Why does a dog itch if there are no fleas?

Sometimes it happens that the owner is sure that his dog has no fleas, but the animal still itches and gnaws its skin with its teeth. This behavior can be caused by a variety of reasons. In addition to fleas, the dog’s skin can be irritated by other insects that parasitize its body. In addition, the cause may be illness.

Possible reasons

When the dog is severely itchy, he combs his skin with claws and teeth. As a result, complications can occur - various bacteria can penetrate through the wounds. What are the most common causes that lead to pet itch besides fleas? It:

• ectoparasites;
• allergic to any substance;
• skin diseases of various kinds;
• increased secretion of fat skin;
• stressful situations;
• systemic diseases of various origins.

Since there are quite a few possible reasons, the host will most likely not be able to determine the root cause on his own.To avoid unpleasant consequences - should show the dog to the veterinarian.

Let's take a closer look at each of the possible reasons.

Ectoparasites
On pets can parasitize not only fleas, but also other common parasites. Lice, eaters or ticks settle on them. When we treat a dog for fleas, we do not get one hundred percent certainty that we have destroyed them completely. Fleas remain on the carpet, furniture, dog litter. In addition, they can not die after one treatment and in the dog's coat. If there are no fleas, it is necessary to examine the wool to make sure that there are no other parasites. There are many types of ticks that can irritate a dog and cause harm to it, in addition, it could pick up on a walk of lashes.

1. Ixodic tick is dangerous because it can cause piroplasmosis, hemobartonellosis, ehrlichiosis. Their saliva causes irritation, which is why the dog scratches his neck, ears and head. In addition, the dog may be allergic to the bites of some parasites. The result is a rash. The dog constantly itches, damaging his skin, and increasing the risk of bacteria entering the body.The diseases are quite serious, so the pet must be shown to the vet.
2. The gamasid mite can live in small rodents or birds. But this tick can settle on a dog.
3. Subcutaneous mites are able to live long on the skin first, eating cornified particles. When the animal's immunity falls, this tick penetrates under the integument. The dog begins to itch. The female tick lays eggs. As a result, inflammation and rash develop. The dog begins to brush the places around the eyes, as well as in the area of ​​the mouth.
4. The scabies mite causes the development of scabies. Because of the characteristic symptoms that it causes, it is also called itchiness. A dog may become infected with prolonged contact with a sick animal. Insect penetrates the skin for half an hour.
5. Ear tick can live in the ears not only dogs. Often he settles in cats. The parasite feeds on sulfur and secretions of the sebaceous glands. This tick may well be located in any other part of the body. If the dog scratches his ears - it should be checked for the presence of an ear tick.

A common symptom of mites on the dog's skin surface is itching. In addition, each mite species has its own symptoms. Do not self-medicate.Only a veterinarian will correctly determine the cause, and also prescribe a complex of necessary drugs to help the pet.

To avoid infection, the dog should be treated with one of the sprays, such as Bars, Defendog and others. There are also drugs in the form of drops. For example, Serko, Ralph Club. You can wear an animal protective collar.

Allergy
If the dog does not have any fleas or other parasites, and the itch continues anyway, one may think that the pet is allergic. The cause of it is usually such factors.

• Bites of insect parasites.
• Various substances inhaled by a pet.
• Substances that are part of the hygiene products for dogs.
• Components of feed or reaction to switching to another feed.
• Drugs or vaccinations.

In dogs and humans, the reaction is manifested differently. The features of these organisms are completely different. In dogs, mainly allergies manifest as itching and various skin lesions. When a dog is combing a place of irritation, an infection that has penetrated through the wounds may be added, which further aggravates the situation.

Flea bites can cause this reaction becausethat their saliva contains protein, which the dog's body perceives as foreign. A reaction can even occur on a single bite.

According to statistics, a fairly large percentage of dogs suffer from atopic dermatitis. The reasons for its development can be such factors:

• pollen of various plants;
• feathers of birds;
• dead skin cells of the animal itself;
• fungus;
• excrement of synanthropic insects.

The dog begins to scratch. Hardest itch is felt in areas such as legs, belly, as well as the back and tail of the animal. Spots appear on the skin. They can be seen under the coat, and in short-haired dogs they are visible to the naked eye.

Food allergies are also possible. Among the substances that can cause it, there are proteins that lead to anaphylaxis, and other components that lead to atopy. Only a veterinarian can determine the cause and prescribe a dog treatment. In addition, he will be able to distinguish just intolerance from this allergy.

