Scratching

[J.T.]

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Recently Rafferty (bedlington) has been scratching the side of his face & neck quite a lot. It's got so bad that he's making it bleed

I've gone through him with a fine tooth comb (literally) & not found fleas, but just in case I Strongholded all 3 dogs anyway.

I've not changed anything in the house & he's on James Wellbeloved food so I'm at my wits end as to what's causing him to scratch so much. It's quite upsetting as it must be driving him nuts Plus he wakes us up in the night scratching & rubbing his head on the floor. I have thought it may be his ears or eyes or teeth but they all look o.k.

This had already started before the kitten arived so it's not that.

I don't want to take him to the vets & get him shot full of drugs unless it's the last resort, I'm spraying him with Aloe Vera to see if it sooths it but any suggestions would be appreciated

Obviously if it gets loads worse then off to the vets we go but I'd rather try a more natural approach first if poss

 

[mally]

Hi JT go to your vets and buy advocate it's really good against mites etc and it's only around £6.00 per dose. It's like frontline pipettes and should be available over the counter. (it is at my vets).

hope this helps

 

[FeeFee]

The fact it's around the face does sound like it could be mites. Stronghold gets rid of some mites, but if that hasn't done the trick Advocate is good. I have a feeling you have to leave a certain amount of time between the two, though, so check that with your vet. To be honest if it's got to the stage of breaking the skin I'd see a vet anyway, as regular scratching can very quickly make the skin sore lead to infection.

My Meg has had a couple of bouts of itching which we've never really managed to tie down, it seems to be an allergy to something. The only thing that seemed to help her was a steroid injection which calmed it all down and broke the itch/scratch cycle.

Good luck, I hope you manage to get it sorted out.

 

[Nicola]

My Meg has had a couple of bouts of itching which we've never really managed to tie down, it seems to be an allergy to something.   The only thing that seemed to help her was a steroid injection which calmed it all down and broke the itch/scratch cycle.
Good luck, I hope you manage to get it sorted out.

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Stan has had a few bouts like this (not had one since January...touch wood). He scratched his neck so much he broke the skin and it became infected and he just kept running around the house panting and in huge discomfort. I eventually put it down to a wheat allergy (although I'm still not 100% certain). As much as I hated taking him to the vets and getting him injected with a powerful steroid, it did offer some respite and allowed the wound to heal, and did seem to break the cycle (in addition to me switching to NatureDiet and only feeding hypoallergenic biscuit treats etc which seems to have done the trick).

 

[J.T.]

Thanks all,

Since I started using the aloe vera the wound has healed up a bit but he's still scratching a lot.

I've been told that "Thorn it" which I use on his ears anyway, is great at killing mites (just need to dust it into his coat) so I'll give that a go & if no improvement then off to the vets

 

[Seraphina]

it could also be something in the garden or plant on your walks.

 

[FeeFee]

Thanks all,Since I started using the aloe vera the wound has healed up a bit but he's still scratching a lot.

I've been told that "Thorn it" which I use on his ears anyway, is great at killing mites (just need to dust it into his coat) so I'll give that a go & if no improvement then off to the vets

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Thornit is good for ear mites, but won't treat sarcoptic mange mites ('fox mange'), which often cause itching around the face.

 

[Evie]

Poor Rafters. How is the funny man doing today?

Are you sure it's not a kitten allergy?

 

[dessie]

Sounds like an allergy to me and the only way you are going to break the itch/scratch/itch cycle is to get your Vet to prescribe a course of steroids, after checking out that it isn't any other cause. One steroid injection may stop the initial itch but when it wears off you may well find the problem flares up again.

I know only too well as I had this prob last year with one of mine (don't know what he is allergic to or why he should start when is was 5 years old). This year he started itching about the same time and I have just dabbled with Pred and it keeps recurring so I shall now knuckle down and treat him properly. I am ashamed of myself as I should know better but at least he has only been itchy and not scratched himself raw!

 

[J.T.]

Well, in the night Raffy took about 3 layers of skin off his face so I've taken him off to the vets & we now have a steroid cream to rub on twice a day & some eye cream as his eyes are quite sore too. Probably from all the rubbing on floors & furniture

So the poor lad looks like he's been punched in both eyes & is feeling sorry for himself.

If no better I've got to take him back in 5 days.

The vet did briefly consider it was his brain seeping out but we both agreed he's not got that much in there :wub: . The vet obviously knows his dogs :lol:

He's coming to work with me on Sat to do a PR job so I really don't want him looking like one of the rescue dogs. :- "

 

[dessie]

Well, in the night Raffy took about 3 layers of skin off his face so I've taken him off to the vets & we now have a steroid cream to rub on twice a day & some eye cream as his eyes are quite sore too. Probably from all the rubbing on floors & furniture So the poor lad looks like he's been punched in both eyes & is feeling sorry for himself.

If no better I've got to take him back in 5 days.

The vet did briefly consider it was his brain seeping out but we both agreed he's not got that much in there :wub: . The vet obviously knows his dogs :lol:

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And he still hasn't had steroids either orally or by injection?? I find this unbelievable and not very funny for your poor dog

 

[Nicola]

Fred had to go off to the vets today too as he has been scratching his face a lot recently too and has had red and weepy eyes on and off.

The vet found a bit of grass in one eye and has given him some cream to sooth the eyes and piriton as it may be an allergy. It's funny that he has been scratching his head in general, but it's definitely his eyes that are causing the distress. Wonder if they have the same thing?

Now I think back they have been rather watery when he's just come back from a walk, but all of a sudden it has just got a lot worse over the weekend.

 

[J.T.]

The difference in 24 hours is amazing, his eyes do not look half as red & the horrible mess on his face has shrunk to a scab the size of a 5p coin. Raffy is still scratching a bit & rubbing his face every now & then but nowhere as near as much as yesterday. He has not made it bleed at all either overnight or today so hopefully it's on the mend.

Dessie, The vet did say that if the cream didn't sort it out then he would give steroid tablets but as it was such a localised problem, on his face & nowhere else, he prefered to treat it locally rather than blast his entire system with steroid tablets.

As beddys can be prone to liver problems then the less body pollutants the better really.

Nicola, I hope Fred recovers as quickly as Raffy seems to be doing.

The cream is Fuciderm & Fucithalmic eye cream. :thumbsup:

 

[Nicola]

The difference in 24 hours is amazing, his eyes do not look half as red

The cream is Fuciderm & Fucithalmic eye cream. :thumbsup:

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Ditto to your first sentence for Fred and I am using the same antibiotic eye cream as well for his eyes.

He's also on Piriton in case he has an allegy, and the cream is to treat the conjunctivitis he had in one eye.

What an odd coincidence that they are having the same problem. It isn't a 'hot spot ' as was the case with Stanley earlier this year, but sore eyes.

I'm pleased they are both on the mend :thumbsup:

 

[J.T.]

Today Raffy has hardly scratched at all & his eyes look normal again, there is still a scab on his face but he's not scratched it off at all today or yesterday

So it looks as though he's on the mend :thumbsup:

Glad Fred is feeling better too Nicola )