My 6 month old working line GSD is scratching and itching around the neck and rib cage. I took him to the Vet and she could find no problems or skin irritations. She feels it might be a food allergy but we feed him a raw diet of chicken and beef with kelp, alfalfa, salmon oil and Vit. E.

I have tried cutting out the beef as recommended by the Vet. Ears and Eyes are clean. I tried shampooing him with a high grade puupy shampoo with moisturizers still no improvement.

Thoughts? We live in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada just North of ND. I don't suspect environmental issues.

Thanks,

Duncan Young

 Quote: duncan young

I don't suspect environmental issues.

Based on what?

And what was the vet basing food allergy on?

 Quote: duncan young

My 6 month old working line GSD is scratching and itching around the neck and rib cage. I took him to the Vet and she could find no problems or skin irritations. She feels it might be a food allergy ...

The classic presentation of a food allergy in a dog:

Facial itching
Foot or limb chewing
Belly itching
Recurrent ear infections

Of course, dogs react individually, but you see that your dog exhibits none of the usual food allergy symptoms.


A little background if it is an allergy: Food allergies are maybe 10% of dog allergies. Far and away number one is flea hypersensitivity and number two is inhalant/environmental. Food allergies can be to a raw food, but I'm wondering why the vet thought food allergies first when they are actually so far down the list as far as frequency goes.

There is no head or face itchiness? How about paws or base of tail?

Is this bad enough to interrupt sleep? Does the dog scratch violently?

Is there any time of day when it's worse?

Did the vet do a scraping (or "lifting") of skin cells to look for parasites/mites, etc.?

Can you see any red bumps if you part the fur?

Since you're describing none of the typical itch-areas of food allergies, atopy, or flea dermatitis, and also are not seeing ear inflammation or infection, I'd probably want to (1) observe very carefully to see if there were other areas affected, and (2) check for mites, etc.

Again, dogs are individuals, but nothing you have described points to food allergies.

New collar? and is your dog shedding more than normal right now? Adult coats coming in sometimes itch.

 Quote: Melissa Thom

New collar? and is your dog shedding more than normal right now? Adult coats coming in sometimes itch.

Melissa, I was getting ready to post the same thing, but I was afraid it was too simplex.

Collar, halter, leash, etc. Maybe even dog bedding for some type of contact dermatitis.

FYI, I have a dog that is allergic to chicken and starts scratching pretty much immediately if I feed it.

I wasn't thinking contact allergy. A lot of things happen in a dog's life around 6 months old. Hormones, new collars from growing out of the old one, and it's around the age of a solid coat blow to bring in the adult coat.

I just think people are quick to say allergies or fleas rather than looking for plain old fashioned discomfort with something.

 Quote: Melissa Thom

I wasn't thinking contact allergy. A lot of things happen in a dog's life around 6 months old. Hormones, new collars from growing out of the old one, and it's around the age of a solid coat blow to bring in the adult coat.

I just think people are quick to say allergies or fleas rather than looking for plain old fashioned discomfort with something.

Yes indeed. Very good point.

Hence my many questions about the areas of itching, severity, times, and so on. Food allergy seemed like an odd tentative diagnosis from the vet based on everything the O.P. described.

Not only is allergy in general jumped on a lot, but food allergy, which is by far the least common, is often the first one the owner (and even the vet) think of.

It's true that 6 months is a common age for first atopy symptoms, but none of the itch areas described are the common ones for atopy at all.

My allergic dog scratches her neck, armpits, and rib area. Last year we decided it was fleas. She itched from late August to around November or December. I had taken her to the vet and the vet found a bit of flea dirt (I coudn't find any myself). She rarely, if ever, chewed the base of her tail. Anyway, we decided she is probably allergic to fleas.

Anyway, this year, late August - same deal.

There must be some type of pollen or mould spores right around this time. Or coincidentally, we have fleas again.

Duncan, where do you live? (Just wondering if some type of pollen could be a culprit).