Dealing with Itchy, Skin-Healthy Dog: Solutions for Con

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Even though I've been giving my dog regular deworming treatments and can't find any fleas or lice on him, why does he still scratch himself every day?

There could be three potential reasons: 1. Improper bathing, which can disrupt the dog's skin barrier, leading to dryness, itching, and sensitivity; 2. Neurodermatitis, a skin condition caused by abnormal nervous system function that results in severe itching; 3. Mite infestation, which requires regular deworming, local treatment, environmental disinfection, and nutritional supplementation. Let's delve into these details together!

Improper Bathing

Overbathing, not bathing frequently enough, or using a shampoo not suitable for dogs can disrupt the dog's skin barrier, leading to dryness, itching, and sensitivity.

How to Handle It:

It's recommended to bathe your dog appropriately, with a frequency of about once every two weeks. Long periods without bathing can lead to a buildup of dirt on the skin surface, causing itching.

Additionally, use dogspecific shampoos. Dogs have a different skin pH than humans, and using human shampoos can disrupt the natural balance of their skin. Human shampoos are alkaline, whereas dogs require acidic shampoos that are formulated for their needs.

Neurodermatitis

Neurodermatitis is a skin condition caused by abnormal nervous system function, leading to severe itching. Dogs may constantly scratch, bite, or rub itchy areas, potentially leading to skin breakdown and infection.

Treatment:

Put a muzzle on the dog to prevent scratching.

Reduce itching: Use topical corticosteroid ointments and orally take Neumeno (chlorphenamine maleate tablets) for itching relief.

Control infection: Under a veterinarian's guidance, use antibiotics (such as mupirocin, clindamycin, cephalosporins) or antifungal drugs (such as clotrimazole, ketoconazole, piperaquinetetramethoprim) to control secondary infections caused by Staphylococcus or Malassezia.

Repair the skin barrier: Add supplements that support skin structure to the diet, such as omega3 fatty acids, hyaluronic acid, and phospholipids.

Mite Infestation

Mites are very small and cannot be seen with the naked eye; they require a microscope for observation. There are typically three types: scabies mites, demodex mites, and ear mites, each with different symptoms and characteristics:

1. Scabies

Symptoms: Severe itching and redness of the skin. Symptoms usually include hair loss, redness, dandruff, and scabs, which can lead to thickened skin. It often affects the back, lower abdomen, and edges of the ear flaps, with a peak incidence in summer.

Characteristics: Scabies mites are tiny and not visible to the naked eye, but they can cause dogs to continuously scratch, bite, and rub the affected skin, leading to severe hair loss and skin damage.

2. Demodex

Symptoms: Follicle redness, pustules, and hair loss. Initially, symptoms may appear around the eyes, upper and lower jaws, and lips, and may not be itchy at first. In severe cases, they can spread to the neck, limbs, lower abdomen, and inner thighs, causing skin redness, hair loss, seborrhea, dandruff, small pustules, and skin itching, thickening, and hyperpigmentation.

Characteristics: Demodex mites typically reside in sebaceous glands and hair follicles, and infection can lead to pustules. They often cause body odor and are more common in longhaired dogs. This condition is stubborn and more prevalent in longhaired dogs.

3. Ear Mites

Symptoms: Increased ear discharge, itching, and an unpleasant odor. Dogs may constantly scratch their ears, shake their heads, and scratch, which may even lead to bleeding in the external ear canal.

Characteristics: Ear mites are a type of mite that resides in the ear canal, often causing local itching and inflammation. They can be diagnosed through ear canal examination and the examination of ear discharge.

Treatment:

External Deworming: Use medications containing doramectin or ivermectin for external deworming. You can also use medications that deworm both internally and externally, such as "Dipai." If ear mites are present, ear mite medication is also required.

Local Treatment: Spray the affected area with Pipute (tetracycline hydrochloride spray). For cases with extensive infection, it is recommended to shave the dog's fur and then use a medicated shampoo for a bath treatment. During treatment, it is necessary to keep the dog wearing an Elizabethan collar to prevent it from licking the affected area!

Environmental Disinfection: Pay attention to the disinfection and pest control of the dog's living environment to reduce the spread and recurrence of mites.

Nutritional Supplementation: During treatment, it is necessary to provide the dog with appropriate nutrition, especially Bvitamins, which help with skin recovery and improve resistance.

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