There was a really good thread here awhile ago called "perpetually itchy dog" that has all the info you need. put it in the search box.

dump the Purina. It is garbage.
Yes yes I know, many dogs have lived 100 years on the stuff and my uncle lived to 106 and smoked and drank everyday.
If you can get California Natural dog food it will make a world of difference.It costs a lot per bag but it really lasts along time. My Dane eats 11 cups of Iams compared to the 2 cups of CN. She is actually gaining weight.
Also go to the feed store and buy some Micro-Teck horse shampoo (cheaper than when it is packaged for dogs) Bath the dog well with this stuff. I mean suds the whole dog up and really rub it in. Do this for 20 minutes. Repeat 7 to 10 days. Go to this website and follow the links on Pet foods. Iams and other middle of the line foods are a waste of money. They are only slightly better than grocery food brands and cost a fortune. I use organic flax seed oil on my BC's food and still have to bathe him every summer with Micro-Tex. He is just prone to yeast infections. There are 3 kinds of yeast attacks and many times vets will cover them with some antibiotics and steroids only to have it return.Build the immune system and avoid feeding garbage to your dog. On this site they have a food comparison chart. It is very helpful.
Dogs are just like us,some can do OK on junk food and some can't.

Good luck
www.GreatDanelady.com

Great advice Kate1 but even better put the dog on a raw food diet and give it supplements especially Omega3 essential fatty oils. Go to www.shirleys wellness cafe.com and look at the old post on perpetually itchy dog. Kibble processed food is garbage.

Well, the vet told me, when I worked in a dog grooming salon, that itchy skin is USUALLY caused by 1) too much protein in their diets 2) allergies. Last year, we had a huge forestfire here out west, and lOADS of dogs developed itchy skin....

Try raw meat with veg. and dont foget galic and otherherbs.
If you feed cereal do it at a different meal.

Baking soda baths seems to be doing him a world of good. His rashes are really clearing up.

Hi everyone,
I have a red heeler ( australian cattle dog ) she gets an allergy in the Summer from a grass that grows in the garden, I was taking her to the vet for injections for it. Then I saw on one of the forums to try Aloe vera. I just take a leaf from the plant, open it up and rub it on her back. It seems to be working, she is not scratching half as much as she was.
Hope this helps.
Gill ( Australia )

Have you had him scraped for demodectic mange (non-contagious)? It usually has an underlying, more serious health problem, like hypothyroidism. Any hair loss? Or is it just a seasonal thing?
There's lots of info on the BARF (biologically appropriate raw foods) diet on the internet. Just type BARF in your search engine.
Since most canned and bagged pet foods are made, in part, from rendered diseased and euthanized animals, I will never feed that to my best friends again.

I have to put my "two-Bits" worth in for "Bits", available through Gardens Alive. If it is a grass or other seasonal allergy that is plaguing your little guy, Bits can work wonders.

My scottie was almost going crazy - he had lost all the hair on the rear portion of his back, the skin was bright red, and the heat rising from his skin was unbelievable. Cortezone shots from the vet helped, but even back then they were $35.00 per shot and lasted only two weeks.

Then I saw the "Bits" advertized in my Gardens Alive catalog. Two tablespoons per day, mixed in with other food or not, and I was seeing improvement within days. (And I think he was feeling it a lot sooner because I realized I hadn't been hearing the wimpering during the night that had been torturing me.)

It's been a few years, but I do remember that Bits contain garlic, dandilion, comfrey, and a lot more that I don't remember. If you think you may possibly have an allergy going on, Bits may do the trick for you too.

I'm glad the baking soda baths are giving him relief. Carmellia

hi Marie, my two little guys had trouble with itchy top rear too. I have an elderly Toy Fox Terrier and a Rat Terrier. The TFT got it especially badly.

If you cannot afford the expensive food at least search the brands of dogfood available to you and pick one without corn. Some dogs are allergic to corn. Don't just go by what it says on the front, turn it over and read the entire ingredients list.

As soon as I changed their diet their skin cleared right up, AND - the TFT also smells good. I thought his b.o. was due to him being oily, whereas the Ratty is slick, can't say soft 'cause he ain't). He is just as oily now but smells just like a good doggy should, like a doggy.
GH

Better to forget dog food alltogehter and just feed the dog real food like the kind you eat. Much cheaper and natural and lots less problems. do you think animals in the wild have these little pelltes that they eat and stay healthy? Not to mention that the dog food has in it all kinds of diseased and euthanized animals at the least that they call "chicken meal" or "lamb meal" Imagine what the labrotories that experiment on animals put in their bodies? then when they kill thwem those are sent to rendering plants and they end up in your dog food. Would you eat that? give the dog real food, meat, veggies, oils and you will have a healthy dog or cat.

