Both dogs and pet owners may experience frustration with dog itching at night. Not only may it cause restless nights, but it may also be a sign of a more serious health problem.
In this post, I’ll examine the typical causes of a dog scratching night and offer remedies to ensure your friend sleeps peacefully.
The truth is that there are numerous potential causes for your dog’s nighttime itching.
The Reasons For Dog Itching At Night
Dry skin is one of the common reasons for making your four-legged friend itchy at night.
In addition, there are other causes, such as anxiety, fleas, over-shampooing, allergies, or candida albicans infection.
Dry Skin
Knowing the reason is necessary for finding the remedy. One of the typical reasons dogs itch at night is dry skin.
Humid weather changes, such as low air humidity or frigid temperatures, can lead to skin issues in dogs.
It might also be brought on by your dog’s diet not providing enough nutrition.
Try using a humidifier if your house is excessively dry like mine is in the winter. To help with skin scrapes, add a teaspoon of olive oil to his food.
You should switch to grain-free food if those measures don’t work because many dogs have sensitivities to grains.
Allergies
The most typical cause of dog itching all night is allergies. Just like people, dogs can develop allergies.
Hot patches and irritated, red skin or skin scrapings can occasionally result from dust mites, skin biopsies, atopic dermatitis, bacterial infections, direct contact allergies, pollen allergies, external parasites, or flea bites.
On any red, itchy skin, cortisone cream can be applied.
There are numerous items to which dogs may have allergies. Occasionally, allergies encompass food sensitivities in addition to cutaneous reactions.
Your dog’s digestive system may be sensitive or intolerant to certain foods, like eggs, wheat, meat, soy, chicken, or milk.
Fleas
Fleas are unsettling small insects that slither through your dog’s fur and skin before biting and sucking his blood.
They enter your dog’s ears, climb up their nose, and have been known to enter the brain. Your dog could develop anemia and eventually die if it is not treated.
Products from a pet store, like flea shampoos and other topical treatment options, can readily get rid of flea dirt and flea allergy dermatitis.
Because fleas can dwell in carpet, your home must be treated to eradicate an infestation. You can examine your dog for flea saliva by splitting their fur and searching.
If it is affected, you can see the tiny bugs and droppings on your dog’s body. Deal with the problem right now.
Candida Albicans Infection
When Candida overgrowth inside a dog’s body causes superficial skin infections, candidiasis results.
Dogs are more prone to developing skin infections when the immune system is compromised due to allergy medication or an underlying illness.
It may develop dog itching worse at night from yeast infections that affect the skin health, paws, ears, and other parts of the body.
Over-Shampooing
Using human shampoo or over-shampooing your dog might dry its skin and make it itch terribly.
The best shampoo to use is typically one with an oatmeal basis; how much time your dog spends outside will determine how frequently you shampoo.
Additionally, using aggressive shampoos or showering your dog too regularly might upset the pH balance of their skin, causing inflammation.
Consider whether over-shampooing might be a contributing issue if your dog itches at night.
Anxiety
Your dog may scratch at night since it is anxious or stressed out. Anticipating something that happened or may happen again can lead to anxiety, tension, and trepidation.
Once more, any environmental changes can make a dog act anxiously. Monitor him to observe whether his compulsive behavior changes over a period of time.
How To Help Your Dog Get Rid Of Itching
Cover The Skin
You can use something to cover the irritated skin to avoid allergic skin diseases. You can try a sock and tape it on if it is on a leg or something similar.
If not, I advise purchasing flat medical bandages and applying them with tape. But it’ll likely succeed in doing so.
The greatest choice is a collar. Several kinds are effective with dogs whose bodies are not long. They are available on Amazon.
There are anti-itch products on the market; however, while using cortisone cream, proceed cautiously.
It may be too much for your dog because it absorbs more quickly into a wound or scrapes.
Watch Your Dog’s Diet
Since improper diets are one of the causes, low thyroid and not knowing what you’re feeding the dog are two additional very typical issues.
I can’t say if that’s what’s happening, but adding omega-3 fish oil—either in the form of liquid or capsules—often helps dry skin issues.
The veterinarian must perform a low thyroid screening or fatty acid supplements.
Thyroid supplements are cheap, and your dog will feel much better if the dog does have low thyroid.
Try to cut grains out of your dog’s active ingredients completely. Raw feeding has several benefits. One animal protein, from time to time, is introduced.
Feed another after a week or two, feed for a few more weeks, and then feed meat. They often become unwell when new ones are introduced quickly.
Change The Shampoo
A moderate oat shampoo, ideally one to prevent itchiness in dogs, should be used if over-shampooing is the problem.
I’ve also seen shampoos for itchy skin, but before purchasing one, I’d carefully check the label to make sure it wasn’t too drying for my dog’s skin to dry.
A conditioning shampoo, but once more, its primary purpose was to soften fur rather than moisturize skin.
Certain canine skin conditions can also be helped by cod liver oil and multivitamins.
Even plain water can contain around a spoonful of olive oil. As you give him a gentle shampoo, massage his skin.
Don’t dry him with a hairdryer. By doing this, the goal of moisturizing his skin will be defeated to prevent persistent scratching, house dust mites, and environmental triggers.
Get A Fleas Treatment
There are various ways to eliminate parasites and fleas that may have made their way onto your dog’s skin and coat.
Flea preventatives must be used all year round to keep your dogs secure.
You can use topical medications, oral medications, medicated powders, and even medicated shampoos, including components designed to kill parasites.
Use a flea spray to treat your dog’s bed and favorite resting spots. Every day, vacuum any rugs and carpets.
Every few days, wash any blankets or pet beds. If you truly want to eliminate the fleas, you must continue this program until they have been gone for a month.
See A Vet
Speaking with a veterinarian about compulsive scratching is essential for an accurate diagnosis, careful monitoring, and the best course of care.
A short-term oral tablet, a cold water wash, or a rinse that relieves your veterinarian can recommend itching.
They can also advise you on everything you need to do to have a good treatment plan.
FAQs
When Should I Take My Dog In For Itching?
Make an appointment with your vet if there is constant itching in dogs since they may bite their legs due to an allergic reaction.
If your dog has allergic dermatitis, your veterinarian must prescribe medication.
Can Boredom Cause Excessive Itching In Dogs?
Yes, it is the answer. Many dogs itch when anxious, bored, frustrated, or merely out of habit, similar to how worried humans may bite their nails or develop other obsessive habits.
How Much Itching Are Too Many Dogs?
A score of 1 or 2 on a scale from 1 to 10 would denote a typical, scratch-free dog, whereas a score of 3 or above would indicate excessive scratching.
You should take your dog to the clinic if they are stuck with constant scratching of their healthy skin since this could result in obvious redness or hair loss in the afflicted area.
Conclusion
We are aware that the underlying issue of your dog itching at night can worry pet parents a lot.
You may help your friend get a good night’s rest by knowing the causes and remedies for your dog’s nighttime itching.
It is crucial to remember that you should always confer with your vet before giving your dog any medications or introducing new foods to its diet.
