Natural Allergy Relief for Dogs

Stop your dog from scratching and biting with these tips for natural allergy relief for dogs and helping soothe your pet’s dry skin.

Reader Contribution by Robert J. Silver and Dvm/The Bark
Updated on June 15, 2022
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by Unsplash/Michael Oxendine

Stop your dog from scratching and biting with these tips for natural allergy relief for dogs and helping soothe your pet’s dry skin.

Recently, my dog’s nighttime scratching has been keeping both of us awake. Her fur seems dry, and she also seems to be shedding more than usual. What can I do to help her?

Dogs itch for many reasons, and sometimes for no reason. But when a dog is incessantly licking, scratching, biting, and chewing to the point of wounding itself, then scratching can be a symptom of an underlying pathology.

Dog Pruritus

The medical term for scratching related to excessive itching is “pruritus.” This is the second most common reason people take their dogs to the vet (gastrointestinal problems, such as diarrhea, top the list). The causes of pruritus can be quite complex, but dogs itch for two main reasons. The first has to do with the condition of the skin itself: Is it infected? Is it too oily? Is it too dry? Of these three, dry skin is a frequent occurrence. The second major cause of pruritus is allergies.

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