dog won't stop scratching – possible reasons?

got a little jack Russell. just lately he’s been scratching himself constantly, and always in the same place, right side of stomach, behind his leg.

he sneezes a fair bit anyway when he gets excited, but had a couple of harder sneezing fits a few days ago when not excited.

we’ve put frontline on him and bathed him, but I don’t think its fleas cos its always the same area. we’ve considered ‘doggy hayfever’ due to the sneezing and also as he rolls on the lawn sometimes and usually has a good scratch after that.

the only other thing I can think of is a food allergy. he has just had his food changed to a more expensive sort. if it was an allergy, wouldn’t he be scratching all over?

anything else to consider before we take him to the vets?

thanks

Has he had a tattoo done?

Is his skin red or inflamed at all?

We had a dog that got eczema in one place and wouldn’t leave it alone – ended up on steroid tablets to control it.

He’s allergic to humans.

warning gory!

its hayfever believe it or not. think its a certain grass this time of year that has an effect on them. we have a lab that will get a bit sneezy and itching around the start and end of the summer months

Grass allergy although my terrier it bothers him all over.

Abdo discomfort due to dietary problems or even as far as a blockage.

Basically many things so take him to the vets.

allergy is possible

Dog aids.

Could be grass/harvest mites, my Jack russell used to suffer from red itchy areas on his undercarriage after an afternoon playing in the long grass, i used a spray from the vets and it cleared up quite quickly. Jack russells seem prone to irritation as they tend to root around in long grass

Harvest mites here

Try some anti-histamine tablets? Our choccy lab, now 11 has been cursed with skin conditions / grass pollen allergy – she chew herself raw left to her own devices. It’s now under control with a very small dose of steroids, but it has meant she’s suffering hair-loss.

My lab is a bit red and itchy in a similar spot at the moment definitely not fleas as she’s treated. My vet has advised frontline is no longer always effective as the fleas have built up immunity. So check that.

Ours (choc lab-X) is the same, every summer from about 4/5 years old. Will scratch herself to bleeding.

Hay fever or what ever the dog equivalent in our case. Take it to the vets regardless to check.

Vet recommended just supermarket hay fever tablet (must be cetirizine), tablet a day sorts the issue out a treat.

EDIT: Whhhhhhoooaaaaaaaaaa, dog post with no photos, what the actually flip!!

[/url]Bramble n stick by Phil Dalton[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Our terrier cross gets terrible hayfever throughout spring and summer. This first started when we moved down south (presumably due to different pollens etc). For the first year we didn’t know this was the cause and she scratched and bit herself into a terrible state, needing steroids and creams and dog cone for a couple of weeks to sort her out. Since then half a loratidine every other day, keeps her fine and healthy during these months (apart from the odd sneeze here and there).
Worth trying this approach. Very easy and cheap fix and you will know in a couple of hours after giving your dog half a tab if it’s worked (he will stop scratching).

Could be food. A mate of mine’s dog had terrible issues with scratching, bad skin and poor conditioned fur. They were feeding it with high quality dry food – the type that all vets approve yadayadayada…all the usual marketing BS. They put him on a fresh meat diet and he’s thrived ever since, no more scratching, lovely shiny coat and as bright as a button, bags of energy. Obviously something in the previous food that didn’t quite agree with him.

Anyway, no harm in experimenting with different foods to see if that has an affect.

thanks chaps, we’re going to try combatting on two fronts before the vets. just bought some infant piriton for hayfever, and also changing him back to his original food. ok, if it works we wont be sure which it is but just wnat to give him best chance of stopping the itch.

we’ll probs stay on his old food now anyway just in case.

cheers

just took an itchy cat with scabby skin to the vets. Got shafted for £140 for steroids and antibiotics as hibiscrub wasn’t clearing it up 🙁

Chewie is on aboquel to help with his itching (allergic to food storage mite, dust mites, oak, etc). This year he’s particularly bad so on atarax as well.

He’s also on the raw diet as well.

Another vote for seasonal allergies. Seems to be the time of year for the plants to be getting it on (dirty ****s), so pollen allergy could be likely.

My pug has them pretty much every year – she’ll get very itchy ears, and the skin around her groin area will get a rash. We use hexadene shampoo whenever it arises, plus drops in the ears, to bring it under control.
She’s also allergic to certain foods; weirdly, the symptoms are basically the same (particular patch of skin, ears itchy).