Apply A Moisturizing Skin Spray Or Ointment
Moisturizing sprays keep your pets skin hydrated and bring more immediate relief to their irritation.
They are also convenient and easy to use throughout the day. Look for a spray that contains aloe vera and vitamin e, both of which moisturize the skin.
I use this spray for my itching German Shepherd and her skin felt moisturized and looked healthier after only a few applications. Spray on your dogs hot spots to reduce constant itchiness and provide soothing moisture. This spray was formulated for dogs with allergies by veterinarians, so its a clinical formula for home use.
For areas you think are infected or extremely irritated, try a thicker cream that also offers pain relief, like this Sulfodene ointment.
I wouldnt get caught without this spray and ointment, not only for itchiness and dry skin but for cuts and sores. My GSD immediately shows signs of relief upon application!
What Allergies Are German Shepherds More Prone To
Many things may trigger an allergic reaction in German Shepherds, including food products, environmental pathogens and insect bites:
- Dietary allergies or intolerances: Dogs can develop allergies or intolerances to certain diets over time which will lead to symptoms of an allergic reaction. In German Shepherds, food allergies are most commonly triggered by sources of animal protein, such as beef or chicken. They may also develop an intolerance over time to other food sources such as wheat, eggs, soy or milk. Food allergies and intolerances may cause symptoms to develop in both the digestive system and on the skin.
- Environmental pathogens: German Shepherds may develop an allergic reaction to many things which are present in the environment. Some of these are in the air itself, such as pollen, dust, perfumes or molds. Others are things your German Shepherd may come into direct contact with, including fabric fibers, plants and grasses, or chemicals such as shampoo or cleaning products. Some environmental triggers may be seasonal, such as pollen others are present all year round. Environmental pathogens may trigger symptoms including wheezing, itching, sneezing and reduced energy levels.
- Insect bites: Some German Shepherds are allergic to flea saliva, leading to a condition known as flea allergic dermatitis. When this condition occurs the dog will develop irritated skin after just one flea bite, leading to incessant itching, red spots on the skin and inflammation.
German Shepherd Itching A Lot Possible Causes:
- Fleas
- Dry, scaly, or inflamed skin due to other skin diseases
- Plump or inflamed bag glands
- Allergies to environmental allergens
- Flea saliva allergy
- Contact allergies
Sometimes the harness your dog uses may also cause skin irritation and itching. To prevent that, make sure you choose a good harness designed for German Shepherd dogs.
You can detect a severe flea infestation yourself. Either you see a flea, or you find flea faeces by combing your dog with a fine comb. When you place the fine crumbly black-brown flea faeces on a white handkerchief and moisten it dissolves and you see a blood stain.
Evidence of a skin disease that is underlying the itching are, for example, reddened skin areas, rash , pimples, dandruff formation or hair loss. You should leave the more detailed search for the cause of itching to an experienced veterinarian.
For example, he can use clapping preparations or tissue samples to determine which bacteria, fungi or mites on the skin are doing their bit and find out what triggers the itching by means of allergy tests.
Sometimes it can be tedious to find the trigger of itching, as rehearsals must be taken again and again until the culprit is found, but it is worth sticking to it!
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Serious Medical Conditions That Can Cause A German Shepherd To Smell
Along with the not so serious reasons behind a smelly German Shepherd are the more involved reasons behind a stinky dog.
While these are not the most common conditions that may be the reason behind the odor coming from your dog, they are nonetheless conditions that you should be aware of.
Some serious medical conditions that can cause your German Shepherd to smell include:
- Kidney disease: The later stages of kidney disease in dogs is known to produce foul breath in dogs due to ulcers in the mouth. These ulcers are a result of the toxins that can build up in a dogs system due to the disease.
- Masses: If your dog is prone to developing lumps and bumps, its possible for complications to arise that can cause these masses to smell.
- Diabetes: Some dogs with more serious conditions resulting from diabetes have been known to have a strong ammonia, sweet, or fruity smell coming from the mouth. Its also believed that only people with a certain strand of DNA can smell this fruity smell that comes from ketones due diabetic complications. So if you can smell ketones on your dog, you are special.
- Eye conditions: German Shepherds can experience several eye conditions that can cause a smell if left untreated. Some eye conditions present as eye discharge, swelling, and pain.
- Autoimmune skin conditions: Some autoimmune conditions of the skin can result in sores on the skin which can lead to abnormal odors coming from the skin.
Eliminating The Source Of The Allergy:
The ideal and often simplest way to treat an allergy is to remove the cause, for example by modifying the diet or using flea control products regularly. Insect allergies are probably the simplest to treat a good flea prevention strategy including treating the dog and household environment should be sufficient to keep these pests away from your pet.
Eliminating the trigger in food allergies can also be simple the hard work lies in the initial detective work to identify the source of the allergic response. There are many diets available for dogs with allergies. These may be marketed as hypoallergenic, meaning the proteins have been modified to reduce the allergic response or other diets are available which contain just a single source of protein and carbohydrate, such as turkey and potato.