What products can cause allergies? This meat, and most often - beef or horse meat. In addition, it often happens that the dog does not tolerate milk.The owner of the pet is important to know that allergies can occur if the feed contains soy, lamb or chicken. These products are contained in high quality feed. Itching dog develops very strong. As a result, she begins to not only scratch, but also bite itchy places. When the dog then intensively licks the damaged areas of the body, the fur begins to fall to the bottom. As a result, its color can change. Wool thins and can fall out completely. Skin rough.

Long-haired breeds suffer from the fact that allergies lead to severe dermatitis. If the dog itches, and the wool coalesces - most likely it is wet dermatitis, which will be noticeable after trimming the wool from the plot.

In addition, the dog may develop an allergy to various drugs, drops, vaccine. Symptoms develop such as with food allergies. For example, if a dog began to scratch after you put fleas on it, or you visited a veterinarian to get a vaccine, the reason may lie in that.

Dermatosis, a symptom of which is also itching, may occur due to the wearing of a collar impregnated with insecticides. The collar is in contact with the dog's skin, which causes it to become allergic.Very often this is observed in puppies, because they have more delicate skin. The dog will be scratching his neck, trying to remove the collar.

To rid the pet of suffering, it is necessary to identify and eliminate the cause of such a reaction. And to relieve symptoms, veterinarians usually prescribe antihistamines.

Skin diseases
Skin diseases also very often cause an itch in a dog. The most common of these are various dermatoses, as well as eczema and lichen.

Dermatophytosis develops in young dogs or puppies. It can also develop after a decrease in immunity. Mycosis can cause itching. As a result of such a lesion, the pet has a coat, the nails exfoliate and turn yellow, the skin on the paws begins to peel off, and may even begin to crack. It is necessary to show the pet to a specialist. He will prescribe medication with antimycotic drugs. These can be shampoos, such as Dermazole or Nizoral, a special remedy for dogs.

If the dog is healthy - it does not have dandruff or it is almost invisible. If it is formed, then the dog develops seborrhea, which can be caused by various factors.If decorative dogs like spitz begin to itch badly - they have dry seborrhea. This happens because the owners of such “sofa” doggies often bathe. Because of this, their skin begins to dry up, the sebaceous glands do not work properly. Lack of fat leads to dandruff on the skin. If it does not appear because of a serious illness, it can be treated with shampoo against seborrhea.

Very often, representatives of rocks in which the skin forms large folds suffer from dermatitis. These can be breeds such as pug or mastiff. If the pet begins to scratch its face - check the folds. The skin in these areas may redden, become wet.

Treatment consists of treatment with agents that destroy bacteria and then drying. If the disease is running, the vet will prescribe a course of antibiotics.

Increased sebaceous gland function
Sometimes a pet may develop a so-called “greasy tail”. Most often cats suffer from such a disorder, but it can also develop in dogs. This pathology develops due to hyperfunction of the sebaceous glands, which are located on the tail and at its base.As a result, the wool begins to stick together, oily seborrhea develops. Such a violation causes discomfort in the animal. The dog begins to gnaw its tail, lick it intensely. This leads to injury or alopecia.

To get rid of the problem, you must use a special shampoo, which will help restore the normal functioning of the sebaceous glands of the dog. But in any case, it is necessary to show the pet to the veterinarian in order to identify the cause of this disorder.

Stress
Dogs, like people, are subject to various stresses. With prolonged exposure, they can affect the health of the animal. Often, stress causes dogs to have various skin problems. Sometimes a reaction can appear on a short-term impact, but when it disappears, it quickly passes. This may be the cry of the owner, a visit to the vet, an unpleasant smell. When a stressful situation affects a pet for a long time, he may develop seborrhea or allergies. This will cause the dog to lick or nibble some areas of the skin.

To cure a pet, it is necessary to identify what exactly causes such a reaction.You should surround your four-footed friend with care, pay attention to him, take him out for a walk. To distract the dog, you can take it to games or start training. If stress does not go away - the veterinarian can prescribe sedatives.

Whatever the reason for the development of pet itch, it is necessary to identify it as soon as possible. Only a specialist can do it right. After all, the owner, going through possible causes and making attempts to help, can lose valuable time. As a result, the problem may worsen even more.

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