Okay, I need your help guys...and girls
My chihuahua has started chewing so bad that she's 'bout chewed all the hair off her front legs. I've been trying almost everything I can to soothe her itchies and save her legs! I really don't know what could be causing it. Any suggestions on what to do (trying to exhaust all options before going to the vet) and why all of a sudden is she scratching like mad?
The itching started about a week ago in which I responded by giving her a bath. She hadn't had one in a while and was starting to smell like a real dog. The only kind of shampoo we had was human, I couldn't find the dog shampoo anywhere. So I thought, what the heck, and gave her a luxurious lather with that...man she smelled great!
The chewing continued and got to where she had a few tiny bald spots on her front legs. After work that day I stopped by the pet store and got some anti-itch spray. "Corti-spray" ...bottle said it would relieve all of her symptoms. First, the sprayer sucked and sprayed everything BUT what I was aiming at. Then she actually started to lick it off and itch right through it. Lame.
Today, I gave her another bath with medicated shampoo and started her on some Benedryl (1/2 tab 2x a day). I've been going over all the things that would cause it. I know it's not her food because she's been eating this kind for a while now with no problems (Innova EVO...no allergenic fillers and she's good with poultry and beef). I don't think it's stress related because nothing has really been out of the norm lately. My roommate suggested it might have been the human shampoo (wich I initially blamed) but then I realized she started the itching even before the bath. It's not fleas because you can actually see fleas crawling on her if she has them, and no flea dirt has been found as of yet.
She seems to really itch everywhere...for some reason she's just chosen to only make her legs bald and they get balder balder as the days go by. Her eyes are seeming to weep a little (but then again she's a chihuahua with naturally weepy eyes).
Could it be something in the air? Like allergies to the new season or something? And can you guys think of any other things I can try or types of shampoos, sprays or lotions that are actually effective? Do i really have to go to the vet yet?
Wow that was a really long post. Sorry opcorn:
My chihuahua has started chewing so bad that she's 'bout chewed all the hair off her front legs. I've been trying almost everything I can to soothe her itchies and save her legs! I really don't know what could be causing it. Any suggestions on what to do (trying to exhaust all options before going to the vet) and why all of a sudden is she scratching like mad?
The itching started about a week ago in which I responded by giving her a bath. She hadn't had one in a while and was starting to smell like a real dog. The only kind of shampoo we had was human, I couldn't find the dog shampoo anywhere. So I thought, what the heck, and gave her a luxurious lather with that...man she smelled great!
The chewing continued and got to where she had a few tiny bald spots on her front legs. After work that day I stopped by the pet store and got some anti-itch spray. "Corti-spray" ...bottle said it would relieve all of her symptoms. First, the sprayer sucked and sprayed everything BUT what I was aiming at. Then she actually started to lick it off and itch right through it. Lame.
Today, I gave her another bath with medicated shampoo and started her on some Benedryl (1/2 tab 2x a day). I've been going over all the things that would cause it. I know it's not her food because she's been eating this kind for a while now with no problems (Innova EVO...no allergenic fillers and she's good with poultry and beef). I don't think it's stress related because nothing has really been out of the norm lately. My roommate suggested it might have been the human shampoo (wich I initially blamed) but then I realized she started the itching even before the bath. It's not fleas because you can actually see fleas crawling on her if she has them, and no flea dirt has been found as of yet.
She seems to really itch everywhere...for some reason she's just chosen to only make her legs bald and they get balder balder as the days go by. Her eyes are seeming to weep a little (but then again she's a chihuahua with naturally weepy eyes).
Could it be something in the air? Like allergies to the new season or something? And can you guys think of any other things I can try or types of shampoos, sprays or lotions that are actually effective? Do i really have to go to the vet yet?
Wow that was a really long post. Sorry opcorn: