Hi, Everyone,
This is old Suzi, transplant from the USA. I am still having a bit of trouble adjusting to being in England, where everything seems to have a different name or else I just can't be understood lol!
I have a border collie who is a bit over a year old. He seemed to be scratching quite a bit, but could never see anything on him no matter how I looked. The vet found no problem either. Have tried some over the counter medicated shampoos and the problem hadn't gotten any better. We also have a greyhound and of course, you could have knocked me over with a feather when I realized on close examination he was crawling with fleas! We "Frontlined" everyone including the cat, and sprayed the carpets with an "ovatrol" product approximately two weeks ago. I can find no more fleas, but Bob the Border is still scratching. I can find nothing on his skin, no bites, or any irritation.
We feed Iams adult kibble with pedigree canned added. His skin doesn't seem to be dry. He also gets a pet vitamin daily. Neither the greyhound or the cat are scratching! I've even tried adding a bit of oil to his food.
Have any of you got any other ideas? Any help would be appreciated. After 20 years in salukis I feel like a fool! Have never had a problem like this before. Am I missing something that is particular to England?
Thanks!
Love yas for the help in advance!
Suzi

I have a golden retriever that will scratch herself to pieces if she has any food that has a trace of wheat in it.

I feed her on an all-in-one Lamb and Rice or Chicken and Rice plus a bit of tripe now and again and don't have any problems. You have to read the ingredients carefully because some say lamb and rice but also say cereals which can mean wheat as well.

You could also try antihisamine for a little while, it took about two weeks for wheat to get out of her system. But now I never have any problems.

Try just feeding the kibble alone Suzi. You may be overloading the protein intake by adding the tin meat to it. Is his coat thinning or is he just itchy?

Hi Saluki,

I would change Iams for Nutro Chicken & Rice kibble. In my on breed, numerous dogs on Iams or Eukanuba have suffered from wet eczema. Nutro is far more "pure" in it's ingredients and Chicken & Rice is for more sensitive dogs, 22% protein, 17% fat.

I found one year with my eldest bitch she was suffering from an itchy skin almost like "nettle-rash". I obtained Urtica from a homeopathic chemists, 1 tablet 3 times a day given 1 hour before or after a meal, at least, crushed between 2 spoons and placed on the tongue, cured her of itching in 3 days. She went from rampant to nothing...it was incredible. Alternatively, Dodson & Horrell do Nettle (Urtica is Nettle's Latin name) dried and in tubs..they have a website if you want to check it out.

Hi Suzi

The daily vitamin tablet - is it yeast based? If so this can cause itching (along with heat, residue from flea bites, carpet treatments, furniture freshners, food, paint? )

Christine

HiAll!
All such good advice. Know some children are allergic to wheat so will check out what I am feeding. I know some breeds do better on lower protien than sighthounds and I just have to get my head around it. A lot of the big sporting dogs seem to do great in the US on just about any old "dawg fuud" from the supermarket, but I always found my salukis lost a good deal of weight and also the stool volume was stupendous. Could someone tell me a brand that has NO wheat in it and a good outlet for it.
Christine! Yes! The vit tabs ARE Yeast based, and I had always heard that was GOOD for coats! I know a lot of rough collie and sheltie breeders feed tons to their dogs.
Gosh you learn something all the time.
By the way, Christine, I attended my first dog show here last weekend...an Afghan Specialty where I showed two of the Tambang Afghans. Turns out she is local...and we are off to another Specialty this next weekend in Cambridge. Also (dum dumd dumd dum!) met a saluki breeder there who has some of the same lines I did and she is planning a litter...ulp. Bruce my through we out though ! lol.
Bruce's surgery is set for Dec 11th, but will call ya before then.
Thanks again for everyone's advice. Started Bob on antihistimines today, and even if the BBC says homeopathy is crap...hey I'll try anything. I think water must have a memory, cause mine has to have gone someplace, right?
Love ya all,
Suzi

We tend to call our Breed shows 'Breed Club shows' rather than Specialties. :D

Hope you get another Saluki soon!

How did you find the showing compared to Stateside???

Arden Grange do a Lamb and Rice which my Goldens thoroughly enjoy it can be ordered direct and if you apply for a breeders no. you can get it cheaper. http://www.ardengrange.com

James Welbeloved also do very good Turkey and Rice , Lamb and Rice. my Goldens found it a bit bland and one wouldn't eat it but I know others that love it. This can be bought at most pet food suppliers, like Pet City or Pets at Home as I think it is now called.

Bobbi

Lilly,
Was wondering what breed of dogs you have???
Love ya,
Suzi

Hi Suzy,

I have Large Munsterlanders, 4 of them. You can find them in the US but the club there has gone out of it's way to make sure they are not recognised by the AKC or CKC, they don't want them turned into "bench" dogs....... Unfortunately, because of this obsession with all work and no play, it's produced some untypical specimens of the breed. Yes, they do have some nice dogs BUT they have some weird ones too.

Nutro has no wheat in it, also Arden Grange foods. I must say, I find Nutro smells good and the dogs seem to love it.

Hi!
WEll, his coat it itching, and it seems thinner expecially around his rough and his ears. No bald spots at all, but there are times when you put your hands on him and a certain area will feel almost hot to the touch. If anything his coat seems dry. He has some dandruffy spots around his tail. Coat has a good shine to it and doesn't feel brittle. Still can't find flea one even on the greyhound now they are all treated, but I guess it takes a few weeks to kill off the ones there even with spraying, spot-on stuff etc.
Would figure my hubby would be right and if I just treated him like any old mut and fed him table scraps and cheapo dog food he'd be fine.
Argggggh. Too much knowledge can be a dangerous thing lol!
Love ya,
Suzi

Do you use carpet freshners or cleaners for the floor? Bob great name!

Julieann xxx

hi
have you tried raw spinach,blend the spinach with a few drops of water and feed a spoonful 3 times aday it works wonders on itchy dogs,
i got this tip from a dog paper awhile back and when one of my dogs was stratching like mad for no reason that i could find,i tried this and the itching stopped within 2 days.