Itchy dog..... and (whispers....) Milles Wolfheart......

[{97702}]

Flick has always had a sensitive skin, being a white greyhound, so I am used to her getting horrible scratches, bruises etc from a perfectly ordinary walk. Just recently I have noticed however that she is incredibly itchy! She has made an area under one elbow quite sore through nibbling at it a lot.

She doesn't have fleas, she is white so they would stand out a mile and none of my dogs ever have fleas Plus none of the other three are itchy.

Google suggests this might be a food allergy, but the only thing that has changed for her since she has been itchy is that I have introduced MW Forerunner and YuMove Plus to her diet! Surely these are perfectly natural products that she couldn't/shouldn't react to?

She HAS had a previous itchy episode where I had to get some (very expensive) cream from the vets and put her in a collar to stop her nibbling, that was a good few years ago now though. I haven't change washing powder or anything like that - could it be the diet? Next steps are to remove the MW from her diet, and failing that it is a vet visit! Her teeth need doing as well....

 

[JennBags]

Suzie became very itchy on MWH, she chewed herself raw, it might be the high protein content.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

pretty much anything can produce an allergic reaction-only the hydrolysed foods are designed not to (and I've no experience of them). so yes, it could be the diet -not every dog does well on MWH.

 

[{97702}]

Forerunner (I think it is called that? Also - confusingly - the name of my Garmin watch) is a 40/60 food so supposed to be lower in protein, as sighthounds generally don't do well on high protein diets - it does sound like it would be worth knocking it off for her however!

 

[Moobli]

I’d stop the MWH for a few weeks and see if there’s a change.

 

[splashgirl45]

i give my collie cross yumove and have had to keep her on a low dose as it causes her to be constipated if she has more so it could be the yumove. just a thought...

 

[BrianB]

Hope changing the diet helped. Had an 'itchy episode' with my dog recently which turned out to be a contact allergy through running amongst the autumn dry/dead ferns on a moorland walk. Did a bit of research and used half a tablet of human anti-histamine which stopped the itching within an hour or so with no apparent side effects.

 

[{97702}]

Thanks all - I’ve stopped the MWH for her and will see if things improve. I think she is slighter better, but I’m also conscious that might just be because I’m watching her more!

If that doesn’t work I’ll stop the YuMove.... and take her to the vets of course

 

[Clodagh]

Rather jumping on your thread, but Tawny has always been an itchy dog, and prnoe to skanky ears and bad feet. All linked I am sure. I always feed millies, but switch between ingredients. I think (unscientifically) she is less itchy on the cheaper one, https://www.millieswolfheart.co.uk/dog-food/40-meat-fish-recipes/forerunner-mix, than she is on the more expensive one https://www.millieswolfheart.co.uk/dog-food/60-meat-fish-recipes/gamekeepers-mix.
Bearing in mind though that as extras today she has eaten a whole rotten rabbits head and some layers pellets I am never going to be conclusive about her triggers.
On skinners duck and rice she was a dog permanently at the vets for ear treatments, she is better than that now but not perfect.

 

[{97702}]

Yep I was feeding the cheaper ones on their recommendations - using the forerunner mix - it isn't my imagination, she has stopped being as itchy now she is back on Skinners. Won't bother trying MWH again I don't think

 

[Clodagh]

Interesting. I suppose it would be boring if it was straightforward!

 

[splashgirl45]

well thats an easy solution to a problem and much cheaper than a vet visit....

 

[BrianB]

Glad you're sorted, out to pasture. I've just watched a really interesting programme regarding human gut health and the upshot of it was that eating anything other than the food we've evolved around eating for the recent 5-10 millenia is likely to affect the balance and composition of our gut bacteria. This can seem to have potentially unexpected results and I'd bet it's exactly the same with our domestic pets. Obviously there are times when drugs are necessary in acute situations, but I'd shy away from giving my pet regular supplements and just feed the raw foods that his ancestors ate - plus a few wholesome treats when he deserves them!

 

[BrianB]

Meant to add the forum link regarding the treats.... https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/healthy-treats.769795/. The one I found was at
https://www.mybestfrienddogcare.co.uk/dog-friendly-recipe-for-pumpkin-peanut-butter-cookies-3/