Is your dog suffering from itches?
Any dog irrespective of the breed or size may have itchy woes. Skin conditions are the foremost reason people bring their dogs in for veterinary care.
In this blog post, we explore how to help your itchy dog with the much-needed healing relief.
Why is your dog itching?
The first thing to remember here is that – Itching is a symptom, not a disease!
There are hundreds of recognized skin disorders in the dogs. Your dog may have any of the underlying conditions that are causing him to scratch himself. Having said that it is always advisable to seek an expert opinion from the vet since it could also be something far from lethal like cancerous skin tumors
1. Allergy – One of the major cause of itching in dogs can be allergy due to parasites (fleas or ticks), environmental allergens (such as pollens, grasses or plants), chemicals used to cleanse homes) or food allergies caused due to some new foods or treats.
2. Skin infections – Like humans, dogs too can suffer from eczema or Fungal irritants like ringworm.
3. Hot spot – Is your dog constantly trying to lick or scratch his skin? This red inflamed skin lesion or acute moist dermatitis is commonly called a hot spot. Consult your vet for antibiotics or a medical recovery collar to prevent your dog from trying to lick or scratch it.
4. Diet – An unbalanced diet may cause dry flaky patches in your dog’s skin.
5. Climatic changes – A lack of moisture in the air can lead to dry skin and repetitive scratching.
How to help your itchy dog?
1. Access to clean drinking water – Whether you are a dog or a human, water helps wash away impurities from the system. Ensure that your pet has access to drinking water all through the day.
2. Coconut oil has strong antiviral and antibacterial properties. Not only it can reduce yeast and fungus on contact but it also has a healing effect on irritated skin, hot spots, abrasions, and cracked paws.
3. Bathing – Normally dogs need a bath once every three months. If you bathe your dog too often it could rob his skin of vital natural oils and may cause itching. You may alternatively try Himalaya Fresh coat.
An oatmeal bath can also provide some much-needed relief to your itching dog.
4. Neem oil – Like coconut oil, Neem too has powerful antibacterial properties. You may massage a diluted mixture of neem oil into your dog’s skin irritations to help reduce the itch and keep the fleas and ticks away. You may also use Erina EP shampoo that has the goodness of neem.
See Also: How to keep your dog safe from Mosquitoes?
5. Vitamin E – Great for the skin, Vitamin E can help your dog’s skin regenerate. Break a Vitamin E capsule and place it directly on your dog’s skin. Gently rub the oil into the affected area and leave to fully absorb.
6. Yogurt – If your dog has a yeast infection, try mixing yogurt to his diet. This will aid his digestive system and keep the yeast infections away.
7. Apple cider vinegar – An excellent home remedy for your dog’s itchy skin, it can soothe your dog’s skin and fight off any bacteria that could be causing the itch.
Mix equal parts of water and apple cider vinegar into a spray bottle. Shake gently to combine and spray directly onto your dog’s affected areas.
8. Baking Soda –Prepare a thick paste by using a 50/50 mix of baking soda and water. Apply to affected areas of your dog’s skin, leave for 20 minutes, and then rinse off.
9. Brush your dog every day – this helps control and eliminate itchy and irritated skin.
We recommend once again that in case the problem doesn’t clear up in a couple of days or the condition looks intense, please consider seeing a veterinarian.
