I got a mini Dachshund last week and she has been very itchy. She seems to be scratching/nibbling all over and especially on her sides. What is the cause of this? Do dogs get dry skin? Is there anything I can do for her?

There are many causes for a dog to be itching. Have you taken the dog to a vet since you got her? Any time you add a new fur baby to your life you should see a vet within a few days for a general check up, etc.

Here are some of the most likely causes:

Fleas
Allergy
Shedding
Stress
Kidney problems
Skin infections
Mange

As you can see there can be many causes, and some very serious, so it is important that a trained professional see the dog and make a diagnosis. In the meantime an oatmeal bath in tepid water can help ease the symptoms.

Good luck!

Didi

A healthy dog will not have have itching and scratching if it is eating a decent chow and little else, being brushed every day with a soft bristled brush, and not being bathed too often.

You didn't say how old she is. Did you get a medical record including shots with her? You need to talk to a vet. If you have records, the vet can schedule the next round of shots when needed, and you can have a good check up then.

Pull back her fur at the base of the tail. If you can see or feel dark reddish specks, she has fleas. Start with a flea spray for her and your house and yard. You may want to talk to the vet about one of the modern flea remedies. There are a number of very effective ones.

Her skin could be dry from the breeder bathing the puppies too much to make up for not giving them room to stay out of their filth.

See the sticky for ''What does a puppy need?'' at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post251802 Also housebreaking.

I did take her to the vet the day I got her from the breeder. She checked her over and said she looked great and healthy, but I had not noticed her scratching at this point so I did not talk to the vet about the itching. The breeder did tell me that she had given her a bath on Friday before I picked her up. I do not believe that the puppies were living in filth, since I got a tour of the whole property. The puppies were living in a 15x15 pin during the day outside in the Texas dirt and grass, so I expected them to be a little dusty. The rest of the litter looked happy and clean even though they were outside.

She was born on Feb 2. We checked her for fleas, and there was not any on her. I will try the oatmeal bath, and if it does not help I will get her back into the vet.

Thanks for the help

Ashley

Baths are a big part of the problem. So often when somebody posts a question about a dog itching, they have been bathing the dog in oatmeal. As I said, a good diet, regular brushing, freedom from parasites, and as few baths as possible. I have seen this work on thousands of puppies.

Check the base of the tail. A dog can have fleas even if you haven't seen any.

While I agree that residues of shampoo on a dog can cause itching, the bathing itself does not! In addition, almost every vet will recommend an oatmeal bath in tepid water for an itchy dog. I base that on my extensive work with animals... over 20 years... but I have done some research online to support my answer since labman disagrees and I believe that it is important information for dog owners.

According to Vet Info For Dogs: "Bathing itchy pets, or even just running cool water over them for 10 minutes or so, can help to relieve itchiness for several hours to several days. Many of my clients are reluctant to bathe pets on a regular basis, fearing that it will cause more problems than it solves. Our experience strongly suggests otherwise. Pets who are bathed once or twice a week have fewer skin problems than pets who are bathed less frequently. For itchy pets the use of a soothing shampoo, such as an oatmeal shampoo, can be very helpful. If it is necessary to use an anti-bacterial or anti-yeast shampoo to control secondary infections or an antisebborheic shampoo to cut down on greasiness these can be followed with a soothing creme rinse. There are creme rinses with oatmeal or with ingredients like hydrocortisone or pramoxine to aid in itch control."

Dr. Shawn Messonnier is the author of The Allergy Solution for Dogs, 8 Weeks to a Healthy Dog, the award-winning The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats, and The Natural Vet's Guide to Preventing and Treating Cancer. He is the host of Dr. Shawn-The Natural Vet, on Martha Stewart Living Radio on Sirius Satellite Radio. In an MSN Dog Central column, Dr. Messonnier states: "Frequent bathing is essential in allowing damaged skin to properly heal. It also allow us to use less medication as the disease is treated externally (via bathing) and internally (by giving medication orally.) Look at it this way. If you have dandruff, shampooing your scalp once a week or once a month won't work. You need to use the correct shampoo at least daily (sometimes twice daily) until the dandruff is under control. The same theory is true for pets with skin disease. The more the pet is bathed the sooner the dermatitis is under control. I'm not sure why doctors and pet owners follow the incorrect advice of not bathing pets regularly. You will not dry out your pet's skin no matter how frequently the pet is bathed if the proper shampoo is prescribed. Regarding frequency, it depends upon the skin condition. For severe dermatitis, daily bathing is recommended. For chronic problems like allergies, bathing on an as-needed basis (usually 1-3 times per week) is fine to maintain the pet at a comfortable level of itchiness. For my patients with skin infections, frequent bathing plus natural supplements are needed to heal the pet, and often make antibiotics unnecessary. Finally, make sure you use only pet shampoos recommended for regular use on dogs and cats."

