With so many reasons for itchy skin in a dog, it is important to understand every possible reason for the scratching to comprehend the challenge of diagnosis.
Fleas are a very common cause of itching as are some other parasites such as lice and mites.
All dogs get fleas and flea allergy dermatitis is common. Fleas are common and should be considered as a possible cause in all itchy dogs. Flea bites make dogs itchy. Use a good quality flea control.
Scabies in a dog will cause extreme mutilation and distress to the dog because it will scratch constantly day and night. People can catch scabies mite from their dog. It is usually caught from a dog or fox. Believe it or not, your dog can get scabies from a dead fox at the side of the road.
The red mange is caused by a mite called Demodex. This is not a common cause of itchy skin in a canine. Demodex lives in the hair follicles and can cause inflammation and pustules which can develop into pruritis. Allergies are a very common cause of itchy skin in a dog. There are two groups of allergies in dogs to make it simple. Group one is food allergy. The second group is canine atopy.
Adverse food reactions cause severe pruritis. They are not uncommon.
Atopic dermatitis is very common in dogs and is essentially an allergy to pollens, dust mites and household spores. Grass pollens are the biggest cause and may see a seasonal pattern to the pruritis. Dust mite will be present all the time and may cause continuous itching and scratching year round.
Contact allergy is uncommon in dogs. It does occur however and is usually on the area where contact with the skin occurs. This is usually on the abdomen where the dog lies under a tree or on the face or nose if the animal is allergic to its food dish.
There is a yeast called Malassezia that is extremely itchy. It is usually present where moisture develops from chronic inflammation and licking due to allergies. Malassezia grows on the skin between inflamed toes and is a common cause of itchy ears and ear infections. It is frequently overlooked by veterinarians when assessing the itchy skin in a dog.
Pyoderma is an infection of the skin. Infection of canine skin can be very itchy. When the dog is constantly rubbing, scratching and chewing, skin infection commonly develops.
There are some natural treatment options that really work for itchy skin in dogs