Question:
My 3 1/2 month old German Shepherd mix is a rescue dog. She has always been a bit 'itchy', but earlier this week vomitted and stopped eating, as well she had low energy. I took her to the vet where she stayed overnight, had IV fluid and a Benadryl (sp?) injection. She's OK in terms of eating/ energy but is still itchy. The vet recommended over the counter human medication for a day and re-evaluate. My concern is that they didn't give me anything to 'go on' in terms of preventing this in the future or narrowing down the cause. I don't want this to be a money pit problem - I'm very committed to my pup but want to see some prevention. (I have voiced these concerns to my vet).

Answer:
Allergies often seem to show up in dogs at this time of year.

Does your vet know what is causing this itching? Sometimes it's impossible to find out what is causing it - could be anything from pollen to additives in food.

What does your puppy eat? Many people seem to have found a solution for skin problems by giving the dog a raw diet or upgrading the dogfood.

Answer: