Why Is My Dog So Itchy? (And How To Bring Them Some Relief)

Ruh roh. If you have an itchy dog, we know it can be worrisome. Your canine buddy may be uncomfortable or downright miserable from the endless scratching. And even worse, excessive itching in dogs isn’t considered normal! Meaning, it’s important to find the cause – and where your dog’s coming across these “itchy” critters or substances in the first place.

So is it just normal shedding? Or something more serious? Discover the top causes of itchy skin in dogs – and how tracking your buddy’s favorite hangout spots can help you get to the bottom of what’s causing it.

Find out how your dog spends their time.

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What is pruritus in dogs?

Just like us, our furry friends and other animals can experience itchiness. In the medical world it’s known as pruritus. Or that sensation that compels us to itch or scratch ourselves in one spot or all over¹ Sometimes, it’s harmless. Other times, an underlying condition may be to blame, which may require treatment. And depending on the cause, itchiness in dogs can range from mild to severe.

💡That’s why it’s smart to figure out where your dog is spending most of their time – and whether these spots are “itchy” zones. Meaning, areas they’re likely to run into pollen, dust, critters like ticks, mites, and fleas, or even food that they’re allergic to. We’ll cover how you can do this with a dog GPS tracker a little further below.

Is it normal for dogs to be itchy?

Well, it depends. Like humans, it’s normal for healthy dogs to itch sometimes. Occasional itching is usually not something to be worried about. However, if your dog is itching and scratching incessantly, it’s probably an indicator that something’s not right. Your dog may be suffering from fleas, allergies, an insect bite, infection, or something else that needs treatment. So don’t ignore it if your dog starts itching and scratching a lot.

Signs of itchiness in dogs

The signs of itchiness in dogs may not be as obvious as you’d think. (But then again, sometimes, they might be). Itchy dogs scratch themselves with their paws – but that’s not all. They may also engage in some of the following behaviors in an attempt to scratch the itch:

• Lick one part of their body excessively
• Bite or chew their skin
• Rub against a carpet, floor or wall
• Shake their head (when itchy in the ears)
• Scoot their rear end along the carpet²

If your dog is itchy, they might also have red, inflamed skin or show other signs of illness in dogs. You can assess your dog’s level of itchiness with the Pruritus Visual Analog Scale for dogs.

Because once you know your dog is itchy, it’s important to identify the cause.

Causes of itchy skin in dogs

One of the most common causes of itchy skin in dogs is allergic dermatitis or skin allergies. This is also the most common health issue seen in (a sample of) dogs over the past 10 years (according to a report by Nationwide Insurance). Allergic dermatitis in dogs is when a dog’s body has an allergic reaction to something in their environment or food.

• Flea bites, mange, ticks, dog pollen allergy, mold spores or dust mites are common culprits.
• Bacterial and fungal infections are also common causes of excessive itching in dogs.
• Foods allergies to ingredients such as beef, chicken, eggs, dairy, soy or wheat can also be the cause of skin issues and scratching in dogs.
• Your dog may also experience allergic itch in response to shampoos, plants, insecticides, cleaning products or other substances which are toxic to dogs.

If not treated, excessive itching and scratching in dogs can lead to infection, wounds, and pain. So it’s best to schedule an appointment with your vet at the first sign of itching or discomfort in your dog.

Are some dog breeds more prone to itchiness than others?

All dogs can suffer from itchy skin. But purebred dogs are known for having skin issues. For example, Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, Retrievers and West Highland White Terriers commonly experience skin disorders³.

Senior dogs are also more prone to skin and nail problems. (Most likely because they’re not as limber as they used to be. So they can’t reach to scratch themselves as easily as they might have in their younger years.)

How your vet might treat your itchy dog

Your vet is the best source of advice when it comes to treating an itchy dog. At your visit, they might begin with a physical checkup of your dog to rule out any infections from ticks, mites, and fleas. Depending on what turns up during the physical checkups – and any followup ones, like skin scrapes – your vet might prescribe your dog antibiotics over 21-30 days. They might also suggest specific medicated shampoos and oils to help relieve the itching. If that doesn’t offer your dog any relief, your vet might test them for allergies – including to foods, pollen, mold, insects, or dust.