Environmental sources of allergens can be much trickier to eliminate, even if the source can be identified. Veterinary tests may show that your German Shepherd is allergic to specific types of pollen, such as grass or flowers.
Even if you could limit direct contact to these allergens you may find it almost impossible to eliminate airborne particles. Consider modifying your exercise routes or areas to avoid allergen hotspots, and avoid walking your dog at times of day when the pollen count will be higher, such as early morning.
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Switch To Natural Cleaning And Hypoallergenic Products
Some store-bought cleaning products can cause itchiness in your GSD, especially if youre cleaning their bedding and blankets with these products. The chemicals can even cause allergies to become worse in German Shepherds or they can develop breathing problems when you use too many chemicals products around them.
Theres plenty of natural cleaning products on the market now that will lessen the chance of allergies in your GSD.
Switch to hypoallergenic and fragrance-free laundry detergent to clean your dogs bedding and towels. Dont use chemically laden cleaning products around them and wait for surfaces to fully dry before letting your dog walk or lie on the surface.
Switch to a more natural cleaning option when possible. Just because you dont experience any allergies or itching from using these products doesnt mean your dog wont. Youd be surprised all the allergens in common household and cleaning ingredients that can trigger your dogs scratching!
Use the following helpful information to understand why your GSD may have allergies and what contributes to allergies and scratching.
Interested In Training Your German Shepherd The Right Way
If you havent trained your German Shepherd properly, then this is the perfect time to start. Whatever bad behavior your shepherd has, whether its barking at night or other bad behaviors, using the right training program is the key to having an obedient and happy pup.
The training program I love and highly recommend is Brain Training For Dogs.
With Brain Training For Dogs youll save yourself a ton of time and effort. Instead of banging your head against the wall trying to figure out why your dog wont listen, youll follow a path that has been tried, tested, and most importantly, thats given proven results. Not to mention the fact, youll be able to fit the course around your schedule, not fit your schedule around a trainer or obedience class.
So instead of worrying about whether theyre going to be well-behaved or not, youll only have to worry about how much fun youll have with them!
And in most cases its still going to be:
- Cheaper than hiring a professional.
- Cheaper than replacing everything they might break.
- And definitely cheaper than a lawsuit against you, if they decide to bite someone.
Just imagine how great it will feel to finally be able to trust your German Shepherd completely and never worry whether theyll be naughty or not. Instead, youll have the peace of mind that you have a well-behaved pup, and the boundaries you set for them, will always be there, EVEN IF YOURE NOT.
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What To Watch For
Any abnormal symptom could be a sign of serious disease, or it could just be a minor or temporary problem. The important thing is to be able to tell when to seek veterinary help, and how urgently. Many diseases cause dogs to have a characteristic combination of symptoms, which together can be a clear signal that your German Shepherd Dog needs help.
Yeast Overgrowth And Skin Infections
Hot and humid places can encourage yeast growth in GSDs and so does bacterial infections. They are more seen in skin folds. Yeast overgrowth encourages excess oil production. The oil build-up in skin may result to severe itchiness that will eventually lead to skin infection.
Untreated open wounds usually result in skin infections which are caused by bacteria. Their skin may appear to be red, moist and sometimes with pus. Depending on your GSDs immune system, it may worsen over time.
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German Shepherd Turning Heads
People often wonder why does a German Shepherd turn its head? There is no need to get worried about it. Usually, a German Shepherd turns its head when you talk to him, or if he thinks he has heard a strange noise, or just before barking, they turn or tilt their heads. This turning or tilting of head is one of the cutest characteristics of a German Shepherd that makes them look adorable and you may want to hug your dog instantly.
Canine Pyoderma: A Severe Skin Infection In German Shepherd Dogs
As Veterinary Practice describes, canine pyoderma is one such severe skin itching issue that wont resolve without veterinary intervention and treatment.
Pyoderma is caused by bacteria. Veterinary researchers do not fully understand how it gets started and why some dogs are more affected than others.
Dog breeds with underlying sensitivities to food, environment, allergens such as pollen, and pests are more likely to get pyoderma, which includes the German Shepherd dog.
Canine researchers believe there may be an underlying immune system issue that causes GSDs to be more prone to pyoderma and it may also be inherited.
Pyoderma is hard to treat and may recur many times. Usually, a combination treatment approach is required.
Once your German Shepherd is diagnosed with pyoderma, you may need to administer antibiotics, apply special medicated shampoos, change your dogs food, apply topical treatments and have your dog tested for underlying thyroid or immune issues.
The warning signs of pyoderma often begin with intense sessions of scratching and itching. Over time, this leads to skin lesions and this is when opportunistic fungi, bacteria, pests, or parasites move in and colonize the skin.
Pyoderma may be re-triggered by one or all of these issues, all of which can be present in a single dog at one time with more severe cases.
