your dog might have food allergies. I would suggest that you change it's food to one that has all natural ingredients. Also, you could put an antihistamine in it's food everyday. I use Loratidine for my dogs. It can be bought at the dollar store, and one pill is good for 24 hours. Another thing you can do is put hydrocortisone cream on the skin that is itchy. Hydrocortisone cream can also be bought at the dollar store.
My dog has many allergies airborne and food wise. We have switched him to Diamonds all natural lamb and rice. Made a huge difference. We also add 1 TBSP of plain yogurt with live cultures to his food. (He is 82 lbs) so adjust accordingly. Though yogurt will not hurt the dog. I also add about a cup or so of water to his dish and mix it all around like soup and he loves it. He is doing so much better it is amazing.
I don't know about hydrocortisone , I would check with the vet first. Oh and my DH bathes the dog with a specific shampoo it is made by Davis and it is a veterinary product: Maximum Chlorhexidine Shampoo with 4% chlorhexidine Gluconate.
Duvall has been a much happier dog since we have done this. Good luck with the pooch!
Laura in SW FL
Ps. I make my own yogurt now (got the recipe here on Thrifyfun.com) saves huge money on the yogurt bill and the dog likes my yogurt way better then the store bought. LOL...
We have an itchy dog and it is because of allergies. We give generic Benedryl and use a better quality dog food containing mostly lamb and rice. Corn based dog foods can contribute to allergies.
I had a dog that looked just like that! FIrst I would buy some Ivermectin at the feed and seed store. The bottle is for a horse and says it's for injection. Give .05 ml oral per 2 lbs of weight. (this is also the drug used for heartworms) The bottle is about $40 for 1200lbs so it will last a long time. See Dr. Michael Fox's newspaper/or web site about mange. Give a dose a week for 4 weeks. Also add 1/4 tsp of baking soda to a 8 0z peroxide bottle. Spray onto dog, do not rinse repeat daily until skin heals. Do not save left overs. Sharon
My Mom's dog has a similar problem, with itching, chewing, and dry skin, bad ears too. We have taken her to the vet a billion times just for them to say allergies. That's not what it was. She had a yeast infection.
Thanks so much for all these ideas and suggestions. I am going to try some of them, I gave her yogurt last night and she LOVED it :) I also gave her a sponge bath with oatmeal shampoo, she loved that too, and I noticed that she has a red rash or little red bumps over most of her entire body especially the underside. I didnt see any fleas, my husband thought maybe she just has fleas real bad, but I didnt see one flea. Sharon
Believe it or not, but dandruff is an over-growth of candida. Pets can get this too. Yeast is candida. That's why vinegar works. Candida has a PH of about 5-6, I think. By lowering the PH, vinegar is about 4.0 or so & this is detrimental to the candida.
Was your dog just vaccinated? Could be vaccine poisoning which is very common due to the rotton ingredients in them. R u feeding grocery store (like Purina) food? Big nono. Raw is best but at least get Innova, California Natural--something better than the caca scraped from chicken pens and put into pet food. Check it out, people. No corn, wheat or soy. All allergens.
Get some half cooked kale in some coconut oil. All love it. So good for them. Yogurt is great. Some cottage cheese, Extra Vitamin C. If you are in heartworm territory do not do Ivermectin. If your dog has heartworm and heavy dose of I it could kill. No heartworm? Use Ivermec paste by measured poundage. Your dog could have mange. It also is possible thyroid deficiency. Glad that you care enough to try these things because your dog looks like it is really suffering. You can do it. Keep in touch. We all care.
Sharon, your dog needs to go to the vet to determine what is wrong with her. It sounds to me like it is mange, and a severe case at that - which can kill. Dogs that have compromised immune systems can be overcome by mange. Do yoiur dog a favor and and take her to the vet. Get a scrapping done. Mange is NOT easy to get rid of. If it is mange, along with the treatments that will be necessary, boost your dog's immune system with a good multi-vitamin for dogs, vitamin E (1000 IU daily), start feeding some raw beef, vegetables and fruits (start gradually so as not to upset the digestive system). You'd better go fast to the vet.
The post before me that told you to get to the vet was correct. Your dog has a serious problem that can be fatal. Only a vet can help. There are two types of mange; one is hard to clear up and the other is not so tough. The longer you wait to start the less your chances of a cure. It requires a very specific medicine that only the vet can give you. Please get to a vet asap.
