Dog Constantly Licking & Scratching

February 3, 2014

Hi Susie,
For skin problems, I will need a bit more background information. Did the itching start 5 years ago after the last vaccination was given or more recently?

Is there any particular area on his body that he itches more? Face? Feet/legs? Ears? Body?

Does he ONLY scratch at night, or is he itching and scratching day and night, but WORSE at night??

You wrote that the itching lasts 3-4 weeks, and then ‘comes back every 3 months’. Is there something that is occurring every 3 months that seems to trigger this outbreak? Carpets cleaned? Fertilizer put on lawn? Or is there a medicine he is given by the conventional vet that has worn off at that time, such as cortisone/prednisone/or a steroid?

You wrote that he must eat C/D dry and canned for a urinary infection. Is that due to blood in his urine, or did he have stones or crystals?

What are the ingredients in the HP drops?

In the meantime, until you can get a chance to answer the above questions, I can tell you that generally, for skin problems, the BEST diet is a canned or raw diet. For a urinary problem, the best diet is also a canned diet. Although, it needs to be determined if he is prone to crystals or stones, whether or not a raw diet could be fed to him or not.

If he will let you bathe him, use water that is slightly cool to your skin. (A dog’s normal temperature is 101-102 degrees Fahrenheit) So, if he is worse with heat, this may give him some relief. He should be bathed with either a baby shampoo, or an oatmeal shampoo one to two times per week to give him some relief.

Use Rescue Remedy (diluted), the ‘original’ one for humans. NOT the one for animals containing glycerin. Use a 4 oz spray bottle and put in 20-30 drops of Rescue Remedy, then fill with Spring water. You can spray his skin wherever he is itching as often as needed to help ‘calm’ down the skin. And if he licks his skin it will help to calm him down.

Make him wear a white cotton T-shirt, (one for a human baby), with his head out the neck hole and his front legs out the arm holes. This will help prevent him from doing more trauma to his skin.

Stop giving him the dry C/D and feed canned only.

Other suggestions:
Antronex from Standard Process for inhaled allergies, (1/2 tablet crushed into food TWO times daily)
Omega 3 fish oils in food to help decrease the itching (100mg in food TWO times daily)

He will need a homeopathic remedy also, but I will need to gather more information first.

Hopefully, in the meantime, the above suggestions will help give him some relief.

And he may need some immune support added to his food.

1. Missing Link Canine Formula
2. Immuplex from Standard Process
3. OrthoMolecular Specialties, Mega C Powder

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

Dr Tillman,
Thank you so much for responding to my questions. My Shitzu started his problems about 2 years ago. Last vaccination was over five years ago. He itches all over his body, but maybe more in the back area, because he can reach it easier. The night does tend to be a lot worse. Nothing changes every two to three months that triggers his outbreaks, and no medication given to him by the vet. He eats CD because of blood in his urine and a crystal problem. The last two days he is about 80% better. I think the Hp drops are now working. The ingredients are not on the drops. I think they were on the box that I threw away. The container says they are Homeopathic remedy. Thanks again for all your help. I really appreciate it.
Susie

February 5, 2014
Hi Susie,
The best homeopathic remedy for the symptoms you have listed is Lachesis. From your description of the *HP* drops, this is probably a ‘combination’ remedy which I feel will NOT help him in the long run. These combination remedies are made of very low potencies, and are not specific to the individual patient.

If he is getting a small amount of relief using the HP drops, along with some of my suggestions in previous post, then you can continue for a few weeks. But I suspect that after that he will need a more ‘specific’ remedy that is closer to his symptoms and that is higher in potency to push him along to complete health and well being.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

What dosage of the Lachesis should I give him? Would he only be on this when the condition flares up or all the time? Is this safe to use all the time?
Thanks,
Susie

Why is the Cd hard food not good for my dog?
Thanks,
Susie

February 8, 2014

Hi Susie,
You wrote,

1.What dosage of the Lachesis should I give him?
I suggest 6C or 12C potency. The remedies come in a vial filled with 60-70 very small round pellets. DO NOT touch the pellets with your fingers. The vial has a cap, that can be taken off, turn the vial upside down, over the cap, and twist. One pellet will drop out into the cap.

Give one dry pellet by mouth, three times daily for the first 3 days, then 2 times daily for at least 3 weeks to observe for response. An ‘alternative’ would be to drop one pellet into a glass eye dropper bottle. And fill with Spring water. Give 1/2 eye dropperful by mouth three times daily for the first 3 days, then two times daily for 3 weeks. Shake the bottle 20 times against the palm of your hand before each dose. Store the bottle in the fridge.

2. Would he only be on this when the condition flares up or all the time?
He will be treated with a low potency at first, and then increasing potency as he improves. As the potency increases, the doses will be spread apart to one time per week, or once every 2-3 weeks, depending on his response. Eventually he will be cured, and not need anything again. If he stops responding to this remedy, then he may need a different remedy. The *goal* is to find the similimum. The *similimum* is the EXACT remedy similar to his individual disease, that is needed so he will be cured.

3.Is this safe to use all the time?
Hopefully, he will not need to use it at all, as time goes on. Once he is improved, and his ‘vital force’ is at a healthier level, he will not need to use a remedy.

4. Why is the C/D hard food not good for my dog?
NO DRY food is healthy. Dry food has NO moisture, and therefore it is especially NOT good for the urinary tract system. The bladder and kidneys need LOTS of moisture to form urine, and dilute crystals and flush out toxins. I have no idea why dog food companies prepared a prescription diet in a dry form for a urinary problem!

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

Where can I purchase Lachesis? How do I give him a pill by mouth without touching the pill? Can I mix it with some food by crushing it and mixing it in? What happens if I accidentally touch the pill?

My groomer squeezed his anal gland yesterday. I have noticed that after she does it, the licking, biting and chewing becomes flared up. After a couple of days, it does seem to calm back down. Why does the squeezing of the gland make the symptoms way worse?
Thanks,
Susie

Hi Susie,
You wrote,

*Where can I purchase Lachesis?
Just Google ‘how to order homeopathic remedies’ and there is a huge list of companies that you can choose from. Of course, it would be far easier for you to just visit a holistic veterinarian who has homeopathic remedies! In that way, everything can be explained, your dog can receive a thorough holistic exam, intake history of past illnesses, and give you diet and nutrition information in far more detail than I can accomplish online.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

*How do I give him a pill by mouth without touching the pill?
Open the vial, as I described earlier, to drop the pellet into the cap, and pull his lip open, and carry the pellet IN THE CAP to drop the pellet into his mouth. Or use the method of dissolving the pellet in Spring Water in a glass dropper bottle.

*Can I mix it with some food by crushing it and mixing it in? NO

*What happens if I accidentally touch the pill? The remedy is on the surface of the pellet and the touch of your fingers can rub it off.

*My groomer squeezed his anal gland yesterday. I have noticed that after she does it, the licking, biting and chewing becomes flared up. After a couple of days, it does seem to calm back down. Why does the squeezing of the gland make the symptoms way worse?
Apparently, he already has some sensitivity in that area. By applying pressure to express the glands, which may also have some inflammation, creates some extra irritation, and he must scratch everywhere.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.