08/13/2026
Written by a human, no AI
In the vein of my last post, which was about handling ear issues, I am going to share my experience with helping itchy dogs. Im not a vet (although i wanted to be one), but i have worked in the dog care industry for almost 20 years, here are my observations.
Keeping the dog clean will go a long way to keeping the dog from itching. If you go a couple days without washing your hair, think about how itchy you get. Same with dogs, except their whole bodies are covered with hair and they often go WEEKS without a shower 😆 🤣 sebum traps dirt and pollen, dirt can expose skin to pathogens and parasites, dirty hair holds moisture and wetness, and dirty, damp hair tangles and mats easily, irritating skin, reducing airflow to the skin, fostering pathogen growth, and trapping allergens on the skin. No fun!
Keeping the dog dry will likewise go a long way. If you have a furnished coated dog (hair continually grows and the dog has a beard, such as a shih tzu, poodle, or doodle) or a longhair double coated dog (think Pyrenees), this is ESPECIALLY important.
When i worked in the desert in far west Texas and New Mexico, I almost never saw skin issues or matted dogs. The constant rain in this area combined with extreme pollen, red clay (which TRASHES the cuticles on hair), and debris from fields and woods is a recipe for matting, skin issues, and skin infections. Dirty dogs are itchy dogs. Matted dogs are itchy dogs. Dirty matted dogs are the itchiest of all dogs. Water doesnt cause infections, but wet, dirty coat is a petri dish for growing pathogens. Clean, dry, non tangled dogs are set up for success. A cheap HV dryer off amazon will go a long way towards success with this.
Also, trapped dead coat causes itching, matting, and traps moisture. Keeping a dog deshed helps a lot. Anything with hair sheds. Humans shed. All hair strands have a finite lifespan and when it's over, they need to be removed from the follicle cup so new hair can come in and the skin can receive sufficient airflow. A lot of groomers and owners miss the mark with this with dogs who are clipped short, especially cockers and terriers. A wet deshed, a shedding blade, a carding knife, a rubber curry, or a pumice stone will do a lot of good on this front.
If your dog cant shake the itching or there is visible irritation, lesions, sores, pus, parasites, etc, vet time. Make sure to opt for diagnostics if you can afford to and make sure to RELENTLESSLY follow through. It makes me sad when owners feel like their expensive prescription shampoo is useless and then I read the label and the dog is supposed to be getting a ten minute soak every day for two weeks, and the owner doesnt realize this. You have to be relentless. Make sure you treat until yhe instructions say to stop, not until you think the dog is getting better.
There are a lot of great over the counter products, too. I use a hydrocortisone/lidocaine shampoo for dogs with allergies or environmental irritation, ketoconazole and chlorohexidine for weepy/pus looking skin, benzoyl peroxide for acne type issues (hairless breeds, schnauzer cone domes, etc), and zymox enzyme conditioner to follow up. None of this is medical treatment or desgined to replace a vet, it's just products i use for dogs who need them. I have had a few vets send selsun blue or selenium sulfide shampoos with dogs.
Vetricyn and sulfodene can be great for treatment of small, localized irritation or infections.
Flea and tick control is very important. If your dog has fleas, they're gonna itch. Topical are useless in WNC. Bravecto is my go to, and im gonna use that to segue into a reminder that sometimes the issue is mange and bravecto helps with that.
Shaving problem areas or even the whole dog helps a lot in a lot of cases.
Like with the ears, your vet is your biggest ally. Don't spend years trying to find a food your dog isnt allergic to if the issue is staph, mange, or an environmental allergy. Also, if a few months with your vet doesn't wrap it up in a couple months, no shame to you or your vet if you ask for a referral to a vet dermatologist. Specialists exist for a reason!
When i first got Bird, the little chihuahua here, she was one big hot spot, almost totally bald, severely infected ears dripping pus.
Nothing her old owner tried was helping. After they moved to Florida, she started melting. It turns out the root issue was allergies to palmetto, saw grass, citrus trees, fleas, and I forget what else. The entire state of florida. But she also had developed secondary bacterial AND fungal infections AND her constant scratching had severely damaged her skin. She gets cytopoint injections and weekly allergy baths and blow dry, forever. Some dogs just lose the genetic lottery.
Anyway, if you found this helpful, please like, comment, and share, and if you want to support me, feel free to cashapp me at $HillbillyKate or paypal me at [email protected]
