Can a dog get some sort of skin irritation or disorder that would cause them to scratch constantly?

my mother has a little shitzu and she scratches alot..was recently shaved so she has little hair and no fleas but has sores from scratching so much and the vet didnt say anything..if anyone can help me out with this it would be appreciated

Can a dog get some sort of skin irritation or disorder that would cause them to scratch constantly?
It could be alot of things. skin allergies, allergic to food or something they have come in contact with, it could be hot spots which is another type of skin irritation. It also could be mange. Alot of things could be causing her to scratch. Take her to the vet again and ask them. Some times these things can only be solved by a vet with medicines that need to be applied to the affected areas, sometimes they need to take medicines. It just depends on what is causing the irritations. Get her back to the vet.
Reply:Some possibilities:





Food allergies


Pollen or other contact/inhalant allergies


Dry skin





I'd talk to a different vet, if the vet "didn't say anything" and she has sores.
Reply:it could be an irritation, infection, or even allergies. If she was recently shaved, its possible that its clipper burn thats irritated. If the vet saw it and didnt say anything, it may be time for a new vet!
Reply:Go see another vet, thats not good enough. Dogs can suffer from allergies just like us. You need to find the source so the poor dog can get some releif.
Reply:might be allergic to something in the house or he may have dermatitis's yes dogs get it like we do take him to a dog specialist
Reply:You can get stuff at the store .. its hot spots and when warm weather arrives I see a lot of it
Reply:could be a food allergy.
Reply:Well if you have ever been shaved in a "certain area" that normally has hair as it grows back it itches like crazy!!! Thats more than likely the trouble- the hair is growing back and it itches. Put some baby footie (socks) on the dogs feet so he can't injure himself from scratching and don't get him shaved again-just a hair cut would do fine!
Reply:It sounds like a food allergy problem. Many pets are allergic to fillers so she is best off eating a food without fillers. I recommend Innova Evo. I have had excellent experience with it and it has zero fillers. There really isn't any kind of test to find out exactly what dogs are allergic to. My vet suggested trial and error with detailed documentation. I know there are several other foods without fillers but I personally don't have experience with any other brands.
Reply:It is possoble that it is dry skin or some kind of allergic reaction to something. Talk to another vet.
Reply:Did you specifically ask the vet about the itching??


It's likely that she has some sort of food allergy, is bathed too much, or has an allergy to something in her environment..


Make sure she is eating a good quality diet.. Just cause a food has a big name doesn't at all mean it's a quality food with quality ingredients. Make sure she is getting plenty of fresh clean water.. Wash her blankets or bedding and rinse it a 2nd time to get out all soaps, and don't use a fabric softener.. Add omega 3 oils to her diet. Don't feed her any people food.. just a good quality diet. It can take up to a month to rid the system of the problem. You might also want to get yourself a new vet and get him to prescribe something or suggest something for the allergy.


Put apple cider vinegar in her drinking water.. just about 1 tsp per bowl. It will PH the system and help to fix her up. You can also mix it 50/50 with water and spray her down, or get a cloth and rinse her with the vinegar.. Helps take away the itch. Applecider vinegar takes the itch out of mosquito bites, black fly bites etc, it's likely that it will also take the itch out of flea bites etc.
Reply:If she doesn't have fleas, it could be dry skin and that can be caused by shampoos or she may need a special food to promote moisture in her skin. Also be careful because dogs can actually get sunburned if there isn't much hair to protect their skin.
Reply:My sister had a Shitzu that was so allergic to fleas she scratched herself like that for months over 1 bite. It was so bad the poor little thing was not allowed out of the house except in the winter months.


She was paper trained, but it was a lot to deal with. There was nothing they could give her or put on her skin to change the effects. So keep her inside all spring summer and fall until we get a hard frost that kills all those nasty fleas. Best of luck to you and your little shitzu.
Reply:Yes. Dogs can get mange. It is very itchy, and can cause hair all over the dog to be lost. The mange mite must be killed. Not only dogs but other animals can catch it. Human beings can catch it and lose hair on their heads. Mange is very serious and requires skill of a top veterinarian. Even then it can take a year and more to win the battle and kill the mange and end up with a healthy dog with a good coat. Don't try to fight it alone. Get the best animal hospital you can afford and if there is progress stay with them until the animal is well. If they are not helping, make a change until you find genuine help.