I only posted a little while ago about my boy being a little quiet if not calmer on BARF - you'll be happy to know that he's his usual self again. But his scratching is getting quite bad now - especially around his mouth and snout. Is this normal with this change in diet (and if so will it fade with time) or should I be worrying about another cause?

Some dogs do go through a detox stage on BARF....hoiw long has he been on raw and how long has he been itchy.How bad is it?
Archer

Hi there - not all that long, about 3 weeks. His itching has only really become noticeable in the last week / week and a half or so. He seems fine in every other way - he eats a little grass most days but I've never known him not to.

Can you tell us what exactly you are feeding please
Archer

Sure, he has fish most mornings - sardines/tuna or mackeral. And in the evening he has EITHER pork, mince, lamb ribs, chicken fillets, liver or heart mixed with pureed veg (carrots, kidney beans, cabbage and green beans, sweetcorn) and a teaspoon of codliver oil. I also give him a teaspoon of natural yoghurt every other day or so.  As a treat to keep him busy or to compliment a meal he has a small bone.  I've also fed him a little apple and some raisins just to see what he thought of it.

Firstly I would only feed fish in oil 1 or 2 times a week.Secondly although a few won't hurt raisins are poisonous in large quantities so if it were my dog these would be a no no.I would also drop the cod liver oil since your feeding oily fish.Raw meaty bones need to make up about 40% of the diet so if the bones you are feeding are very small you may need to increase these(this will not be causing the itch but thought I'd mention it anyway.
How bad is the itching?
Archer

Oh :/ ok thanks!!! I'll certainly do that then! And will definitely keep the raisins to myself. He does eat a lot of bones but I wouldn't say it's 40% - so will increase that.

The itching is not so bad that he's pulling his hair out, but it's obviously irritating him, he'll stop walking whilst we're out to have a scratch which he never used to do. I can't see any redness or rashes but there were a couple of tiny blood spots where he scratched his whisker area to within an inch of its life!

Not being funny but could the itching be something to do with an allergy such as pollen since we've had hot weather for the last couple of week(well on and off).I'd try bathing his muzzle area with warm water a couple of times a day...esp after going out.
Other than that like I said stick at it esp since the itching isn't that bad.The bones should be meaty bones to make up the 40%...such as chicken wings,lamb ribs etc
Archer

Thanks for your help! I've bought him some chicken wings today so I'll give those to him tonight with some rice. Thanks again... 

Can I ask why the rice? Dogs don't need grain....some dogs can react to grains.
Archer

Hi Dee Dee,

Sorry to butt in as Archer is clearly helping you a lot and I don't feed all raw (but I'd query the grains part too ;) )

On a different tactic, which may have been covered elsewhere, could it be an environmental alergic reaction such as to disinfectant, washing powder, air freshener etc?  It may not necessarily be food related.

Regards, Teri :)

Hi Teri
I'd mentioned the possibilty of a different allergy too....seems unlikely to be food as I would have thought it would be less localised if it were.Has the dog sniffed at some plants with chemicals on maybe?
Archer