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are there any natural home remedies for a dog that scratches excessively?

my dog tends to get under a bush and will scratch herself raw if I don't stop her in time..

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I have heard coconut oil in their food, or a bath with apple cider vinegar can help. There are several shampoos/sprays you can order online that are oatmeal based or specific to the problem that you can order too.

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Fish oil, Fish oil, Fish oil! Along with a non scented oatmeal bath ๐Ÿ›€.

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We need more information to provide the best answer! Is her skin red and inflamed? Is there a smell that you notice (like moldy bread or fritos, or possible even a sweet yeasty smell)? Is she losing her hair? How long has this been going on for? Has anything changed recently? Does it appear to perhaps be seasonal? Etc... A few things I can throw out there - Most issues with skin and coat can be relieved with a change of diet. You can help alleviate the discomfort in the meantime with some of the above suggestions (I recommend avoiding oatmeal until you've ruled out a yeast problem, though) - coconut oil on the skin and in the food can't hurt and as it's anti-fungal and antibacterial as well as incredibly moisturizing, I highly recommend it for a plethora of issues. However, getting to the root of the issue, instead of relieving the symptoms, is preferable. If you suspect yeast (red skin, odd smell I mentioned earlier - often most present in paws and ears) then the first thing to do is reduce the sugar in your dog's diet. Yeast feeds off of sugar, and unfortunately, kibble (dry) is chock-full of carb-laden ingredients that very quickly break down into sugar. If you are uncomfortable with switching to a raw diet, I'd recommend finding a formula that uses lentils and chickpeas, or perhaps garbanzo beans, instead of grains or potatoes. These are complex carbs that break down much slower and are far more fibrous and far less starchy than potatoes. Keep up the new diet for at least 12 weeks to see how she does on it. If you'd like brand suggestions, let me know! :) if you are comfortable with the idea of raw, or are already feeding raw, then I recommend something similar which is removing the starch out of the diet - no grains, no potatoes (sweet or white), and make sure your treats are meat-only to reduce carbs.

The other thing I wanted to throw out there, would be seasonal/environmental/inhalant allergies, which are far more common than food allergies, which only happens in about 3-6% of dogs and cats. The tests done on dogs and cats for these allergies are often inconclusive, so I don't recommend wasting your time on them. Though it's a much longer process, food elimination diets are cheaper and yield more accurate results. Now, with the external allergens I mentioned, changing the diet is still beneficial, because if your dog is on a healthy, easily digestible food that works well with her body, it will help her combat the allergies better anyway.

The top things to keep in mind when picking a dog food are to ensure that you have a high protein (30% or high), moderate fat (15% - 20%), low carb (they don't list this on pet food. You have to take the amount of protein, fat, moisture, and fiber from 100% and basically what you ... (more)

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You may have one of those breeds that, yes, can and will be destructive if you are gone. Separation anxiety. Boredom. All good reasons to scratch. Certain breeds need a lot of stimulus to keep them occupied otherwise they may turn to these behaviors. Toys. Food. Leaving music or tv on can certainly help. Also, if you can keep your dog in a space where they will not see you leave; that can keep them calmer.

Marie S., M.S.Ed

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Finely ground oatmeal is a time-honored remedy for irritated skin. You can use baby oatmeal cereal or grind it yourself in a food processor. Stir the oatmeal into a bath of warm water and let your dog soak. Dogs with skin allergies, infections, and other diseases which cause itchiness have been shown to gain immediate relief with this approach.