[artbuc]

As you all know by now, Rocky has chronic itchies. Sometimes I think I know what causes it and other times I don't. Yesterday he had one of his best days. He had been getting progressiveky better and I was hoping for a nice run of scratch-free days. Yesterday afternoon I groomed Rocky including a vigorous brushing. This morning he is scratching/biting with intensity. He is really bothered. Nothing else changed in Rocky's routine, diet or external environment.

Two questions:

1. Could brushing irritate his skin and cause scracthing & biting?

2. What is the best way to treat winter itchies? I am inclined to give Rocky a MicroTek shampoo, but I am afraid a shampoo will just dry out his skin even more.

Thanks.

 

[paula bedard]

Welcome to Ike's world. We're going through the exact same thing. No food change, no fleas, no seasonal allergies right now, so what's causing it? I'm pretty sure it's just the dry winter air indoors with the heater and fireplace running. I tried benadryl without success and resorted to putting a T shirt on Ike to keep him from scratching and biting himself and viola! it worked. He even stopping having the itchies....? I'm supplementing with fish oil, kelp, and using gold bond powder and cortizone cream, which the T also prevents him from getting to and licking off. So far it's working. I am going to bathe him with micro tek shampoo (waiting for it to arrive) and hopefully that will be the end of the winter itches.

Try the T, might help. The boxers worked for half a day. He kept walking out of them.
Oh, he LOVED wearing the clothes! Go figure!

 

[Noey]

I love Ike in his Ts.