# Scratching



## Dee Dee (Jul 24, 2015)

How much scratching is common for a 6 month old puppy? Sophie scratches more than I think she should. Mainly her head/neck, behind her ears....rubs at her nose area sometimes also. Not fleas, skin looks healthy. I know it's hard to tell just by this but would like to know if puppy's do/can have an itchy spell. I will be changing her protein to see if it makes a difference. My last girl Hallie was an allergy girl and it was miserable hoping not to have to go through that again.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I can only tell you that Pixel is 6 months old too, and doesn't itch. OTOH, Kodi didn't itch at that age either. He did develop an early intolerance to beef, but that was obvious as he got poopy butt after any exposure to beef products. His allergies started after a bad reaction to his 3 year Rabies booster (at 4 years old). He now gets itchy from dairy, beef or fish, and also has environmental allergies to grasses. fortunatwly his allergies are pretty easy to deal with, as long as I watch his diet. When he has itchies from grass (especially wet grass) I give him Benadryl.


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## Dee Dee (Jul 24, 2015)

Thanks Karen! I didn't think this itching could be normal but was hoping it might be a puppy thing. I hate allergies, my Hallie had immunotherapy shots every three weeks all of her life but it didn't manage them that well. We also did NAET testing and treatments every 2-3 weeks (2 hour drive each way) but I can't say I saw any big difference with that either. At least they have apoquel now but I really had hoped to not have an allergy dog this time around the breeder said he has never had skin issues in his line and he's been breeding something like 30 years. It would be my luck.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Dee Dee said:


> Thanks Karen! I didn't think this itching could be normal but was hoping it might be a puppy thing. I hate allergies, my Hallie had immunotherapy shots every three weeks all of her life but it didn't manage them that well. We also did NAET testing and treatments every 2-3 weeks (2 hour drive each way) but I can't say I saw any big difference with that either. At least they have apoquel now but I really had hoped to not have an allergy dog this time around the breeder said he has never had skin issues in his line and he's been breeding something like 30 years. It would be my luck.


In Kodi's case, I strongly suspect over vaccinating him as a puppy, when I didn't know what I know now (and in fairness, the problem wasn't as widely recognized) is what triggered Kodi's allergies. My breeder doesn't see a lot of allergies in her lines either, but we KNOW that Havanese are a vaccine/chemical sensitive breed.

I'm just very glad that Kodi's allergies are quite manageable, and I'm being VERY careful to keep Pixel's vaccines to the minimum that is safe. She just had her Rabies shot on the last day that it is legal to give it in our state (6 months) and I made sure I pre-treated her with Lyssin, and she has had Lyssin and Thuja daily for the 4 days since. (there seem to be mixed feelings over whether Thuja will help with Rabies vaccine, but it can't possibly hurt!  So I've done all I can, and I know she HAD to have the shot. Other than Rabies, she had two rounds of Distemper/Parvo ONLY. (on other vaccines in the combo) She be titered from now on for everything but Rabies. I do that with Kodi too, but I allowed my old vets office to give him a slew of vaccines when he was a puppy. I did insist that they separate them... even then I knew enough to do that. But, when I look back, there were far too many.


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## Zoe093014 (Jan 27, 2015)

Mine scratched a lot as a young pup and it turned out she had a lot of ear hair and back to back yeast infections in both ears.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Jean Dodds ..."Question: Are there any methods to stop the potential side effects of vaccine reactions?
Answer: You can pre-treat dogs with the oral homeopathics, Thuja and Lyssin, to help blunt any adverse effects of the rabies vaccine. For other vaccines, just Thuja is needed. These homeopathics can be given the day before, the day of, and the day after the vaccine. Some product protocols suggest a different regimen for them.

I've been lucky with Molly ,she has had no allergies. I think the crap in many foods is a large culpit. Raw fed dogs seem to do so much better.


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

Willow scratches quite a bit around the shoulders too. I think it might be from her harness and collar though. I hope it's not allergies. When she is not wearing the harness she seems to be less bothered. She loves to have her back and shoulders scratched though.


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## MarinaGirl (Mar 25, 2012)

Emmie is not a big scratcher; she's fed a commercial raw diet instead of kibble.

Dee Dee - have you tried the NutriScan salivary test? If not, I recommend you check it out as it's helped a number of people identity food intolerances or sensitivities for their dogs and cats. Good luck figuring this out for Sophie.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

MarinaGirl said:


> Emmie is not a big scratcher; she's fed a commercial raw diet instead of kibble.
> 
> Dee Dee - have you tried the NutriScan salivary test? If not, I recommend you check it out as it's helped a number of people identity food intolerances or sensitivities for their dogs and cats. Good luck figuring this out for Sophie.


Yes, that's what we did to pinpoint Kodi's dairy and fish intolerance. (the beef had always been obvious)


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

krandall said:


> When he has itchies from grass (especially wet grass) I give him Benadryl.


Karen, what dose, amount, and do you use human brand Benadryl? Ricky gets itchy paws from wet grass. Every morning we wash his paws after his walkies which helps a lot.

thanks, Ricky's Popi


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> Karen, what dose, amount, and do you use human brand Benadryl? Ricky gets itchy paws from wet grass. Every morning we wash his paws after his walkies which helps a lot.
> 
> thanks, Ricky's Popi


The vet said to use 2/3 of a human Benadryl for Kodi, but remember, he's pretty large for a Hav... the dose for Ricky might be different. We also wipe Kodi's feet down after he's out in the grass. Since he goes out into our back yard several times a dy, we don't WASH them, or he'd be either wet or getting his hair dried most of the day!


