I have a really itchy dog. What are some home solutions? Can I feed her cod liver oil?

*Many *years ago I had a bulldog with unbelievable skin problems. I know that there was something easy I used to do, but I can't remember what. I *think* I used to feed her a spoonful of cod liver oil. but I can't remember, I might be imagining that. Does anyone know? Now I have a chow chow.

I have a really itchy dog. What are some home solutions? Can I feed her cod liver oil?
I think that daily cod liver oil would be too much, in fact, it's my understanding that you should not give fish liver oil, but whole body fish oils. You should also give them vitamin E with any fish oils you give as they can't put it to good use without the Vitamin E. I give my dogs each a 1200 mg capsule of super omega oil and a 400 i.u. capsule of vitamin E every other day. You do not want to give too many fat soluble supplements as they can build up and become toxic.





My most recent adoption had incredibly itchy skin and a good diet of high quality kibble, the vitamin supplements, and raw eggs a couple times a week has done wonders for her in a very short time.





You do first have to rule out fleas. Then I would look at what food you are feeding and see if it contains wheat or corn. Wheat especially is a very common allergen for dogs and could cause your dog to have itchy skin among other issues.





My opinion on wheat and corn in dog food is that #1, they just aren't a natural part of a dog's diet and #2, of the two major recalls I know of in the past couple of years (Menu Foods and Diamond) both have been attributed to contaminated wheat and/or corn products.
Reply:I don't no what it was that you had. But fleas and ticks could be the problem.


And it won't hert to try to buy some flea formula for your dog.


Also, try to bath your dog in veggi oil. That helps.
Reply:I'm not sure about cod liver oil, but I give my itchy dog omega-3 fatty acid supplements. It seems to help quite a bit. I also give her a couple of generic benedryl pills when she really can't stop itching.





I also spray a mixture of listerine mouth wash (the plain, original kind, not the mint or any other flavor) and baby oil on the spots where she itches the most. The listerine disinfects the spots where she's scratching raw, and also discourages her from licking so much because it tastes bad. The baby oil helps soothe the skin.
Reply:You need to find out what is causing the itching first. If it's an allergy or yeast, oil wont do a thing.
Reply:Is it dry skin or fleas? If it's not fleas, the try putting a small amount of hand lotion on the areas that are dry. It seems to be working find on my dog since that is what my mom does when my dog gets dry skin.
Reply:no you are not loosing it, a spoon full of cod liver oil in there food a day helps their skin and coat, that will work fine.
Reply:You need to find the reason for the itching to solve the problem. It could be an allergy to the food that you are feeding or an allergy to grass or some of the bedding that you use. There are so many different reasons, even bathing too often can cause irritated skin. If you find the source of the irritation you will better know how to treat it.
Reply:Yes, cod liver oil might help, but there are a lot of commercial preparations that are specifically for dry and/or itchy skin and don't have the "side effects" of cod liver oil (possible diarrhea). There are a few web sites such as valleyvet.com or vetline.com that might be able to help you out.
Reply:Skin irritations with pets are *almost* always due to food allergies. Try changing the food to a higher end brand. I am getting ready to switch my do to Nature's Variety, there are other good brands that don't cost as much though. But nothing that you will find at your local Wal-Mart or grocery store. ANY brand you will find there will be stuffed with fillers and animal by-products. I don't recommend feeding your pet food like that.





Also I have been bathing my dog once a week with a pet shampoo called Allergroom. I believe you can find it on the internet for pretty cheap. Someone gave me a few bottles of it so I haven't had to purchase it yet but it seemed to help with my dogs shedding in conjunction with her altered diet.
Reply:Dogs often have "allergy" symptoms, including itching, chewing and licking, from a suppressed immune system. Many of our rescue dogs have come to us literally hairless on the back part of their bodies because of allergies. Here is one example: www.lonestarshihtzurescue.com/SeanConner...





We use two supplements to boost their immune system, Ester C and Omega 3.





The best ester C for dogs is Mega C plus at www.belfield.com. For Omega 3, we use the Missing Link or sometimes just plain fish oil capsules from the drug store.





Here are some hints on what to do: www.shihtzu-rescue.com/NenasStory





Teresa


Shih Tzu and Lhasa Apso Rescue


www.shihtzu-rescue.com


www.lonestarshihtzurescue.com


www.digitaldogart.com


www.cafepress.com/dogsdogsdogs


www.printfection.com/dogz