Basset Hounds Forum banner

Itching!!!!

34K views 21 replies 14 participants last post by  james uba 
#1 ·
Hello everyone,

I have a wonderful 2yr old basset named Gracie. She is the light of my life but i feel sooo bad because she itches and licks all the time and it has to be so uncomfortable for her. Iv tried everything; creams, vitamins, baths, baby wipes, bag balm. The baths work for abt a few hrs but then she is back to it again. Anyone have any suggestions to help this?? Ill try anything. Thanks so much!!

Pensfan:confused:
 
#2 ·
Yes, any info would be nice... Snickers has been itching and licking a lot lately too....does it have something to do with allergies? I read not to give them too many baths, so I try and "freshen" her up by spraying Skin so soft (also heard it helps keep pesky little critters away) Am I brushing too much... not enough (I try to 2-3 times a week)??? I use a natural flea and tick medicine on her, made with plant based products, cause I wasn't sure how she would react to the chemicals of the top brands. Or is this just part of owning a Basset?
BTW, thanks Pensfan for starting this thread, I was going to start a similar one:)
 
#4 ·
Im going to call her vet to get in to see what is up. Nothing works and i know she is suffering. She has been having this itching prob since she turned like 1 1/2. She will b 3 this July. I have also tried all the flea and tick treatments and natural sprays and soaps. I have to give her a bath every two weeks cause she is hound fresh. lol Iv heard that this is a basset issue but its not far that our babies have to suffer. SIGH!!!
 
#5 ·
I find it had to believe it is a basset issue. Our previous basset never had any skin or itching problems. Prior to her we had several beagles and none of them ever had any itching problems other than occasionally fleas. And all of that was before Frontline and all the similar products were common.
 
#6 · (Edited)
http://www.basset.net/boards/general-basset-hound-discussion/12045-itchy-scratchy.html

I did a search under the search option and used the word "allergies" . The above thread seems to have some good information. There are others threads in the archives that might help if you do your own search.

Murray has horrible allergies, not due to fleas, but due to dust, grass, grain and most proteins in his food (he's on Wellness Core Fish and Potato which seems to help him). We had him allergy tested when he was 2 years old. Allergy shots are available, but we decided not to go that route.

This is something we just deal with-there is no final solution- some summers are worse than others. Two years ago the summer here was very humid and hot,and he was so miserable that , even though I don't like giving cortisone because of it's potential side effects, he had a couple of cortisone shots to break the itch/biting cycle.

The best advice I can give you is to try not to get frustrated with the situation which could prove to be something you'll deal with lifelong. Through trail and errror, and with the advice of our vet and with information from folks on this forum, we've found what helps us.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.


It seems like alot of bassets are prone to this type of allergy problem.
 
#7 ·
Itching

Good Morning!
Miss Daisy goes through this every spring. Vet says it's an allergy. Miss Daisy also developed several "hot spots" on her legs and was constantly scratching and biting. The vet gave her 10mg Prednisolone in progressively lower doses. Additionally she gave her Ketocanazole (half tablet every 12 hours) for 30-90 days. Those starting working in about 4 days and now the "hot spots" are healing and the scratching is nearly stopped. ;-) GREAT HOWLS
Miss Daisy & Sadie May
:)
 
#10 ·
Hello Pensfan83 and Gracie, you are not alone in your itching problem. Mattie has the same problems when the warm weather comes along. Mat we have figure out has a reaction to grass. Cause when every she rubs her belly across the grass in the spring and summer, she gets hot spots on her belly and she digs and digs at her belly. The vet gave on some Med to give her when the hot spots show up and they help her.
It is just a trial and error in finding the right thing to help with the itching.
 
#12 ·
Yeah i go threw a lot of trial and error too but maybe a change in her food would help
This is general a very coomon first place to start but is rarely effective because. Food allergies acount for only a minor 10-15% of allergies in dogs and people just willy -nilly change food trying to avoid some boogieman ingredient when the need to do is be systematic. That is a food that has novel protein and charbohydrate source, that is one the dog has never been exposed to. Simply switch to say a lamb and rice commercial food is not good enough as these often cotain either additional grains like wheat or corn and in some cases other protein sources as well like fish, poultry or beef,.

