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Ok, I have a German Shepherd/collie mix that's 10 years old and he's started scratching himself a lot, and I do mean a lot. (outside dog!) He's always had a flea collar and he doesn't have any fleas or ticks. What could be his problem? Dry skin issues? Giving him a bath is impossible, he's a big ole dog and will run off when you put a drop of water on him.....
Ok, I have a German Shepherd/collie mix that's 10 years old and he's started scratching himself a lot, and I do mean a lot. (outside dog!) He's always had a flea collar and he doesn't have any fleas or ticks. What could be his problem? Dry skin issues? Giving him a bath is impossible, he's a big ole dog and will run off when you put a drop of water on him.....
What are you feeding him? 90% of the fur and skin problems with dogs can be traced to their diet. It sounds like he may be allergic to something in the food.
What are you feeding him? 90% of the fur and skin problems with dogs can be traced to their diet. It sounds like he may be allergic to something in the food.
He eats Alpo dog food and has for years now. The intense scratching started this year.
He eats Alpo dog food and has for years now. The intense scratching started this year.
It is possible for allergies to pop-up as the dog gets older, but that is pretty rare. If he has been eating Alpo for years, then it probably is not the dog food, but rather some other external factor. It still sounds like some sort of allergic reaction.
Some external factors, besides fleas of course, are dust mites, insect bites, a lot of dust, very low humidity (below 55%) and more. If he is not creating sores or losing fur when he scratches, then I would recommend keeping as close an eye on him as possible to see if you can find the allergen. If he is beginning to lose fur, or scratching so hard as to create sores, then definitely take him to a vet for an examination.
Its still more likely fleas ;IMO. Flea collars do not work that well .Once a areas is infested with fleas then the dog get bite and even with treatment it takes between 30minues with some newer pills to 36 hours with drops to kill the fleas.This is the time for fleas to get bad.
Back when I worked at a pet store, 99 times out of 100 this kind of thing was a food allergy. Most likely corn. Companies are always changing their formulas to include cheaper and cheaper ingredients so that they make more money on it. Most likely your Alpo has more fillers now than it had a year ago.
I would certainly feeding him a higher quality food without fillers (especially corn fillers), and see if that helps. You might also want to buy some Omega 3 supplement while you are there and see if that helps also.
Back when I worked at a pet store, 99 times out of 100 this kind of thing was a food allergy. Most likely corn. Companies are always changing their formulas to include cheaper and cheaper ingredients so that they make more money on it. Most likely your Alpo has more fillers now than it had a year ago.
I would certainly feeding him a higher quality food without fillers (especially corn fillers), and see if that helps. You might also want to buy some Omega 3 supplement while you are there and see if that helps also.
20yrsinBranson
That was my first reaction, but if he has been eating the same food for years without any problems, and suddenly begins scratching within the last year, then it most likely is not the food. Had InLondon just started a new dog food within the last year, then that would point to the food as the most likely cause, but he said that was not the case.
One more thing, InLondon. Check the skin of your GSD and see of you can find any welts or red swollen areas under his fur. If he has them, then it is definitely an allergy, and your dog is experiencing hives. If there are no red swollen areas or welts under his fur, then the itching could also be dry skin, and not necessarily an allergy.
Dogs, particularly older dogs, can get psoriasis, eczema, or infected skin which will result in a lot of scratching.
One more thing, InLondon. Check the skin of your GSD and see of you can find any welts or red swollen areas under his fur. If he has them, then it is definitely an allergy, and your dog is experiencing hives. If there are no red swollen areas or welts under his fur, then the itching could also be dry skin, and not necessarily an allergy.
Dogs, particularly older dogs, can get psoriasis, eczema, or infected skin which will result in a lot of scratching.
He actually scratched an area so much before that he did have a sore.
I never thought that it could be his food though.....
He actually scratched an area so much before that he did have a sore.
I never thought that it could be his food though.....
Lots of dogs are allergic to grains, and corn is a grain that dogs cannot digest. It is the primary filler used in the cheaper dog foods. However, if he has been eating Alpo for years, then I doubt that is the cause. If he was allergic to grains, you would have known about it long before now.
If the problem is psoriasis, eczema, or infected skin, it will require giving him a bath with medicinal shampoo, but that will only provide temporary symptomatic relief. The good news is that there are professional groomers who will bathe your dog for you, if you prefer not to go through the hassle.
I think your best bet is to take him to your vet and have him checked out. Particularly since it bothers him so much that he injures himself scratching. He should not have to suffer like that. You need to find the specific cause of the problem. All we can do is give you our best guess based upon the information you provide us. We cannot actually see the problem, but your vet can.
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