Why is my Shih Tzu mix suddenly itching, constipated, and eating more?

Question

My Shih Tzu mix has had an increased appetite, increased itching, and some constipation since I came back from an emergency trip. My mom (his owner) is also gone due to the family emergency and so I have been taking care of him for the last week. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 15 lbs

Ricardo Fernandez, DVM · Accepted Answer

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. You may give him 1 teaspoon of canned pumpkin with each meal which usually helps with constipation. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Why is my Shih Tzu mix suddenly itching, constipated, and eating more?

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