Perfectly healthy dogs spend a significant portion of time scratching themselves. In some cases, dog itching remedies may be necessary to ease your pet’s discomfort. Itching, while a normal behavior, may also serve as a symptom of another underlying medical condition. Topical anti-itch creams, including dexamethisone and gentamycin, among others, may help to reduce your pet’s itchiness and any inflammation or irritation that can develop as a result of excessive scratching.
Causes of Canine Itching
Your dog’s itching may be caused by a dietary imbalance, particularly when omega fatty acids are insufficient. It may also be caused by fleas, ticks or other parasites. More severe cases of itchiness may be the result of an allergy to an ingredient in food or a particle in the air. Mange is another cause of chronic, severe itchiness in dogs, although mange is also accompanied by rashes and loss of fur.
The wide variety of causes means that there is no one adequate treatment for itchiness. In order to properly address your pet’s scratching, you may need to have him examined by a veterinarian. If his scratching persists for several days, or if it is accompanied by any combination of red, irritated skin, hair loss, visible sores or lesions or skin flaking, take your dog to the vet’s office for an examination.
Treating Your Dog’s Itchiness
In some cases, a simple change of diet may suffice to treat your pet’s itchiness. For other dogs, a specially formulated shampoo or insect repellent may help to reduce itching caused by parasites. In more severe cases, however, a prescription treatment method may be best. If you have taken your pet to the veterinarian for an examination in order to diagnose the source of his itching, talk about potential prescription drug treatment programs to help control the problem.
Prescription Dog Itching Treatments
Besides drugs that get to the root of your pet’s itchiness, such as anti-allergen treatments or parasite repellents, most prescription dog itching remedies are corticosteroids, used for their anti-inflammatory purposes. Dexamethisone and gentamycin are two popular drugs used for this purpose. Typically, corticosteroids are administered orally over a period of multiple weeks in order to reduce inflammation that causes, and is caused by, excessive scratching.
Anti-inflammatory drugs may often be used to combat a variety of other illnesses and conditions, such as anemia, shock and a variety of allergic reactions. If your pet is already on a prescription for an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid, consult with your veterinarian about the feasibility of adding a second drug to your pet’s regimen.
Between prescription drugs and specialty shampoos, ointments and repellents, available at pet stores and veterinary offices, most dog owners are able to adequately mediate the cause of their pet’s itchiness, providing their animal with sufficient relief. However, if problems persist or symptoms do not improve, consult with a veterinarian for further advice.