Molly has fallen right in around here just great. Only issue is she is an itchy thing. I know dogs scratch but she is scratching a ton.
The family before us did not take very good care of her so I know it will take some time.

She is on a grain free Salmon based diet for plenty of Omega 3s.
She has had 2 flea baths and started her on the monthly Frontline+ that is supposed to take care of fleas, ticks, and a slew of other insects.

Molly is as best I can tell and am told she is a full blooded Charcoal Lab (yes I know many say this really does not count as a breed and it is just a jacked up black lab). My reading says they tend to have skin issues due to breeding.
Her coat looks very very good and she has very little skin flaking.

She has one hotspot on her year leg she keeps licking at.

She has a vet appointment scheduled for Friday but just curious if others have found a way to deal with the itchies.

I listen to talk radio and they constantly advertise Dinovite.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Black92LX,

Benadryl. 1mg per pound of dog 2-3x day.

But ax your vet.

(my daughter rescues pitbulls and some of them have serious itchies, and Benadryls them until the meds or other treatments start working.)

She may have allergies, and need steroids or antihistamines.

My parents had several dogs in a row that were excessively "itchy" and required allergy treatments.

Shave and a haircut...

Two bits!!

My not quite 6 year old chocolate male had a similar issue when he was younger. It was bad, and I mean to the point to where he would almost scratch off his entire coat in the warmer months.

I talked to a couple of people that recommended a few different supplements. One guy in particular was training gun dogs and they were out and about a lot during the warmer months which was when it seemed to be the worst.

He pointed me in the direction of a once per week pill and I wish I could remember what it was but the odd thing is that after 2 years of using it the issue stopped completely. This wasn’t anything we were getting from a vet, it could be ordered from several places online including places like Amazon.

Talk to a trainer or two that sets up Labs for actual retrieval purposes And see what the suggest. There’s a good chance they’ve seen something like what you’re describing before and can point you in the right direction.

Stop the flea baths and baths in general, keep on the frontline type stuff.
Try different foods.
Keep her entertained with lots of toys and walks. Being bored and full of energy makes some dogs scratch.

My dog just went to the vet yesterday for itching.

The vet gave him a shot that will last about 4-6 months to take away itch.

Today...no scratching at all!

Benadryl drugged him out too much...no way to live.

I’ll ask the wife what it was called...as she took him in.

Doh!

Talked to wife...

Cytopoint is the name of the injection...last 4-6 WEEKS...not months.

Dog looks and acts 100% better just overnight...

quote:

Originally posted by Patriot:
Doh!

Talked to wife...

Cytopoint is the name of the injection...last 4-6 WEEKS...not months.

Dog looks and acts 100% better just overnight...

How much does the cytopoint set one back?

Ouch just looked it up looks like about $160 a dose for her weight

quote:

Cytopoint is the name of the injection

This, our Basset has allergies that flare up, we changed food and it's down to once a year in the fall, at that point Cytopoint is the solution, within the day of getting the shot the itching is done.

Check on having Apoquil pills to use for mild itching issues.

We had to move to a food that is designed to be helpful to dogs with skin issues, I Love and You Seafood has been a godsend...

This one is getting a lot of play on TV right now:
https://www.apoqueldogs.com/

Cute ad with a talking pug.

flaashguy

medrol/prednol, cefalexin which are pills. i get them from northwest pharmacy up in canada and it takes weeks but when it's cheaper, it's considerably cheaper. but shop around. interestingly some pills were actually cheaper at the doc's.

if you want it to go away overnight, try cytopoint. this saved my pup from an invasive surgery.

depending on the dog, you need 1,2,3 or more shots per season.

i just gave him cefalexin and and prednol and gave him 0 other food, treats, etc. aside from a specific type of dog food and his allergies weren't that bad this season.

Clark has food and environmental allergies. Without his Apoquel he scratches all night long, with it, he sleeps like a log, and so does his daddy and mommy.

But, definitely, let your vet weigh in.

Best of luck to Molly.

I have one that is allergic to something in the grass. Her paws get itchy and red. I stopped all lawn treatment a couple years ago and it has been much better. Just like humans they can get allergies and skin issues. Had one dog that needed an oatmeal shampoo every couple of months and he was fine after that as long as we kept up with the baths.

Olive oil may offer some relieve for the dog until you get to the vet. Just wet down the itchy area with olive oil. Can't hurt to try.

One of my pit/mastiff mixes has allergy issues. Some scratching, mostly his ears, and very red, weaping eyes. The vet has given him Cytopoint a couple times in the past and it helped a lot, albeit only temporarily. The latest time, he prescribed both eyedrops and another medication called Pattotic for his ears, and that has helped quite a bit. I hadn't thought about Benedryl, I might try that the next time it flares up.

Apoquel. Ask about whether it’s right for your dog. Please don’t give antibiotics or steroids without discussing with the vet as well. Also talk to them about diet. Don’t do grain free... cardiomyopathy is becoming a well known result of grain free diets for canines, and dogs are omnivores by nature anyway. They need more than just meat.
Hopefully slabsides and/or Jeff Yarchin will weigh in here soon, but, best of luck with your pup.

Ballistol

My dog had the same problem a couple of months back. It was scratching and chewing down to the skin. Bald spots.

Took him to the vet . The vet gave him some meds and medicated dog shampoo. Bottle of dog shampoo from the vet was 30 bucks. After that I got these medicated shampoo at Walmart. Alternate between the two. Or a little of both for each bath. More importantly, use a good scrubbing brush and lots of water to rinse off the shampoo.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Vet...-Cats-16-oz/24885757

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Vet...-Dogs-16-oz/24885661

Seem to work very well. He gets at least one bath a week. Sometimes two. Much , much less scratching now. No more bald spots. All the fur grew back.