How to Treat an Itching Dog

Dogs may develop itches and skin irritations for many reasons. It is important to correctly identify the cause of the itchiness and treat it properly. If your dog has hair loss (especially if he also has crusty scabs), you should have it checked out by a veterinarian. The dog could have a food allergy, mange or other serious skin issues. However, dogs with seasonal allergies (such as pollen-induced reactions) can usually be treated at home and do not always require veterinary care.

Things You'll Need

  • Antihistamine tablets
  • Baking soda
  • Cool water
  • Hydrocortisone spray for dogs
  • Dog nail clippers
  • Dog nail file
  • Oatmeal dog shampoo
  • Oatmeal dog conditioner
  • Topical flea treatment (such as Advantage, Advantix, Frontline, etc.)
  • Skin vitamin supplements for dogs (such as fish oil)

Instructions

  1. Immediate Treatment

    • 1

      Give the dog a sponge bath with a solution of baking soda and cool water (use as much baking soda as you can dissolve in the water). Pay special attention to the armpits and lower belly, and to any areas that appear red or have a rash. Do not rinse or dry. Let the dog air dry.

    • 2

      Spray red areas or rashes with hydrocortisone spray. Prevent the dog from licking the area until the spray has dried, so that the dog doesn't lick all of the medicine off its skin.

    • 3

      Trim and file the dog's toenails. This won't help the itching, but it will help to reduce damage done by excessive scratching.

    • 4

      Give the dog an antihistamine allergy medicine made for humans. This should be done in severe cases, such as incessant scratching, rashes or hives. Give dogs approximately 1 mg per pound of body weight. Check the dosing information on the package to determine how many pills to give the dog. Break pills in half if necessary.

    Long-Term Treatment

    • 5

      Treat your dog for fleas with a topical flea medication that is effective for several life stages (egg and adult). Dogs with flea allergies may develop rashes and scratch incessantly during warm months. Flea collars are only effective at keeping fleas off of the dog's neck. Only strong preventative medicine can reduce itching caused by flea allergies.

    • 6

      Shampoo your dog at least weekly with oatmeal shampoo. Condition your dog's skin with oatmeal conditioner. Allow the conditioner to sit on the skin for a few minutes before rinsing. Shampooing can remove pollen, kill bacteria and reduce itching.

    • 7

      Add vitamins formulated for dog skin health to your dog's food. These include vitamin E and fish oil supplements.

    • 8

      Give your dog antihistamine tablets one to two times per day when she starts to experience allergy problems due to pollen. Discontinue treatment after the offending plant has stopped producing pollen.

    • 9

      Visit the veterinarian for a complete assessment and allergy testing, if needed.