itchy scratchy dog

[picklesmum]

Hi there. Pickle seems to be very itchy and scratchy at the moment. His back legs are constantly scratching away at his chest and body, and he has been nibbling at his paws and body too. He definitely doesn't have fleas, but has a fair bit of dandruff, especially after I brush him (once a day). He is still quite fluffy (puppy fluff) but is going to his breeder for his first proper grooming session next week. Does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this? He's fed JWB lamb and rice kibble which is supposed to be good for sensitive skin, but it's not really making any difference.
Any thoughts?
Emma and Pickle xx                    

[Magic Star]

Hi Emma

If you are using the likes of shake n vac that could cause the ithiness, or if Pickle has a bed that gets washed in detergent that could also be the source of the problem.  If its not his food causing an allergiy, maybe he just has some dry skin, you could try adding some olive oil to his kibble

Good luck, I'm sure the other members may have some other ideas too, of what maybe causing the troubles.                    

[Mike]

I've just had thsi problem with my springer. She had got to the stage where she had lost some of the fur on her rear legs through constant nibbling, gnawing, scratching - it all looked very raw and sore The vet didnt know what caused it, but a week later 4 anti-histamine tablets a day seem to have stopped her scratching and doing herself more damage (the vet asked if we wanted to use a steroid cream, but we opted for anti-histamine as a first cause of action and fortunately it seems to have worked). Not sure if it will start again once we stop using the tablets - time will tell I guess! She's never had sensitive skin before, and nothing else in her life/routine had been changed.                    

[Michele]

I have had months of mine scratching, to the point that when I came down in the morning there would be hair blowing across the kitchen floor like tumble weed in a western  :? . I too have fed mine on JWB for a long time thinking it was good for sensitive skin, and like Emma suggests I too went through all possible other causes - detergents etc.
About 4-5 weeks ago I changed them over to Nutro and the difference is remarkable, the hair loss is at least 80% less and Neneh has actually put on weight as a result of me feeding her the same amount. I can only conclude that she is getting more goodness out of the Nutro than she did from the James Wellbeloved  :roll:                    

[picklesmum]

Thanks for all the replies - I think the only thing it can be is his food, as we've ruled out pretty much every other thing. It's quite distressing seeing him itch all the time, as I imagine it must be very uncomfortable for him.
Is Nutro dog food easy to come by? It's not one I am aware of - but then I've only every bought JWB and Supadog (which his breeder recommended). I will also be able to ask the breeders advice on Tuesday, as that's where he is going to be groomed.
Poor old Pickle!
Emma and Pickle xx