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

MarinaGirl said:


> have you tried the NutriScan salivary test?


From what I read, it is $280 per test and they recommend testing once a year. OUCH! I talked to our Vet about it and he didn't think it was necessary for Ricky.

Ricky's Popi


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

krandall said:


> The vet said to use 2/3 of a human Benadryl for Kodi,


Once a day, 365 days a year? No, I wouldn't start this type of regimen without our Vet's approval.

thanks, Ricky's Popi


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> From what I read, it is $280 per test and they recommend testing once a year. OUCH!
> 
> Ricky's Popi


I checked it out too and I agree.....OUCH!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> Once a day, 365 days a year? No, I wouldn't start this type of regimen without our Vet's approval.
> 
> thanks, Ricky's Popi


Oh, of course... that's a given. I would never try ANY medication without checking with a vet first! But you asked the dose, so...

For Kodi, it's as needed, up to 3 times a day. It has a short half-life which is one of the reasons she likes it... They clear it from their systems quickly. He doesn't need it at all for 2/3rds of the year. In the growing season, it varies... just like people with allergies. I almost always have to give him one in the morning. In the late spring, he was needing it 3 times a day. Now it's once or twice most days... today he hasn't needed it at all (yet) and he's been out at least twice.

She told me in the beginning that just like people, for some dogs it's sedating, some get buzzed up and some seem to have no side-effects. Fortunately, Kodi is in the third group. With him, we had to do something, because he was scratching the base of his tail raw and turning his paws all pink.


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## Dee Dee (Jul 24, 2015)

I have not used nutriscan I was going to when Hallie first started having issues but we found an amazing holistic vet (I had never had any luck with holistic treatments with my dogs in the past so was reluctant to try her but a friend was adamant and I'm glad we went she did miracles for Hallie) who did the NAET testing which tells you what they are reacting to also. Sophie and I are actually going to the vets house for a couple of days this weekend to photograph her horses so will be asking her then about the diet and the itching.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Maddie had bad skin and itched a lot .My vet said food allergy are the last thing he test's for. Has your vet done a skin scraping. Mites are hard to see sometimes it can take more than one test. My vet decided to treat for that first because their were no visible fleas. He finally concluded she had a seasonal allergy. Her skin still has some problems every once in awhile but not enough to be because of her food. It gets dry and flakey and she scratches . I sometimes rinse with a apple cider vinegar I use about 1/4 cup tp about 4 cups and pour it on after I have conditioned and rinced. I just leave it on. It seems to help both flea control and is good for her skin.


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## Dee Dee (Jul 24, 2015)

Thanks Suzi. Those seasonal allergies are a pain, my Hallie had them and had immunotherapy shots every three weeks all of her life. They tend to get worse as they get older too. I have not taken Sophie to a vet yet for the itching it's not really bad but more than it should be so am trying to figure out first if it's food or inhalant or what. It's mostly around her face ears and neck, food allergies tend (but not always) to be more itchy feet...we are going to visit Hallie's holistic vet this weekend so will ask her what she thinks about Sophie too.

Good idea about the cider vinegar I will keep that in mind!

Maddie is FREAKING cute by the way! Sophie's name was Maddie for a short time I love the name but just didn't seem to fit her.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Maddie was a baby in that picture She is a big 4 year old now.


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## Dee Dee (Jul 24, 2015)

She is beautiful! I love her markings. <3


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

krandall said:


> For Kodi, it's as needed, up to 3 times a day. It has a short half-life which is one of the reasons she likes it... They clear it from their systems quickly. He doesn't need it at all for 2/3rds of the year. In the growing season, it varies... just like people with allergies. I almost always have to give him one in the morning. In the late spring, he was needing it 3 times a day. Now it's once or twice most days... today he hasn't needed it at all (yet) and he's been out at least twice.


Good information. When and if we need to talk to the Vet about this, we will have some idea of what we are getting into.



> and turning his paws all pink.


Yes, we have had the same situation. According to the Vet, the pink staining is caused by saliva. It is somewhat related to tear staining. Since we started washing his paws after walkies, particularly on the wet lawn, his biting and licking his paws has pretty much gone away, and the pink staining. We use Petco doggie wipes and they seem to be effective.

thanks, Ricky's Popi


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

Suzi said:


> Maddie had bad skin and itched a lot .My vet said food allergy are the last thing he test's for.





Dee Dee said:


> food allergies tend (but not always) to be more itchy feet...


The conventional wisdom is that itchy feet means a food allergy. But Ricky's Vet tends to agree with Maddie's Vet. In his experience, itchy feet or scratching anywhere is more likely caused by something else. In Ricky's case he nailed it, an allergic reaction to grass or something on the lawn - pollen, fertilizer, recycled water - who knows. We were able to resolve it by simply giving his feet a quick wipe down when he comes in from the lawn. Ricky looks forward to having his feet washed because he gets a frozen blueberry for a treat. Our Vet recommends that something like NutriScan be used only as a last resort.

Ricky's Popi


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

One thing to remember is that allergy triggers can build on top of each other. So if a dog has an underlying allergy (like Kodi's allergies to dairy and fish, that we didn't know about) they can then be much more reactive to mild allergies. So once we got the dairy and fish out of his diet, his itching came down to much more controllable levels. He no longer was scratching himself raw under his tail, for instance.


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