Dog Scratching and Itching- By Sunil Tanna

Have you ever seen your dog driven crazy by an itch? The dog scratches and licks itself. It walks around, and then sits down to scratch some more. Eventually the dog may scratch itself so much that it gets open sores from all this scratching, yet the dog still can not seem to stop.

Why would your dog be doing this? Simple. When you feel an itch, you scratch it. When your dog itches, it does the same thing. The real question should be what might be causing your dog to itch?

Here are some of the most common possibilities:

- Your dog may have environmental dermatitis (which as the name suggests is a condition which is caused by environmental factors) or skin allergies. These conditions are particularly likely if your dog is fond of romping and playing outside, as well as dipping in holes and rolling on grass.

- Your dog may be suffering from infectious dermatitis, or excessive itching caused by bacterial and fungal infections. Lesions will occur on your dog's skin which the dog will continuously lick and scratch because it is causing so much discomfort.

- Your dog may be suffering from parasitic dermatitis. This is caused by tics, fleas and other parasites that live on your dog's skin. Be sure to bathe your dog frequently with anti-flea soap to prevent this.

- Inadequate nutrition can also cause itching. Always using quality dog food to feed your dog should prevent this.

Whatever the cause of the itching, it is a sign that something is wrong. If your dog keeps scratching itself, your best recourse is taking it to the vet for a thorough checkup, and getting the appropriate course of treatment.