What's Making Our Dogs Itchy in Their New Home?

What’s Making Our Dogs So Itchy in Their New Home?

My boyfriend and I just moved into a new apartment. My dog, Emma, is a 7-month-old Mastador (Mastiff-Lab), and my boyfriend has a 7-year-old dog named Riley.

Since we moved in last month, they both have been itching like crazy. We have given them Frontline, used flea sprays, even a dip – but nothing seems to work.

Our vet thinks it is allergies. I feel so bad for the both the dogs. Emma has lost so much hair on the back of her legs and at her tail. Riley has scabs all over herself from scratching.

We contacted our apartment manager to see if maybe there were chemicals in the grass or from the carpet cleaning before we moved in. We were told they do not put any chemicals on the grass and the carpet was only given a basic cleaning.

If it isn’t the grass or the carpet, what could it be? We have not changed their food. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

– Devan

Hi Devan,

Thank you for your question.

Skin problems in dogs and cats can be somewhat challenging to work out due to the multifactorial nature of their potential underlying causes. What appears to be an environment or food allergy may also have an infectious component, such as bacteria, yeast, parasites (mange), etc.

Additionally, there can be underlying metabolic abnormalities (glandular issues like hypothyroidism, Cushing’s disease, etc.) that affect overall health and leave the skin compromised and susceptible to secondary problems. Finally, there are the pesky ectoparasites, like fleas, which have very allergenic saliva that can cause itching all over the body.

Needless to say, the skin is our pets’ largest organ and there are so many underlying reasons why you may see itching, scratching, redness, lesions, etc.

Your dog’s skin issues may be caused by allergies, but if things are not adequately improving, I would start looking deeper. Have their skin lesions evaluated via scraping, impression smear or even biopsy. Diagnostic testing on your dogs’ blood and urine can also lend some perspective as to if there are underlying illnesses that need to be addressed.

Food elimination trials (six weeks of feeding them a new protein/carbohydrate food while excluding all other foods) can help to figure out if there is a food allergy.

Bathing is a great means of addressing skin issues. The best shampoo for your dogs’ condition should be recommended by your vet. Additionally, omega fatty acids (like fish oil) can provide beneficial and natural anti-inflammatory factors to boost the skin’s normal phospholipid membrane barrier.

If their skin does not improve after you’ve taken these steps, then pursue a consultation with a veterinary dermatologist (your vet can recommend one for you).

Good luck,
Patrick Mahaney, VMD, CVA

Ask a Vet is intended for informational purposes only. If your dog requires veterinary attention, you should take him to your vet or animal emergency clinic for an examination. Click here to find a veterinarian near you.

Have a question concerning your dog’s health? Send it to Ask a Vet.

PHOTO: Mikhail Koninin

Dr. Mahaney

Patrick Mahaney, VMD, CVA has a thriving veterinary practice in Los Angeles. His clients respond favorably to his combination of Eastern and Western medicine, including acupuncture. In addition to making house calls, Mahaney makes himself available via social media outlets such as his blog and Twitter. He is dog dad to i Love Dogs canine ambassador Cardiff.