Does your furry friend scratch all day and you don't know why? Perhaps you have already noticed that dandruff is coming off? Dry skin could be a possible, often harmless cause of your four-legged friend's increased scratching. But food allergies or mites could also be causing the itching. We'll show you how to find out the cause and which home remedies can help:

Causes of itching

Scratching in dogs is completely normal, even in moderation. For example, scratching also serves as an avoidance gesture due to excessive demands or simply because a blade of grass has pricked. The problem is that the difference between normal and pathological itching is very blurred. Signs of pathological itching can be dandruff, a change in the smell of the skin, bald patches in the coat or changes in behavior such as restlessness. Generally speaking, if your furry friend scratches intensively several times a day or howls during the scratching, for example, you should keep an eye on their behavior. Below we show various reasons that can cause our four-legged friends to scratch.

Mite, flea infestation and other parasites

Fleas can be a cause of severe itching, especially in shelter dogs from abroad. The fleas' saliva triggers an allergic reaction, which causes the itching. Even a single flea bite can cause severe itching. You can recognize the small bloodsuckers by the flea droppings that hang between the fur or with the help of a flea comb or by the large fleas themselves, which migrate through the fur.

The so-called flea saliva allergy is the most common allergy in Hund.Auour four-legged friends. Autumn grass mites feel particularly at home in the paw area. External parasites such as mites, hair lice or lice are also called ectoparasites. Fleas, hair lice or lice can be identified using a flea comb. If your heat balance in summer is a dip in the lake, bathing dermatitis could also be the trigger for the itching. Small water parasites called cercariae cause dermatitis in your furry friend, which leads to severe itching.

But parasites can cause itching not only on the skin. Intestinal parasites also cause itching in the anal region. A typical sign of this is sliding over the floor with the hindquarters or increased licking in this region.

In the event of a parasite infestation, a veterinary practice should be consulted in order to identify the exact parasites under the microscope and to obtain the appropriate antidotes.

Allergies and food intolerances

In the case of an allergy, the immune system reacts excessively to stimuli that are actually harmless. Itching is one of the main symptoms of allergies. The diagnosis is usually made by exclusion and therefore often takes a long time.

Just like humans, our pets can also develop allergies to pollen or grass. For example, if your four-legged friend scratches more often in spring, this could be an indication of a grass allergy. Our four-legged friends can also have other environmental allergies, such as to cleaning products or house dust mites. E. An exclusion diet is often used to determine a food allergy. Alternatively, there is special food for sensitive four-legged friends, such as SENSITIVE LUPINE PROTEIN, which excludes the most common allergens in dogs and is therefore a good alternative for exclusion diets.

Skin infections

Skin infections are often caused by bacteria or fungal infections. Fungal infections can be particularly persistent and last for a long time. Bacteria and yeasts feel particularly at home in moist areas such as the ears or paws and can lead to inflammation in the ear canal. Such infections are detected by microscopic examination. Sometimes it is also necessary to take bacterial or fungal cultures in the laboratory.

Dry skin

One reason for dry skin can be particularly dry air, for example due to heating or an unbalanced diet. In this case, you may need to change your diet. Otherwise, incorrect coat care, for example frequent bathing or the use of unsuitable shampoos, can also lead to very dry skin on your furry friend.

Chronic diseases

Chronic diseases such as metabolic diseases can also be reasons for severe itching. Diabetes mellitus or diseases of the liver or kidneys can exacerbate itching. However, the most common underlying disease that increases itching in dogs is hypothyroidism. In addition to mites, the increased licking of the paws can also have behavioral causes.

Autoimmune diseases such as the pemphigus complex, which attacks the upper layers of the skin, or keratoconjunctivitis sicca, in which the conjunctiva and cornea dry out, can be causes of severe itching in your dog.

Relieving itching: Coconut oil and other home remedies

Depending on the cause, a veterinary practice should be consulted for chronic itching in order to choose a suitable therapy. Parasite infestations are often treated with antiparasitics, while bacteria or fungal infections are best treated locally with medicated shampoos and ointments. For severe, widespread infections, vets may also prescribe injections or tablets, while for minor infections, an ointment is often sufficient to relieve the itching. Allergens are avoided in the case of allergic itching. In the case of environmental allergies, immunotherapy can be carried out.

To prevent scratching from worsening the skin condition, vets may recommend acute therapy with anti-inflammatory agents to inhibit inflammation and relieve itching. However, these remedies should only be administered after consultation with a vet, as they can have potentially undesirable side effects.

Homeopathy: What to avoid...

It is advisable to avoid using homeopathic remedies as a substitute for a visit to the vet. The self-healing placebo effect, which is sometimes effective in humans, has no effect on our four-legged friends and only delays the time when they receive the urgently needed treatment at the veterinary practice.

In any case, you should visit a veterinary practice in the long term, as failure to treat autoimmune diseases, for example, can have serious consequences. In addition, the skin can be affected by failure to treat itching. Consequences could be:

• the natural protective functions of the skin are lost
• pathogens penetrate more easily due to a lack of protective functions
• further skin inflammation occurs due to increased scratching
• and behavioral changes occur due to the constant stress