Itchy dog

My Pekingese (or Tibetan Spaniel) mix has always liked to lick her paws since we got her last spring and goes through periods where she is more itchy than other times. I'm guessing it is environmental allergies, as it really seems to be have gotten worse in the past few weeks now that she is outside more with the warmer weather (and it seemed less when it was cold and snowy - not completely gone but less than it is now). She has been treated in the past for ear infections and bacteria in her ears, but the itching doesn't seem to be in the ears this time (it is more behind her ears and there is some dandruff there, and she also itches at places on her side and there is a bit of dandruff in those spots as well). She has been on Natural Balance LID Duck and Potato dry and wet for a few months (hoping it was a food thing and that the LID would help clear it up). I also started her recently on Zesty Paws Aller Imune Bites with Omega 3 oil because I read that the Omega 3 is good for dandruff. They are lamb flavor, maybe that is the culprit? Whenever I mention it to the vet they have suggested Cytopoint shots (tried once last fall, didn't seem to make a difference) and also said I could try human Zyrtec, but when I read about that it says that it only helps about 30% of dogs with allergies and it can cause lots of side effects. I actually have not been super impressed with our vet's office after my two favorite vets left but there aren't may vets here taking new patients right now. Any other suggestions from the dog savvy mamas here?

Our dog takes Apoquel, which I’ve been told is the pill form of Cytopoint. It works great. She was on it for two weeks last summer and then a decreased dose until freeze. This year I’ve been able to give it to her on an as needed basis and she stops itching within an hour or so. The vet also had us switch her food to salmon with grain. It helped some but the Apoquel is the key for us.

Where does your dog sleep? If it is environment allergies, you can help symptoms by hot water washing all soft bedding frequently. (We also got DS to crawl in the crate and wipe down floors when we wash bedding.) Also, damp-mopping hard floors. Monthly bathing also helps - the vet gave us some medicated soap to use. For longer hair, you might consider a shorter cut for summer.

You can get allergy tests, but they are quite expensive.

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Originally Posted by Kestrel

Where does your dog sleep? If it is environment allergies, you can help symptoms by hot water washing all soft bedding frequently. (We also got DS to crawl in the crate and wipe down floors when we wash bedding.) Also, damp-mopping hard floors. Monthly bathing also helps - the vet gave us some medicated soap to use. For longer hair, you might consider a shorter cut for summer.

You can get allergy tests, but they are quite expensive.

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She loves to sleep in her crate and we have a cover for it. She has a plush bed and some baby blankets she likes to sleep on. I do bath her monthly and a few months ago I started using a Burt's Bees oatmeal dog shampoo that I thought may help. I wash her bedding and swap it out with fresh bedding after I bath her (and wash the other random cat/dog beds that are laying around in the living room that she likes to sleep in during the day). I can try washing it more frequently. Last summer we did have her hair cut shorter for summer, as she seems to get hot very quickly but loves to be outside. We don't treat our grass with anything and she mostly plays in our yard, though sometimes she likes to walk in a mowed lot behind our neighbors house, or at the neighborhood park.

I am hesitant to try the Apoquel because I've read some of the side effects are not good, especially for younger dogs (she is only 3 or 4 years old). She is also on Credelio and Interceptor Plus each month for fleas, ticks, and heartworm. I am actually wondering if the Allergy Bites we started may be bothering her because of the lamb. I see they come in other flavors, so I'll stop the lamb for a few weeks and then maybe try one of the others flavors. I need to order more food, wasn't sure if I should try a different LID form of food. She was on Purina Pro Salmon and Rice last fall, but was pretty itchy then, which is why we switched to the LID food (to see if it was food related). I did notice that her current food is grain free and I know there is a lot of back and forth about grains being good or bad for them. So many choices!

Our choolate lab has both environmental allergies and food allergies. She gets Cytopoint in the spring and fall, and we give her Benedryl if needed between shots (usually as one is wearing off).

You might want to see if her food formula has changed. We have to do grain free due to allergies, and have gone through several dry foods as formulas are constantly changing. Her last food was Merrick grain free LID, but they changed the formula to include pea protein, which she is allergic to (this is also an allergy she's developed in the last year or so). We realized it after she got a new bag and she started scratching the next day. I checked the website, and turned out they had changed the formula of the food.

It takes a lot of research, label reading, and trial and error to find the right fit -- good luck!

If it's environmental, which is definitely possible during this time of the year, then frequent baths do help. I always wash all dog bedding on the same day as the bath, in hot water with a little bit of bleach. Don't be afraid to bathe more frequently than once a month. We bathe the dog every 2-3 weeks in the Spring because everyone's allergies are bad, and pollen is sticky and will stick to your dog when outside for walks, etc...the difference being that humans can wash it off in a shower every day. :) I think small dogs get it especially bad, being low to the ground where pollen settles outside AND inside.

I've also discovered that different shampoos work differently for different dogs! We spent YEARS using Cloud Star's Buddy Wash (a FANTASTIC shampoo) but our most recent rescue would get SO stinky, oily, and itchy just days after a bath and I thought it was just him until my mom brought me a different shampoo. Night and day difference - new shampoo just agrees with his body chemistry SO much better. He is so much less greasy and oily after baths now and stopped itching. It's this one if you want to try it: https://www.amazon.com/Greenbone-Oat...7803222&sr=8-5

Our previous dog was on benadryl long term, then switched to Claritin. It helped some. Chlorhexiderm shampoo helped a lot.
When we didn't keep up, he'd eat all the fur off his tail and/or scratch the fur off around his eyes.

Our vet recommended Apoquel but my pup was less than year old & I, too, didn’t like the risks associated especially for younger dogs. Anyway, we instead tried Zyrtec & it’s been super helpful. As far as I know, pup hasn’t had side effects.