vet well-visits for your petsvet well-visits for your pets

If you're a new dog owner, things might go well for a while when you first bring them home, and then suddenly you might find that your furry friend is itching like crazy. Dogs do scratch themselves from time to time, but if they seem to dig harder and faster, as well as more often, they may be experiencing some sort of allergy. Give your dog some relief from the itching by using the information in this guide.

Find Out What Your Dog Might Be Allergic To

Take your dog to the vet so they can run some blood tests to find out if they are allergic to something. Some of the items that dogs can be allergic to include:

• dog food with artificial coloring
• ragweed
• pollen
• dust mites

Your vet, like Cable Michael L, may prescribe a small does of anti-itch medication and give you some ideas on which food is best if it is your dog's food that's causing the problem. For ragweed, pollen and dust mites, there may not be much that you can do, other than relieving the itchiness.   

Create the Bath Water

Just as an oatmeal bath works wonders for humans that have skin irritations, it works for dogs as well. Create an oatmeal bath to help relieve your dog's itchy skin.

Purchase some baby oatmeal cereal, and then mix about a cup of it into a tub filled with lukewarm water. Then stir it up with either your clean hands or a large clean spoon.

Let Your Dog Soak

Place your dog into the tub of oatmeal water. Use your hands to scoop up the water and pour it over his or her body. Make sure you get the top of their head as well, but be careful not to get it in their eyes to avoid irritation.

Rub the water into the their skin gently for a few minutes. Then let your dog soak in the bath to give the oatmeal a chance to really work on the skin.

After your dog has sat in the water for a few minutes, drain the tub and rinse him or her off with clean water.

Towel-dry your dog and then comb their hair. They will love the feel of the comb on their skin.  

Watch your dog closely for signs of allergic itching due to environmental issues that are beyond your control, such as pollen and ragweed. Then give them another bath to help them achieve the relief they're looking for. As much as dogs hate baths, they may come to associate them with a less itchy skin and will love you all the more for taking the time to perform this task.