Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Since I adopted my 3yo dog at 8mo he has exhibited itch problems. He will bite his front leg or hind thigh and lick his chest. On these occasions I will feel a small bump (like a hive). I know it sounds crazy but I swear that fish and salmon oil make him worse as does chicken/eggs and beef and in those cases he will make a sore spot on himself from licking or biting it. I had him on an elimination diet of raw rabbit/vegetables for several months and he did well but still occasional bumps. He is currently on raw turkey and vegetables and surprisingly the addition of well cooked brown rice didn't seem to affect him plus helped put on a little needed weight. Yesterday I found a bump on his front leg and on his inside thigh, could be because I gave him a breakfast of Honest Kitchen's turkey meal which has flax and alfafa in it among other things. Generally I can help him by using herbal washes and adding nettles and licorice (when needed). Just wondering if you have any thoughts as to whether it is food related or not. Thank God the situation is not bad but I would so much love for him not to ever feel itchy or to vary his diet more. In good weather I can bathe him outside with a natural shampoo and a nice rinse with ACV several time from Spring thru Fall but other times cannot bathe him as he is scared to death of the bath tub and at 50lbs I cannot lift him in. I worry that he is not getting any supplements but most of them have stuff in that I fear he is allergic to.

It is possible that your dog has a food allergy. Since he does well on turkey, feed him only turkey, eliminating everything else. He will need some bone, so pulverize turkey bones and include them. Keep him on this for a month. If everything clears up, add one new item a week to see how he reacts. If he has bumps, eliminate the last item added, as he is allergic to that.

Other causes of itching and biting may be low thyroid, mites or other paracites, or a lack of omega-3 fatty acids. Your vet can check the thyroid and check for paracites while on the restricted diet. I suggest you wait on the fatty acids.

thank you so much for swift response. He is on ground turkey with bone (Primal). Re the mites, wouldn't he get worse if it was a case of mites vs sometimes not having the problem and other times having it? Thanks again.