Anyone who has ever spent a long night with a dog made restless and miserable by incessant itching longs to do something--anything--to help her canine friend. Unfortunately, treating incessant itching in dogs is complicated. Most likely, the cause is some type of allergy. Determining just what it is your dog is allergic to may require a lengthy diagnostic process. To truly treat the itching, the cause must be determined and eliminated from the dog's environment or diet. In the meantime, you can take a few actions at home to give your dog--and you--some relief.
Things You'll Need
- Diphenhydramine
- Colloidal oatmeal
- Dog brush
Instructions
Check you dog carefully to be sure that you're not dealing with a flea infestation. If you do see fleas on your dogs, get a prescription flea repellant from your veterinarian. These include products such as Advantage, Frontline and Revolution.
Give your dog Benadryl. The antihistamine, diphenhydramine, not only will provide some relief for the itching it will likely make your dog drowsy. Both should be sources of relief. The recommended dosage of diphenhydramine is 1 mg per pound of body weight, twice each day. This means if your dog weighs 50 pounds, you can give him 50mg of diphenhydramine in the morning and evening. Just be sure the product you use has only one active ingredient and that ingredient should be diphenhydramine.
Bathe your dog in cool water. Warm or hot water will make your dog's itch even worse. Let the dog soak for 5 to 10 minutes. Try adding some colloidal oatmeal to the bath for your dog's maximum itch relief. When the dog gets out of the bath, pat him dry. Rubbing may cause even more itching. Let your dog air-dry. A blow dryer too may cause the itching to return.
Brush your dog. Providing your dog with a bit of grooming may help alleviate the itching and will at least give her something else to think about for a few moments. If your dog enjoys being brushed, the grooming may even help her relax enough to fall asleep.