When most people see a dog start to itch, the first thing that comes to their mind is the dog has fleas. This is not necessarily true because there are many conditions that can cause a dog to itch. Allergies and skin rashes are just a couple of the conditions that can cause a dog to scratch.
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Skin Infections
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As with people, many skin infections can affect a dog, but there are three that most commonly cause itching. The first is pyoderma, which is a bacterial infection of the skin. This type of infection will generally be a secondary problem caused by the dog scratching and chewing on an area of skin that is already irritated.
The second infection is caused by a fungus and is called ringworm. Be careful with ringworm because it can be passed to humans.
The third infection is another fungus and it is a yeast infection. Yeast infections are due to overproduction of yeast in the dogs' digestive tract and will normally show up in paws and ears. This makes yeast infections hard to cure unless the cause of the overproduction of yeast is found.
A visit to the vet can help with all of these conditions.
Poor Diet
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A dog's diet is a key issue when it comes to itching. A dog requires a wide spectrum of nutrients for its body and immune systems to operate properly. If the food a dog receives does not provide all of the necessary nutrients, problems will appear, possibly including itching.
Allergens
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Like humans, some dogs can suffer from allergies, and they can be allergic to the same things that people are. A dog may be allergic to dust, pollen, dirt, grass, carpet or many other items. The difference between humans and dogs is their reaction to allergens. Humans sneeze and have watery eyes while dogs have reactions on their skin causing them to lick or scratch their skin. Just like people, dogs can also develop allergies to chemicals as well as natural irritants. Cleaning products that are used around the home are the main cause of chemical allergies.
Mites, Fleas and Biting Insects
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Parasites can cause a dog to itch. Fleas are the main culprit in this category, but there are bugs that can cause problems for a dog. Bug bites such as a mosquito bites will cause a dog to itch just as it will cause a human to itch.
Contact Dermatitis
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Dermatitis caused by the things that we put on our pets can also cause them to itch. Some of the products that can cause trouble for a dog are flea collars, flea and tick powders, shampoos and household cleaning products. All of these products are tested for safety, but like humans some dogs are hyper sensitive and these products can irritate their skin. Using natural products can help to alleviate this problem.
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