Why does my dog scratch and bite himself a lot?

Why is my dog constantly scratching and biting himself?

It’s extremely unpleasant for all pet parents to see their gorgeous pets scratch constantly.

Scratching is a sign of discomfort that results from irritation, pain, or disorder in any of the body parts.

It’s one of the most common problems pet owners and veterinary practitioners encounter. It affects dogs of all ages; however, it’s easy to treat, control, and prevent as long as the primary cause is established as prescribed below.

Scratching is mostly associated with irritants within, on, or under the skin.

In this blog post, we will explore the common causes of why your dog is scratching and give tips on the treatment and prevention of itchy skin. So if you are looking for solutions, keep reading.

How do dogs scratch themselves?

RUBBING AGAINST OBJECTS: When a dog has an irritant on or in the skin, they rub against objects with rough surfaces to get relief or eliminate the irritant.

BITING THE SKIN: In an attempt to eliminate the irritant, a dog will bite the affected area.

USING THE CLAWS OF THE HIND LIMBS: Dogs use the claws of their hind limbs to scratch; however, it is a bit misleading (where the claws scratch does not necessarily indicate the location of the irritant; it can be in another spot where the claws cannot reach).

Why does my dog constantly scratch and bite himself??

Dogs will scratch to relieve pain from any part of their body or discomfort from irritants. (The more irritating the substance, the more itchy the skin.)

Various factors can lead to irritations, such as:

FLEAS are small, wingless, reddish brown, fast-moving, laterally flattened insects. They bite dogs to suckle blood as a way of feeding; biting causes pain and releases a chemical substance that leads to skin irritation. (FLEA ALLERGY DERMATITIS)

Certain medications, such as antifungals, thyroid, flea and tick treatments, and so on, can irritate dogs. Please promptly notify the veterinarian or pharmacist who prescribed the medication.

ALLERGIC REACTIONS: Dogs are susceptible to allergic reactions to a wide range of substances, foods, and compounds. The primary obstacle is that the majority of the allergens are microscopic, making them difficult to identify and avoid.

MITES;- they are microscopic parasites that can be topical or burrowed in the skin. Skin irritation is due to cutaneous hypersensitivity and inflammatory exudate caused by the mouth parts and saliva from the mites. The exudate is the source of food for mites.

SKIN FUNGAL INFECTIONS: manifest with dandruff, circular alopecic skin areas, and reddening of the affected areas. A commonly diagnosed species is Microsporum canis. It is zoonotic, but mostly in immunocompromised humans.

TICKS: The brown dog tick is the most common type. Feed on blood obtained after biting and suckling the dogs. From bites, they cause pain and also release a chemical that irritates the skin.

EAR INFECTIONS (OTITIS) are caused by several factors, e.g., foreign bodies, traumatic injuries, food allergies, and bacterial and fungal infections.

EXCESSIVE UNGROOMED OR UNCAREDFOR FUR: matted hair or a lot of ungroomed hair collects dirt and heat that causes discomfort and irritation to the skin. Also, act as breeding grounds for most of the ectoparasites.

Over or under-bathing: over-bathing destabilizes the skin’s normal flora, predisposing it to bacterial and fungal infections. Consult your veterinarian on how often to bathe your dog.

REACTION TO A PARTICULAR SHAMPOO: Before purchasing any dog shampoo brand, consult a vet doctor on the best options available for your dog breed.

CUTANEOUS MYIASIS; skin Myiasis is a condition where myiatic flies lay eggs on the skin of a dog. The laid eggs penetrate the skin, transform into larvae (maggots), and manifest as rounded skin swellings that can be reddened when unripe (maggots can’t be squeezed out) or yellowish when ripe (maggots can be squeezed out).
The penetration of the eggs and larvae migration causes a lot of pain and skin irritation.

BACTERIAL SKIN INFECTION (S), mostly caused by Staphylococcus spp.

GENETIC DISORDERS are common in inbred dogs

NUTRITIONAL IMBALANCES

AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS

What are the best treatments and prevention measures for scratching and itchy skin in dogs?
(Before trying any treatment plan, please establish the exact cause of itching.)

The commonly prescribed drugs or management practices are:
Anti-parasitic drugs. (drugs that kill fleas, mites, and ticks)
Antifungal drugs or shampoo

Regular grooming

Anti-inflammatories

Anti-histamines

Feeding a balanced diet

Avoid inbreeding

Proper hygiene

What happens to a dog if left with untreated scratching or itching?
Untreated dogs develop:

Skin wounds

Rough hair coat

Loss of hair (bald skin patches)

Dandruff

Red skin spots

Pus in infected wounds.

Loss of body weight

NB;!!!!! In chronic conditions, even after eradicating the cause of scratching, the dog might continue to scratch (sometimes it turns into a behavioral problem if done for a long period), and pain relief is obtained when or after scratching. It’s conditioned in the brain of a dog, that to get some relief, I am supposed to scratch.