How long until we see improvement?

[peekawho]

I have a very itchy Doberman.  No fleas at all.  This all started last year about this time, got better over the summer, and now is bad again.

I've had the carpets cleaned several times with a hypoallergenic carpet shampoo, I've had our heating ducts cleaned, had the dog examined by the vet, no skin problems or parasites.  He has no sores, but he just scratches and licks all the time and is starting to lose hair again.  The vet prescribed Temeril P last year, which helped only while he is taking it.   He is an indoor dog who only goes outside for walks, and brief romps in the backyard.  We use no products on our lawn.  We live in Southern Cal.   I've tried oatmeal shampoos, hypoallergenic shampoos, vet prescribed shampoos...you name it.  Nothing helps.

We changed to a high quality salmon and sweet potato based dog food to see if that would help about a week ago.  He was naive to these foods prior.  Zero improvement so far.  

Neither of our other dogs are itchy at all.  Can you think of any other avenue to try?  How long would it take to see improvement if this is a food allergy?  should we see a veterinary dermatologist--is there such a thing?  Thanks!  

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

He may also have a itchy yeast infection in the skin of his feet, nail beds and pads.  Try gently scrubing his feet with one of the following: Selsun Blue shampoo, Nizoral shampoo, or Malaseb Shampoo (from your vet).  After scrubbing, leave the shampoo on for at least 10 minutes contact time, than rinse.   Yeast is a common skin infection secondary to atopy (allergies).

Allergies and skin diseases take a lot of different treatments and a lot of time and patience to get undercontrol.

[peekawho]

Thank you so much!  I'll look into the Chinese herb you mentioned, and will have to take him back to the vet this week.  Last night while I was at work, he chewed his pads so badly they are raw and bleeding.  This is a new symptom.  I had to give him Benadryl several times today in 50 mg doses, mostly to sedate him until the vets office opens tomorrow.  Benadryl never really seemed to help him in the doses his vet recommended last year.  

He chews himself a lot, as well as the incessant scratching, which is why I mentioned the psychological component.  There is no one area he picks on--its all over.  

Its a vexing and worrisome problem.  He's a young, healthy dog, and he's suffering.  

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

That is a possibility, however, I fell that psychosomatic illnesses in dogs are over diagnosed.  In your dogs case I would be more inclined to believe that it was psychological if the Temeril-P had been ineffective. Can there be a secondary psychological component to the problem?  Possibly. But scratching has no oral fixation component.  I think that he is itchy because he has severe allergies.

There are some anti-anxiety , medications, available from your vet that can help with itching.  One medication is called Atarax, and it may be worth a try.

In my last post I forgot to mention frequent bathing with a anti-histamine shampoo.  This will mechanically remove allergens from your dog's skin, where they cause the problem and it will also soothe the skin.  

[peekawho]

Thank you very much for your input.  It is greatly appreciated.  We will persevere with the novel protein diet for another month or two at least.  
One last question...can this have a  psychiatric or neurotic component?  He is a very orally fixated dog due to being weaned too early.  He constantly sucks on blankets and pillows.

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

It can take 12 weeks to see an improvement on a novel protein diet, with no cheating at all.  However, your pet seems to have seasonal allergies with or with out food allergies.  Many dogs have combination allergies, some food allergies and some seasonal allergies.  There are veterinary dermatologists and it may be a good idea to take your dog to one.  The dermatologist will  probably do allergy blood and intradermal testing and once allergies are identified can desensitize your dog to the allergens.  In the mean time ask your regular vet about Atopica.  Atopica is a medicine that has less side-effects than long term prednisone (which is in  Temeril-P) and although expensive is highly effective for allergies.  If all else fails low dose temeril-p is also highly effective and can be used long term.  There is also  a Chinese herbal preperation that is highly effective for itching called San Ren Tang.  San Ren Tang is also  worth a try.

[peekawho]

He gets no people food at all, ever, and the only treats he gets are the same Salmon and Sweet Potato treats.