My dog won't stop scratching and licking all night. What's wrong?

Question

Toby is 8 yrs old. Poodle/Pekingese. 20 lbs. Has had seizures every since very young. He takes Phenabarbitol and Levetiracetam morning and night. Never had fleas, put on Frontline this year. He has started licking , scratching ALL NIGHT. Day he does some but nights are terrible. I bathed in Oatmeal shampoo and was using Coconut oil and still do some. He will not eat much dog food...it is chicken breast or ground turkey. I have stayed up all night with him for a month Need help! Pet's info: Dog | Peekapoo | Male | neutered | 9 years old | 20 lbs

Dr. Elizabeth · Accepted Answer

It sounds like it's time for Toby to be examined by the veterinarian. Persistent itching could be several things including allergies to fleas, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica (although pets with seizures may not be able to use this product- your vet will be able to decide if this is an option or not). Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the itching should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions..

My dog won't stop scratching and licking all night. What's wrong?

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