Q. My Dog Still Has Itchy Skin, Even With Medication. Help!
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Posted by Mia Carter Oct 5, 2008 |
On October 4, 2008, I received this question from a reader of my article titled Causes for Itchy, Flaky Skin in Dogs: My one-year-old Shih Zhu is itching and scratching especially at night. She recently got something that looks like ringworm on her back. Vet gave her fluconazole. She's still scratching. I feed her science diet and bathe her with Malaseb every month and a half. I kept her hair short this summer. We checked her for fleas. Vet performed some tests and stated she found some bacteria on site. I don't know what to do. I'm worried about having to leave her alone when I go to work because she will scratch and I won't be there to massage her and keep her busy. I will give her the Omega oil and a little bit of olive oil on her food which I just read. Is there anything else that can help her dry skin especially now in the winter?
This question is a prime example of why skin problems are the bane of many veterinarian's existence! Skin problems - just like you describe - are notoriously difficult to remedy and unfortunately, situations like this are not all that uncommon. And it sounds like you're doing essentially everything I would recommend to someone in your situation - so let's look at a couple new avenues here.
A couple of things come to mind when reading your post. You said your dog was checked for fleas, and it sounds like she's been treated for a fungal infection (with the fluconazole) and her skin has been cultured as well, since you've determined there is a bacterial infection component to the problem. But has she undergone a skin scraping? Simple procedure where the surface of the skin is scraped and the cells are examined under the microscope for signs of parasites. Not all parasites are visible like fleas - some are tiny and live inside the hair follicle, like demadex. So I'd be sure that this avenue has been fully investigated. It can take a few scraping procedures before the results are conclusive.
My overall impression? In my experience, what this dog is experiencing sounds like an allergy. Has she been tried on an anti-histimine medication? It doesn't work for all allergies, but it can make a difference and reduce the itching in many situations. The problem with an allergy is determining precisely what allergen is causing the irritation. Once the allergen is identified, it's a matter of removing the allergen from the equation. So I'd strongly recommend investigating a food allergy in particular - maybe try her on a homemade exclusion diet for a week or two and wait to see if there's any improvement.
Here's two articles that will tell you a bit more on the topic of allergies in dogs, exclusion diets, allergy diagnosis, etc:
I should also note that a skin allergy would also be consistent with the bacterial component to the equation. When there is itching and scratching, the dog's nails break the skin (often, the damage isn't all that evident to the naked eye). This is then prone to infection and invasion from bacteria.
I think if an allergy does not turn out to be the case, I would recommend speaking with your vet about getting a referral to a veterinary dermatologist. A specialist will take a fresh look at the situation and he/she will be able to diagnose the more uncommon and difficult-to-diagnose ailments that many vets - who are more of a general practitioner, rather than a specialist - may not be able to effectively treat.
I hope your dog is feeling better soon!
Disclaimer: I have extensive experience in caring for animals, including sick and special needs animals, but I am not a veterinarian. I can provide information and advice based on research and my many years of experience with pet care and training, but it's not a substitute for seeking medical attention from a veterinarian.