• If your dog has seasonal itching, it might be due to allergens that are only around at specific times of the year like pollen.
• If your dog has itching pretty much the whole year round, it might be due to an allergen in their environment (like dust mites – or even a specific food you’re feeding them.)
• Based on this, your vet might prescribe a specialized diet including hypoallergenic food items that are less likely to trigger an itching episode.

How you can prevent itchiness & dermatitis in dogs

Now treating your buddy for itching – and dealing with the hefty vet bill that’s likely to follow – is one thing. Preventing it, on the other hand, takes just a bit of vigilance from your side.

Here are a couple of steps to get you started:

• Parasite preventatives
  Make sure your dog is protected from fleas, ticks and other parasites with the right preventative product – such as a collar, topical solution, or oral medication.
• Outdoor dog bed
  Provide your dog with a raised bed to sleep on outdoors to prevent them from coming into contact with environmental allergens.
• Brush your dog regularly
  Brushing your dog on a daily or weekly basis (depending on their coat type) helps remove old and dead hair. By supporting your dog’s natural shedding process, you can prevent and reduce itching.
• Good hygiene
  Keep your dog clean with regular bathing and grooming to prevent allergens and other substances from irritating the skin and causing itching.
• Hydration
  Dehydrated dogs often suffer from dry, itchy skin, so nourish your dog’s skin from the inside by making sure that your dog drinks enough water every day.
• Balanced diet
  Another way to prevent and heal itchy skin from within is by feeding your dog a healthy, balanced and natural diet. Consult with your vet before changing your dog’s diet.

💡And most importantly: figure out if your dog’s wanderings leads them to any “itch”-prone zones. (Whether that’s indoors or outdoors!)

A dog GPS tracker with built-in health monitoring features can help you figure out:

• Potential environmental triggers
  Strapped to your dog’s collar, your Tractive GPS helps you figure out if your buddy’s off wandering. These could include areas around you where they might be exposed to plants, critters, or allergens that might trigger itching. Just check your dog’s Heat Map and Location History via your Tractive mobile app, like so:

• Sleep disturbances
  With its built-in motion detector, your Tractive device monitors how well your dog’s sleeping – including how often they were disturbed, possibly due to nighttime itching.
• If your dog seems more listless or out of it
  With regular Activity Tracking, you can spot a drop in your dog’s active minutes that much earlier – which could signal the start of a sickness. With this actionable data, you can have a more productive conversation with your vet and figure out the root cause of your dog’s itching.

Discover Tractive GPS

Wrapping up: Why is my dog so itchy?

If your dog itches a little bit, it might not be anything to worry about. But more frequent itching can be cause for concern. Many dogs can fully recover from the itchy problem; however a small percentage of dogs may require lifelong treatment. Some of the most common causes include:

• Insect bites, including from fleas, mange, and other pesky critters
• Seasonal allergens like pollen
• Environmental allergens, like mold spores or dust mites.
• Bacterial and fungal infections
• Foods allergies to ingredients such as beef, chicken, eggs, dairy, soy or wheat
• Substances toxic to dogs, including shampoos, plants, insecticides, cleaning products or other substances which are toxic to dogs.

With the help of your vet, you can find the cause of your dog’s itching. They can best advise you on the best approach to treat or heal it.

💡And with a GPS tracker strapped to your buddy’s collar, you can track which spots they’re coming back home a little extra itchy from in the first place. (Or have gotten their paws on food that’s likely to trigger an allergy – and an itch-fest, as a result.)

Follow your dog anywhere

Get real-time location information, wherever they go. And find out when they try to make an escape, or just when they go somewhere they shouldn’t, with Virtual Fences.

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Want a vet-approved means to curing a dog’s itchy skin and hotspots? Here’s Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM, sharing a few tips:

And if you’ve liked this post, share it with a friend or a loved one – and let’s help build a safer, kinder world for our furry friends together.

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Your furry friend’s health and wellbeing means as much as to us as it does to you. So we’ve made it a priority to only share medically-relevant content on our blog.

This post was checked, double-checked, and medically verified by Georgia-based vet, Dr. Dwight Alleyne.

Originally from Long Island, New York, Dr. Alleyne began his career at a no-kill animal shelter before becoming a licensed veterinary technician. He graduated from Cornell University Veterinary College in 2006 and completed an internship at Purdue University.

Now practicing in Georgia, Dr. Alleyne specializes in soft tissue surgery and ultrasounds. He also writes pet health articles on his website, “The Animal Doctor Blog” (www.anmldrblog.com).