My Rottie has been scratching, biting, and licking himself to the point of driving me crazy. Could it be dry skin? How can I help him with his skin problem?
By Lora from Rio Vista, CA
Try giving him a oatmeal bath. Dogs can also take Benadryl. You may need to have a skin scrape done by the vet to make sure it's nothing serious.
Editor's Note: Benadryl is commonly prescribed for dogs but you should always consult your veterinarian first.
My dogs cannot eat any food with corn or corn meal in it. It causes the same reaction. Take the dog to see the vet, and if it is just a general skin condition, try changing their diet. I feed my dogs lamb and rice food, and even buy lamb and rice dog biscuits for a treat, after I read labels and saw some dog cookies also have corn as a filler.
Your dog may be allergic to fleas. I got a dog from a rescue in November and they promised me she had been treated. However, when I took her to the vet, I found that she did have fleas, and she has a terrible allergy to them. It took two weeks for the itching to clear up and here is what I did:
1. Benadryl (get the amount from your doctor as it's based on weight) at night.
2. Fish oil twice a day (the kind for people, I cut the pill and squeeze it out onto her food)
After 2 weeks she stopped scratching so much. She still scratches, but no where near what it was. I no longer give her Benadryl and I have continued the fish oil. She's much better.
Good luck!
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