As long as everybody is suggesting shampoos, my itchy GSD seems to do best with Sulfodene Medicated shampoo. It has coal tar and sulfur, which I read somewhere (here?) was especially good for itching, flaking, etc. Actually, I think that earlier post mentioned Happy Jack shampoo, but that doesn't seem to be available out west.

Sulphodene shampoo is readily available at pet stores, or you can pay about 40% less at Walmart

Mike

It is said never to use a human grade shampoo on Dogs, so i never have, Plus why not treat the dogs periodically with say Frontline.
I know some people are against useing products, but no one persons ideals should over ride the discomfort it can cause for the Dogs if they have Fleas, Plus it will not be good for the humans living in the house eventually

Frontline on the first of the month. No problems.

 Quote: RobbinMann

Vet visit is scheduled for Wednesday the 12th. Along with a half neuter, and some xrays, well I'm still ify on the half neuter, lol. Wow, is he going to be mad at me...

BTW, the dogs ARE on flea prevention, right?

 Quote: RobbinMann

My dogs swim alot, could the chlorine be causing them to itch??

I wouldn't totally discount the idea that this could be causing the itching or aggravating an existing condition. Chlorine is incredibly drying to the skin...and dry skin is itchy skin. Believe me, I know! A lot of pool swimming really makes me claw at my skin after awhile (I have sensitive skin, anyway).

Not to discount anything anyone else said, but I wouldn't totally rule out the high exposure to chlorine as a cause or something that makes an existing skin condition worse.

 Quote: Amber Morgan

... Chlorine is incredibly drying to the skin...and dry skin is itchy skin. Believe me, I know! A lot of pool swimming really makes me claw at my skin after awhile (I have sensitive skin, anyway).

Not to discount anything anyone else said, but I wouldn't totally rule out the high exposure to chlorine as a cause or something that makes an existing skin condition worse.

Absolutely! Especially if the timing coincides.

But itching so bad that it awakens the dog..... this suggests atopy or fleas (or lice, as Jenn mentioned) to me. And with two dogs presenting at the same time, atopy becomes less likely.

Again..... these dogs are (or are not) on flea prevention? I went back through the thread and I'm still not clear about that.



I checked the CDC's flea and lice reports, and they are indeed plentiful in dog populations in every state*.

But if this really is a very coincidental case of atopic dermatitis in two dogs at once, then you're on the right board for allergy help.

Please post as soon as you have a diagnosis.






*In fact, Arizona, Colorado, California, New Mexico, and Oregon have all had reported cases of bubonic plague (in humans, from fleas) in the mid-1990s. This surprised me!

 Quote:

Plus why not treat the dogs periodically with say Frontline.
I know some people are against useing products, but no one persons ideals should over ride the discomfort it can cause for the Dogs if they have Fleas, Plus it will not be good for the humans living in the house eventually

Steve,

I think that many people would choose not to use products like Frontline if Fleas are not common in an area. Why subject the animal to chemicals it really does not need. Even if you are unlucky enough to get fleas once, dealing with it may not justify a lifetime of medication for someithing a dog will probably never get, and if they do the consequences are not great.

That said if you live in an area with fleas, and the animal is sure to get them, best to treat the dog preventativly. I have never had a vet in my town (and I have seen a few) suggest a flea preventitive or heartworm medication for example. Why? Because of wht I said in the paragraph above So sometimes if someone does not use flea preventatives it is not ideals over the discomfort of animals......

Should I or should I not be using something on the dog? I hear some say don't use them because of the chemicals, then others say to use them..I'm not quite sure what to do. As of now, I am not treating my dog with any anti flea/tick stuff.

 Quote: RobbinMann

Should I or should I not be using something on the dog? I hear some say don't use them because of the chemicals, then others say to use them..I'm not quite sure what to do. As of now, I am not treating my dog with any anti flea/tick stuff.

You don't know yet, right, if they have fleas? You haven't checked for flea dirt, or haven't seen it for sure, and the vet appointment is later?

I'd make the decision after I found out what was causing the itching.

My own opinion would be that if my dogs had fleas to the point that it was waking them up in the night, I'd be treating them.

And if either one has a flea allergy (more accurately called flea hypersensitivity), I would definitely be treating him.

I'm with Jenn in wanting to avoid as much chemical and drug treatment as I can, but flea hypersensitivity can wreak havoc with a dog's life quality.

OTOH, if you really do have two dogs who presented with atopic dermatitis at once (again, this will be the coincidence of the week), and fleas had nothing to do with it, then the flea preventive isn't really a burning question.

No one likes treating Dogs or any other animal, without good reason But i really do not see how a dog will not pick up fleas if it goes into long grass every day or gets nixed up with other dogs it is more or less sure to pick them up. For instance i mentioned Heartworm in Belgium we do not have the conditions here the same as you folk have in the USA, but one posted on here that there was this problem in Belgium and it suprised me, Now i have just gort a new G.S Pup 10 weeks old, on the Gurantee form it says treat for Lice periodically and for Heartworm
I for one would rather treat than a Dog, than let it suffer Fleas, otr even the chance to
To me that is neglect on the Owners part and the human element of liking or disliking does not come into it. I treated two dogs periodically for fleas for 31 years the second died two weeks ago
It never hurt them and the taking them to a vet in all those years was rare. If you or the kids pick it up you will soon treat.
In Schools in England all Children are treated for Head Lice it is something the parents have no control over it is Law and that is it. I know i had head lice when i was a kid and they drove you mad, So think of the Dog not what you think