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Itching is annoying! If you’ve ever had an itch, like a bug bite (and who hasn’t!), you know that itching is the worst. For our dogs, the occasional scratch is no big deal. A dog loves a good scratch, from you or that hind paw.
But when your dog keeps scratching, you have a problem. So why is my dog scratching so much? And what can I do about my dog scratching all the time?
We’ve got the answers!
Not all dog itchiness is the same. Just like you might itch from a mosquito bite, a peeling sunburn, or a rash, dogs scratch for lots of very different reasons. Each of these have different causes, and may require different treatments.
Unfortunately, your fur baby can’t tell you with words what’s causing the scratching.
So, here we gathered some of the main reasons a dog might have persistent itches.
Fleas are a big problem for dogs! Fleas live outdoors and on other animals. When our pets encounter them, they hop aboard! Signs of a flea infestation include:
While fleas themselves are annoying little pests, some dogs are also allergic to fleas. Known as “flea allergic dermatitis,” this condition makes even one little flea bite extra itchy!
Dry, itchy skin and hair loss don’t always come from pests. Sometimes, the dry skin itself is the source of the dog scratching.
A little bit of dry skin can be natural when seasons change, with more shedding, or when your pet needs some water. But persistent dry skin, especially when accompanied with scratching, is a real problem for our pets. All of that scratching can lead to poor sleep, skin abrasions, or other problems.
Another reason for dry, itchy skin or patchy fur can be dog allergies. While humans also get allergic skin reactions, we more commonly have itchy/watery eyes, runny nose, and other respiratory allergic reactions.
Dogs, on the other hand, rarely get respiratory allergic reactions to things like seasonal allergies, changes in food, or contact with an irritant. More commonly, they have an allergic reaction that includes itchy skin, hair falling out, or other problems with skin and/or fur.
A number of other skin issues may be itchy to our fur babies. Sometimes these indicate another problem:
These types of skin issues are best observed when grooming your dog. If the effects come and go, take a picture to show your vet what you have observed on your dog’s skin.
As you have probably guessed from the lists above, the first step toward treating dog scratching is to get a diagnosis. See your veterinarian to diagnose (or at least rule out) any of the conditions listed above.
Once you know what you are dealing with, you can better address the scratching. The next step will likely be eliminating something, such as getting rid of fleas or a parasite, or eliminating a potential allergen from your dog’s environment.
Once you have eliminated the source of the itching, treatments for scratching will be effective.
You can treat almost all sources of dog scratching naturally! Even if your dog will require some sort of medication, natural anti-itch remedies work in conjunction with your dog’s medications to help soothe irritated skin.
Natural anti-itch remedies for dogs include:
It might surprise pet parents that taking CBD orally may help a dog stop scratching! But CBD has a calming effect on your dog. So, CBD can help soothe dry skin, ease allergy symptoms, and improve many other skin and coat health issues!
NOTE: If your fur baby has broken skin, do not apply any topical treatments without permission from your veterinarian, as it may cause further irritation or even infection.
At Bad Dog CBD we have exactly what your itchy pet needs!
For bath time our Oatmeal Anti-itch CBD Shampoo has all the soothing ingredients your fur baby needs for that itchy skin. But if you really want to quickly help stop that dog from scratching, consider adding oral CBD oil.
These treatments work double-time to help your dog stop scratching--stat!
