My puppy scratches herself, help?

Question

My puppy is three months old and scratches herself so bad that it has scabs. It's not fleas or a skin/fur problem. The vet didn't find anything wrong with her. We think it might be flaking. We already tried three different shampoos, and she scratched less, but now it's back. Maybe it's the scabs that itch. Can somebody tell me what kind of good shampoos there are or lotions? Anything that would help? Please help!!!

Answer 1

What kind of breed is your dog, because some breeds are notorious for scratching.

Answer 2

Have you consider either a food allergy or reaction to her bedding?  Another issue could be over cleansing.  If you have already tried 3 different shampoos on a 3 month old, you are probably over doing it and the skin is just dry!  Try brushing or even using your own hands to rub her down more often to let natural oils soak in.  She may also be doing this as an emotional reaction.  If 3 months, she is in a new place, still adapting.

One other consideration is that depending on the breed, being that young, she has a lot of loose skin as well as new fur growing in.  This all can add to her "itchiness".

For the scabs, speak to your vet about treatment options.  I think it was peroxide that was suggested by our vet to dry up the scabs and get the off sooner (scabs actually hinder healing if left on too long!)

Answer 3

Your puppy is only 3 months old? How often are you washing her? She doesn't need to be bathed very often. Just brushed once a week. The over-washing could be contributing to the dry skin. Also make sure you are rinsing her enough to get rid of all of the shampoo.

I hate the smell of dog shampoo, so I wash my girls with baby shampoo. Works great!

You may also want to give her a food that will help with a healthy coat. Eagle Pack makes a Holistic Select variety (anchovy) that is helpful to dry skin.