FWIW most general practioners of vet medicine are ill equipt to deal with the multilayers of primary and secondary causes of skin itiching. It is general cheaper and faster to get a referral to a vet specializing in dermatology Find a Dermatologist

Snickers has been itching and licking a lot lately too....does it have something to do with allergies? I read not to give them too many baths, so I try and "freshen" her up by spraying Skin so soft
If she is itch tends to have a greasy feeling coat, smells and has dandruff the likely culprit is not allergies but a underdiagnosed genetic skin condition in bassets called seborrhea The treatment of which is actual frequent bathing w/anti-seborrheaic shampoos.

from link above
Early evidence of the disorder such as mild flaking and dullness of the coat may appear as young as 10 weeks of age. Because these signs are subtle, they often go unnoticed. However, usually by a year to 18 months, the signs have become pronounced. Affected dogs commonly have a dull coat with excessive scaling, a greasy feel and smell to the skin (especially in areas of body folds), smelly waxy ears which may be infected, thickening of the foot pads, and dry brittle claws. Some breeds (West Highland white terrier, cocker spaniel, springer spaniel, Basset hound, Shar-pei) are more prone to the greasy form of seborrhea (seborrhea oleosa) with chronic ear infections and greasy skin, while others (Doberman pinscher, Irish setter) are more likely to develop the dryer form (seborrhea sicca)
Dogs with seborrhea are prone to secondary infections, either bacterial or yeast, and frequently develop skin lesions and associated itching. This condition is called seborrheic dermatitis. Scratching leads to worsening of the lesions and spread of the infection.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Gracie does have an oder and flakes and itches and licks
Sounds like Seborrhea there is no cure but frequent bathing with anti-seborrheaic shampoo can help. while there are shampoos specifical balanced for a dogs higher skin ph many swear by "selsun blue" but one must be sure it is one that contains 1% selenium sulfide

Seborrhea in Dogs
An excessive amount of oil on the skin facilitates the growth of bacteria and yeast. Most animals with seborrhea have concurrent skin infections (bacteria and yeast) and will require treatment. Your dog may need to take antibiotics or antifungal medications for several weeks to eliminate the infection.

Topical therapy is also important to remove the excessive amount of scales. Various shampoos and conditioner may be necessary.

...Bathing is necessary at least once a week. Some dogs may need a bath with a medicated shampoo twice or three times a week. Different shampoos and conditioners are used according to the infection present and the type of seborrhea. Some are good for dry skin (Allergroom®), while others are good for greasy skin (LyTar®). Some shampoos are antibacterial (OxyDex®), while others are antifungal (Selsun Blue® animals).

A contact time of 10 to 15 minutes is crucial for the success of shampoo therapy.
Shampoo Therapy
 
#16 ·
I do believe that Snickers may have this, she has been having problems with her left ear as well, seems like I'm getting nowhere in that fight... so a call to the vet has been made. It's really weird, cause Mr. Stimpy had problems with his left ear too... I think he's still here in spirit LOL!
Thanks for the info!
 
#17 ·
Atopy is a common cause of chronic itching in dogs. (It is believed to affect 15% of dogs in North America.) Canine atopy is caused by an allergic reaction to one or more substances in the environment, usually grass, and commonly starts between the ages of one and five years.Dogs that have atopy usually itch and so scratch a lot, which can cause red, moist, irritated skin.Corticosteroids such as injectable dexamethasone will help calm the itching and inflammation resulting from dermatitis.; however, safer and more natural approaches may be more suitable.
 
#21 ·
When one of our boys started this years ago now, despite putting him onto a food that should have been better tolerated, after being castrated for medical need, he was given an injection that lasted 4 months, taking him through the 'itchy season'. You might talk to your vet about this. And do get him onto a food that he hasn't eaten before - we've found a fish and potato diet of great help - certainly something that does not contain cereal, of which rice is still that.
 
#22 ·
It may be sign of flea and tick "Gracie" have. Fleas and ticks are hideous and they can latch onto our pets as and when they get the opportunity. Typically, these nasty critters are contracted from the outdoors but they can certainly infest your house once they find their way inside through your pet. Use preventatives like Frontline Plus, Revolution or Advantage to destroy the existing parasites if any and prevent them from infesting your pet in future.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top