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Why Is My German Shepherd Scratching So Much
German Shepherds are prone to a variety of skin problems because of flea or insect allergies, food allergies, inhalant allergies, and skin contact allergies. Some GSDs are also itchy because of medicine allergies .
Why is my German Shepherd Itchy? When determining why your German Shepherd may be itchy, there are three primary reasons behind it. 1. An external parasite Often times, the culprit behind your dogs itchiness may be caused by an external parasite.
How to treat German Shepherd with dry itchy skin? How to Treat a German Shepherd With Dry Itchy Skin Step 1. Give the dog a bath once every six months. Bathing the dog strips its skin of the oils, which dries out the skin. Step 2. Change the dogs diet. If at all possible, convert to a raw diet. A raw diet does wonders for the skin, coat and
How do German Shepherd Dogs shed? German Shepherd dogs, affectionately known as German Shedders, tend to shed a lot. They also battle bouts of dry, itchy skin. Shepherds have a double coat: the outer coat is a rather coarse, straight hair and the undercoat is soft and fluffy. This tends to keep the coat dry, contributing to dry, itchy skin. Cuteness FYI Can Pets Fall In Love?
Why Your German Shepherd Keeps Itching Itself
Each of the different reasons why your German Shepherd keeps itching itself will likely come with some clues.
Below, I will mention a number of reasons why your German Shepherd might be doing it and the signs to look for.
Allergies
Allergies or a rash could also be causing your German Shepherd to itch itself. Allergies can be caused by things such as shampoo, other dogs, pollen or household chemicals .
It would help to consider what else happened at around the same time that your German Shepherd started to itch itself. For example, if it started doing it when you started using a new shampoo on it then it would likely have something to do with it.
If it has been itching itself due to a rash then it would be more likely that it would have been itching itself in one specific area. Another sign of this would be if it has been losing fur in one specific area due to itching, biting and licking at it too much.
Fleas
The reason why your German Shepherd has been itching itself could be that it has fleas.
This would be more likely if it has been itching itself in multiple areas of its body and the itching isnt just confined to one area.
If fleas are causing your German Shepherd to itch itself, it would help to talk to your vet about what you should do to get rid of the flees.
It would also help to eradicate fleas from your home by doing things such as:
Compulsive behavior
Possible things that could have happened could include:
Boredom
Anxiety
Injury
It was just itchy
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Treating Your German Shepherds Itchy Skin For Good
Its heartbreaking to watch your German Shepherd itching constantly, uncomfortable, and even in pain. Your GSD might just need a change of diet or a quick spray of anti-itch solution.
There are simple ways to help your German Shepherd from itching and scratching like crazy. Most of the treatments you can order from home and apply right away.
A solid skincare routine can help alleviate your German Shepherds itchy skin for good and doesnt cost a fortune.
Dont let your itchy dog lie around uncomfortable when therere steps you can take right now to help them!
Want more help with your German Shepherds skin and fur?
Why Do Dogs Scratch Their Ears
There are different causes of itch in dog ears. These include both medical and non-medical causes. Individual dogs have different reactions to different triggers and therefore something that leads to one dog scratching ears may not have the same effect on another. Some of the common causes are as discussed below.
Allergic Reactions Resulting in Dog Constantly Scratching the Ears
Where a dog is having allergic reactions to something, his ear flaps may become inflamed. This form of scratching may result from allergens that have been inhaled or absorbed leading to the dogs immune system fighting the same.
As a result, there is excess wax production plus other secretions. This brings about a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria and yeast. With the presence of these organisms, there is greater inflammation leading to an ongoing cycle of itchy ears until the allergens are eliminated or the reaction suppressed.
Yeast and Bacterial Infections Causing Dog Itchy Ears
Like mentioned above, yeast infections can be a secondary effect of allergic reactions. This though is not always the case and at times there are just the right environmental conditions for them to thrive even where there no allergens are present.
Just like with yeast infections, bacterial infections are mostly secondary effects of allergic reactions. They, however, can occur independently. These infections are known to be notoriously itchy.
Excessive Dog Scratching Ears from Ear Mites
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Natural Remedies To Help Your Itchy Dog
Pet Health and Safety Maggie Dean May 23, 2018
You know the sounds. Theyve kept you up at night. Scratch, scratch, scratch, lick, lick, chew, chew. Your dog is itching like crazy and its driving you both up a wall! Chronic or severe itching and scratching can have many causes. Some may require a checkup by your veterinarian, while others may be remedied at home! If the itching has been on-going, is causing your dog to be miserable or if your dog is developing self-inflicted wounds due to the itching, it is most definitely time for a visit to the vet!
Your vet will determine the root cause of the itching and may be able to prescribe you prescription or over-the-counter medications or bathing products. If the itching is seasonal, intermittent or less severe, you may be able to use these at-home tricks to give your dog some natural relief!