Not that I don't agree totally with you kfgesq, feeding your animal good food is super important. I can assure you however that animals that have been tested on (by laboratories) are incinerated. (at least here in the USA where it is required)

Do some research and determine what is the best dog food for your dog. Usually it isn't the cheapest or most expensive. Try changing the dog's diet and if you don't see improvement it could be caused by infections or even be hereditary. First thing first though, change the easiest thing to change first, you may be lucky and solve the problem quickly!
good luck!

Two products Dermasol Skin Relief Speay and Four Paws Brewers Yeast With Garlic Natural Daily Supplement. Both can be purchased from pet supply stores or they can order it. Awesome products.

Go to wysong.com and read about dog and other pet food.

Missing Link is a wonderful supplement for itchiness.

My Aunt Lillie's German Shepherd was like a new dog when Aunt Lillie started pouring bacon drippings over her food!

YOUR DOG HAS FLEAS! Treat the yard with "Over & Out". It is a fire ant killer but used off-label it kills fleas, get it at the big home store; treat the house with "Knockout" (your vet probably has it, it is a spray;) and treat the dog with an antibiotic injection and a two-week course of prednisone. Bathe your dog with common liquid dish soap. Good luck.

My Chesapeake started getting irritated spots on his skin about the size of a fifty-cent piece about 6 months ago and it has gotten worse. I have tried everything other then taking him to a dermatologist. I recently tried your shampoo and even thou it worked I found a couple things that I changed. Due to the fact that having boiled up oatmeal in it that was a real pain to rub in, mix up and rinse out I altered things. Here is what I did with my NEW AND IMPROVED SHAMPOO. I took 2 cups oatmeal and put into 6 cups water, brought it to a boil then lowered it to a simmer for about 2 hours. I then dumped it into a strainer and strained out all of the "pulp" leaving me with what I call "Oatmeal Milk" Those of you with children will recognise this process with making "rice milk" for your sick babies. Anyway, once you have the milk you take (double what the recipe calls for in oatmeal) and make up the shampoo as normal saving any left over milk in the fridge for next time (label it) I found it makes the whole bathing process much better not to mention the shampoo actually acts like normal shampoo and not oatmeal plaster. The only other thing I did was to add some essential oils to assist with soothing and wound care.

Thanks for everyones help and I hope you try my changes.

If you truly want a healthy dog feed them what they are supposed to be eating: RAW meat and BONES. not wheat or corn loaded with chemicals! Are they drinking tap water? I have a 10 yr old pit bull and a 8 month ok'd Doberman, both on raw meatband bones. I get it free from the butcher. I don't pay nothing for dog food!!! Intry not onwash them that frequent when I do I use dr brimless organic lavender.... Its one thing living to a hundred years old siting in your bed, it is another living long with optimal health. If you want optimal health eatthe appropriate foods! Feed your friends raw meat and bones, filter their water,Dogs are the best companion they deserve it! Best of luck
Joe

Joe:

Just curious . . . has your pit bull ever attacked anyone or another dog?

Thanks.

HerbDoctor

Long story short - My brother rescued the dog because someone was locking, abusing him in a dark basement...we got him when he was fairly young, couple years. Then my brother got a new job and was really busy so the dog would just sit at home all day alone... Anytime I was close by I would take the dig for a walk, I noticed he wasn't doing good, he would Throw up this thick mucus phlegm(lymph system) from the unhealthy kebble... So I took him in and started researching what to do to help him. I found out about raw meat... I myself, already been on a rawfood diet for some time(fruit/vege but never knew about a dog proper diet.. So I put him on raw meat bones and some vegetables and herbs I pick... He is 100% better know. He could barely breath then, today I just took him for a 7-8 mile walk in 80 degree wheather! To answer your question honestly, he did bite me fairly bad when I was really little but he was not on raw foods then he was in kibble... He was aggressive because people used to abuse him... I put him on the raw meat bones diet(BARF) and he has never shown anymore aggression. I make him take treats out of my mouth.... My Doberman snatches food more than he does! Raw diet also makes dogs much more intelligent and active... No more mucus for him, he can breath finally! Hope this helps.

Joe

Joe:

Interesting input. I never related the possibility that a pit bulls' aggression could be because they're deprived of a proper all-meat diet. Still, there's something in their nature that makes them more aggressive than most dog species.

I was attacked by a pit bull 3 months ago and got 16 stitches. 8 years old, 70 pounds. It was a bait dog used by the gangs in L.A. to train other pit bulls. The owner rescued it and took it home. But she wasn't well trained in how to rehabilitate such a dog. So . . . I was its raw meat!

HerbDoctor

I dont think they are aggressive because they are deprived of proper nutrition. I believe ANY dogs behavior is how they were raised... A beagle attacked my put bull a few weeks ago!!! No body really knows the 'proper' diet for dog nor man for that matter.. It's all trial and error. And if you can feel the energy I have on a raw foods diet, you would not believe it! People are so used to these quacks and no good people that they are soo skeptical they will not try anything. If they did, they would not be skeptical... I hope u get better, it's the damn owners, not the pooches'.

Joe