Question: I have 3 dogs and they are itching a lot and showing signs of allergies. Is their dog food causing this? They have been on it for years. I noticed it getting worse recently and we just hit the hot summer months in FLorida. Not sure if it is something they are eating or something external. Please give me your thoughts. Thanks.

Answer: Thanks for writing in. It would be extremely unusual for all 3 of your dogs to simultaneously develop allergies to a food they have been eating for years. While it is possible that a single bag of food could be spoiled, the most common sign a pet would exhibit in that situation would be digestive upset. A true allergy to a food developing in 3 dogs simultaneously would be almost unheard of!

It is much more likely that their itching is a result of an external issue and seasonal allergies are a HUGE problem right now! The big ones at this time of year are flea allergy, mange, other insect allergy (fly bite, mosquito, etc), and inhaled allergies (molds, pollens, etc). Other things to consider…have you changed the type of detergent you use to launder their beds? Other environmental changes?

You should see your veterinarian to check for things like mange. Make sure to be vigilant about flea control during these hot summer months. Check out my article Nix the Itch of Summer.

Hope that helps.
Dr. Donna J. Spector

Answers provided to pet owners by Dr. Donna Spector should be considered information and not specific advice. Answers are to be used for general information purposes only and not as a substitute for in-person evaluation or specific professional advice from your veterinarian. Communications on this site are very limited and should never be used in possible cases of emergency. Halo, Purely for Pets will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any information or content contained in a blog or article post.