Possible Causes For Your Dog's Itchy Skin: What You Should Know
When you are a concerned and caring dog owner, you are very aware of your pet's normal behaviors and general disposition. As such, when your dog seems to suddenly feel extremely itchy and is constantly biting and scratching at their skin, you may wonder what is causing them trouble. If you have already ruled out fleas as a possible culprit, then you may be wondering what could possibly be causing your dog's irritation. Get to know some of the possible causes of your dog's itchy skin so that you can get them to veterinarian or animal hospital, like Providence Veterinary Hospital Inc, to get the tests and treatments that they may need.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is disorder in which the thyroid gland is not producing enough of the hormones that the body needs. This condition has many different symptoms in dogs. One of those symptoms can be itchy skin and hair loss that can result from biting or scratching as well as the hormonal imbalance.
Other symptoms of hypothyroidism include a generally thin coat, weight gain, the inability to tolerate cold temperatures and weakness or lethargy. If you suspect that your dog is suffering from hypothyroidism, you will need to take your dog in to the vet or animal hospital for a special blood test to gauge the levels of thyroid hormones in their body.
If it turns out that your dog does suffer from hypothyroidism, they will need to take a daily pill to supplement those low hormone levels. This will maintain your dog's hormonal balance and is a solution that can keep them healthy and itchiness-free for the rest of their life.
A Food Allergy
Whether you realize it or not, dogs can have allergies just like people can. This extends to food allergies as well as seasonal allergies.
The problem is, it can be difficult to determine what your dog is actually allergic to in their foods. If your dog started scratching and seeming itchy recently, think about any changes that you may have made in their diet.
If you changed to a new food, consider the primary ingredients of the foods first. If you switched from one protein (meat) source to another, they may be allergic to that. Change back their food to see if there is a difference in their behavior. This can take several days to a few months depending on how long they have been consuming the new food.
You can also try to change to a grain-free all-natural food if this does not help. More and more dogs have developed allergies to chicken and chicken byproducts as well so you may want to check for these ingredients in your dog's food as well.
Now that you know a few of the possible causes for your dog's itchy skin, you can provide them with the best care possible and ensure that they receive any treatments or special diets that they may need to feel better.