When Your Dog Won't Stop Scratching Or Biting: Possible Flea-Free Reasons
Posted on: 6 January 2016
When you buy or adopt a new dog, you know that it will likely take time for you and the dog to adjust to one another and get used to one another's quirks and personality traits. However, if one of the quirks or habits that your new dog has is constant biting or scratching on their back, stomach, or paws, you may find yourself worried that something is seriously wrong. Beyond the obvious possible issue causing your dog's perpetual itchiness, fleas, there are many potential reasons for your dog's behavior. Get to know some of the reasons why your new dog may be excessively itchy so that you can take them to the vet or animal hospital as soon as possible and get them the tests that they need.
Hypothyroidism
One of the reasons that your dog may be excessively itchy and irritated is a condition known as hypothyroidism. This means that their thyroid gland is under-producing hormones that the body needs to function properly and feel good.
When a dog has hypothyroidism, they may have a thin and wiry coat. They can also have skin discomfort or itching, especially on their back just about their tail. This tends to result in two lines along either side of their spine that are fur-less.
Hypothyroidism is diagnosed through a blood test that specifically measure T4 and T3 protein levels in their blood. If your dog has the test and does have hypothyroidism, they will need to take hormone replacement medication daily for the rest of their life. However, the good news is that this medication is very inexpensive.
Food Allergies
Another possible cause for your dog's excessive itching and scratching is that your dog has an allergy to something in their food. Dogs can often become allergic to the grains that are added to most dry dog foods. Grains can include corn, wheat, oats, barley, and even rice.
There is also a possibility that your dog has become allergic to chicken which tends to be added to almost every dog food (regardless of the listed food flavor on the front label) and dog treats that you can buy in the stores. And while not as common, some dogs even develop beef and lamb allergies because the products are so commonly used as well.
If you go to the animal hospital and your dog tests negative for fleas and hypothyroidism, your vet may ask you to adjust your dog's diet to see if it makes a difference in their itching and their coat. Oftentimes this means a grain-free diet and limited protein content. This usually means the food will be made up of only one to three ingredients and uses salmon, duck, or venison as the protein source. If, after a few months, your dog shows notable improvements and their itching has subsided, you have your answer.
Now that you know a few of the possible causes for you dog's excessive scratching, you can get to the vet or animal hospital to get the tests they need to start feeling better and stop scratching.
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