It sounds like your dog has a serious allergy, one of mine was the same way until we found out he is allergic to flea bites and cat food, one flea can bite several times and one bite can cause them to have a hive like breakout . The flakes on the skin sounds like seborrhea which also causes itching , scratching and biting and licking, there are special shampoos that deal with that.
The best person to help your dog is your vet who will correctly diagnose her problem and alleviate her discomfort.
After you to the root of the problem, give a daily dose of omega 3 to your dog. You will have to put it in the mouth and hold shut until it is swallowed. Tuna and salmon are excellent sources of omega 3's and my dogs love them both. Also, mixing extra virgin olive oil in the food daily is excellent for their skin. I mix it in my dogs food . Some dogs have an allergy to all the dyes and stuff in store bought foods. Try all natural dog foods which don't have all the unhealthy stuff in them. I sure hope you can get this cleared up because it's making your dog miserable.
You might want to get your dog to the vet. Sounds like an allergy. Some dogs are allergic to grass and the fecal matter from fleas.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
Why is my 5 year rescue dog licking his lips and mouth constantly? He also vomits yellowish phlegm once in awhile
Licking lips is often a sign of nausea. There is something wrong. Tell the vet what food your dog is eating and ask what she or he recommends. Make sure your pet has been de-wormed. The vet may also check for the presence of bacterial infection or virus.
My dog licks all the time. Please help.
By carlis smith from Clarkton, NC
It could be several different things, he may have a behavioral issue, allergies, absesses. I would check with your vet to make sure he's ok :)
Good luck!
I saw this exact thing on the TV show "The dog Whisperer". On TV (the National Geographic channel) the dog had a nervous/obsessive issue. They stopped it right away, each time he started to lick, they'd distract him. It could take many weeks to change his ways. I agree with "Homestedingmom". Ask you vet. You might also find that TV show episode.
As I mentioned in another post today, take your dog to the vet. If it is a behavioral problem, or even if it is something treatable with medication, what the vet will likely do is put a pail or a cone on your dog's head so he won't be able to lick excessively. This is a very easy and inexpensive way to stop this problem. The dog won't be crazy about it, but it is better than licking his paws raw, and it certainly doesn't hurt him.
Not sure about your dog, but I have a pekingnese whose tongue should belong in the Guiness Book of World Records. She does NOT like coffee. I take the grounds and rub them on her back to prevent her from licking and biting herself. For everyone else, we keep handy a cup with the scent. This took about a month. Now all I have to do is say the word coffee and she stops. Wish you the best of luck.
This is for "hmmm" with the french Bulldog's breath and licking issues. Regarding the bad breath - can be readily attributed to the diet. We had that issue with our chihuahua, and changed her food to Neutro Chicken and oatmeal for sensitive stomachs. Her breath improved within a week, and we fed her nothing else. If she gets a treat, it is the Neutro brand and not much of those. Another brand I've heard about is called "Blue." A healthy brand dog food, no "people food" and a limited amount of treats.
The licking issue should at least be seen by a Vet, just to make sure it's not a physical problem. Then go from there. Some of the suggestions I've seen on this blog are worth noting, but a Vet is still the best place to start if you really want to get a handle on it.
My dog is 10 years old and she won't stop licking. She licks herself constantly and is starting to go bald in the spot she's licking. She also constantly licks the furniture. Is it just part of her old age, or is there a way to stop her licking?
By BW
The answer to this dear old Seniors problem is called a veterinarian.
Many conditions can cause too much licking. Often it is a food allergy, or it can be a biochemical. You probably do need a Vet to get a helpful answer. Good luck.
I have a Yorkshire terrier and he has a very bad licking problem. The medicine the vet gave me did nothing. Please help, he's driving me crazy, but I love him to death.
Thanks.
By Ann from Port St. Lucie, FL
Read Archives at bottom of site.
Try putting Omega 3 fatty acid in food when she eats. I just puncture the capsule and squeeze it on. Also, if she is obsessive compulsive, she may need Prozac. Good luck to you.
My 19 month old Shih Tzu constantly licks her front paws until they bleed.
By Carol
You will probably need a veterinarian to figure this out and treat it. Some dogs do this kind of licking from nervousness. Lots of exercise can help with this. For some dogs it is a food allergy and you will need to try different foods to try and eliminate it. There are some good recipes on this site, also experiences of folks with this issue. Some dogs have this problem in the winter when they get salt and chemicals on their feet. Be sure to do a search on this site for other ideas. Good luck.
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Our dog is an Australian Heeler and licks us all the time. How do you stop this?
