# Anti-itch shampoo?



## FancyNancy (Oct 7, 2009)

Henry is a bit itchy sometimes. Not so much that I think he needs to go to the vet, but enough that I think maybe an anti-itch shampoo might help. Does anyone have a recommendation? I have looked on the web of course and am a little worried about stuff like hydrocortisone. Should I be worried? Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks.


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## Laurasch (Jul 1, 2008)

My little guy is quite itchy and i found a few things help quite a lot:

1. we use Virbac's Epi-Soothe colloidal oatmeal shampoo and cream rinse
2. bath once/wk (wait longer and he gets worse and worse)
3. I 'float his coat' even though it is short as this helps the skin a lot too. Fill the sink with warm water and a couple capfuls of cream rinse, let him soak in it for at least 5 minutes. (the shampoo stays on at least 5 min too)
4. use as cool a water temp as you can, hot water really dries the skin
5. Chris Christensen Peace and Kindness colloidal silver spray on problem areas in between is awesome
6. High quality fish oil daily in his food
7. Keep his and his little brother's coats short (since he's allergic to dust and pollens and the long coats drag these in)
8. Keep the floors quite clean and wash their beds frequently - also the allergy thing.

If your guy is only a little itchy you could probably start with just one or two things (like the bath and fish oil perhaps) and see what works. My guy has a pretty big allergy problem so I have a longer list 
Good luck!


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## rdanielle (Sep 2, 2008)

Saw this on my facebook feed its from a holistic vet (Doctor Karen Becker): 
Urban legend pet myth #34: bathe an itchy, yeasty dog in a grain-based shampoo (oatmeal). If your pup itches, pick an herbal or teatree based shampoo. Oatmeal will provide a carb source to feed staph and yeast on the skin=worse itch and irritation.


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## Laurasch (Jul 1, 2008)

Interesting to learn, thanks. My guy's skin/coat feels very dry when he is most itchy and the oatmeal seems to soothe it really well (was recommended by my vet). The staph/yeast problem sounds like a different type of thing. Sounds like it's important to understand the cause of the itching.


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## galaxie (Dec 1, 2009)

Have you considered that it may be a food allergy?

Roscoe used to be quite itchy, not to the point of hot spots or breaking the skin, but enough that I thought to myself, "gee, if I were itching that much, it would be REALLY annoying." So I consulted my vet and she suggested taking him off the main protein in his diet - chicken. After about 4-5 weeks of his diet being totally poultry free, Roscoe is also itch free! Now we feed him Orijen 6 Fish, his coat is really healthy, silky, his stools are super healthy, and most importantly, he doesn't stop in the middle of doing fun stuff to itch himself anymore


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## Flynn Gentry-Taylor (Jan 17, 2008)

galaxie said:


> Have you considered that it may be a food allergy?
> 
> Roscoe used to be quite itchy, not to the point of hot spots or breaking the skin, but enough that I thought to myself, "gee, if I were itching that much, it would be REALLY annoying." So I consulted my vet and she suggested taking him off the main protein in his diet - chicken. After about 4-5 weeks of his diet being totally poultry free, Roscoe is also itch free! Now we feed him Orijen 6 Fish, his coat is really healthy, silky, his stools are super healthy, and most importantly, he doesn't stop in the middle of doing fun stuff to itch himself anymore


Is this available at Pet stores, I may try this.


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## karin117 (Mar 29, 2008)

You have had many good sudgestions for help to your little scratchy boy. I would just like to add something to START with...Do you rince him very very well after schampoo??? Sometimes that is the key. I use to say that rince the coat a looooong time, and when you have done that rince just as long again. THEN you have probably got all the schampoo out of the coat.

Use high quality schampoo, make sure you look at the label and add AT LEAST as much water in the schampoo as it says.

Take away treats that are not natural...there can be some kind of colouring in it that are damaging??? And one thing more...think about what you use to clean your floors with...maby that affect him???

Good luck with your detective work for little Henry


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## galaxie (Dec 1, 2009)

Flynn Gentry-Taylor said:


> Is this available at Pet stores, I may try this.


Depends on the pet stores where you live. There are a few near us that sell it, but we order it offline because it's cheaper 

I'd say that you should try calling the pet stores near you, if you have a small family owned place, they might even be willing to special order it for you!

PS - We mix in some canned pumpkin and a scoop of natural yogurt, he loves it!


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## Laurasch (Jul 1, 2008)

That's wonderful about your success with Roscoe. From what I've read it seems dust and pollens are responsible for 80-90% of allergies and food is only occassionally the cause.

There is an 'elimination diet' that is recommended to figure out which food (or foods) is the problem. It requires you to eliminate everything but one protein and one carb source, neither of which the dog can ever have had before. After 6-8 wks there may be a change, you very slowly start adding things back in.

I have already fed him almost every protein there is, have multiple dogs, do a lot of training (use food rewards) so this would be so difficult I haven't tried it yet. Just cutting out the chicken and being successful, that's wonderful!! *That *I can do! Going to try it, thanks so much.


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## FancyNancy (Oct 7, 2009)

Thank you all for so many helpful suggestions! I can never quite get over the supportiveness of people on this forum. It is a HUGE help. I will try some of these and see how it goes. Again, THANK YOU ALL.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

I have a Lhasa who I think is the allergy king. I agree with rinse, rinse. Also I run a Humidifier for him at night steam in winter and cool in heat. This has helped with the dry skin. A friend who is a dermatologist suggested it.


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