The American Veterinary Association states: "Regular brushing, bathing, and nail care are essential."

There are many similar pages, but I thought these would suffice. Clearly, the problems with bathing are centred on the type of shampoo used and poor rinsing.

Hope this clears things up.

Didi

Sorry, one more...

Here is a good article by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association that I will quote in it's entirety, because it contains excellent information.

"Although there are no strict recommendations on how often you should bathe your dog, bathing frequency will depend on whether or not your dog needs a bath, and on such variables as the breed of dog, the kind of shampoo you are using, and how sensitive you are to the smells associated with dogs.

Most dogs usually never really require a bath. Baths can be given as often as is necessary (i.e. if your dog gets dirty or has an offensive body odour), although regular grooming, by way of combing and brushing, is often all that is required. Two or three baths a month is not considered excessive. However, if bathing is required more often than this, a special medicated shampoo, readily available from your veterinarian, should be used to prevent the hair coat and skin from drying out.

Human skin differs significantly from a dog's skin. A dog's skin is much thinner, has no sweat glands, has a different pH compared to human skin, and as such, a pet's skin is much more sensitive than human skin. Shampoos intended for human use, even "baby" or "pH balanced" brands, should never be used on dogs. Heavily perfumed shampoos should also be avoided, since they may cause an allergic reaction For best grooming results, your veterinarian can advise you on which shampoo is ideal for your pet.

The frequency of bathing rarely causes any significant problems in dogs, provided that the appropriate shampoo is used. In fact, the major cause of problems tends to be due to improper rinsing afterwards. A shampoo residue can cause skin irritations if left on sensitive dog skin, especially around the ultra-sensitive scrotum or vulva. If there is any doubt as to whether the shampoo is entirely rinsed, rinse one more time."

Didi

Who are these people and what is their background? The net is loaded with misinformation put up by kooks including some that are veterinarians. Baths strip the natural oils out of a dogs skin. Shampoo residues only add to the problem. I meet regularly with other dog owners, sometimes hundreds at a time, and never remember any of them saying their vet recommended an oat meal bath or that their dog had problems before starting to use it. Brushing is much better for a dog's skin and coat than baths.

labman - we will just have to agree to disagree on this one. I have given the sources and links for the first two quotes... the American Veterinary Association and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association are quite respectable sources as well. All I can say is that I have worked for a few of the top veterinary practices in Ontario, Canada and my advice here echoes theirs. Things change, it's a fact of life. There are advances being made in all avenues of medicine, especially veterinary medicine. Modern day veterinarians are going back to the basics - using natural therapies in addition to medication. Also note that I have groomed dogs for over 30 years and I have never had a complaint yet.

I never once said that brushing was not good for a dog's coat. I did say that an oatmeal bath would help this pup in a safe way until she could see her veterinarian. My answer was based upon fact and experience. I'm sorry that you disagree, but it doesn't make my response wrong, it just makes it different.

Also, hachieashley said that the dog was not itchy when she first got it AND it had been bathed before she picked it up. I suspect that the dog was not bathed with proper shampoo and/or was not rinsed properly. The oatmeal bath is gentle and with proper rinsing may be just what this poor wee dog needs. I stand behind my original post.

Didi

For a follow up, I took scooter to the vet and she has skin mites. Thank you both for the help.

Thank you for letting us know! I am so glad that you have found the cause. Mange (skin mites) can be quite a drawn out skin disease. I hope that Scooter has demodectic mange and not sarcoptic. It's a lot easier to control and not contagious to humans.

Best of luck to you and Scooter!

Didi