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My puppy is chewing his back. What causes dog itching and how to help?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Shih Tzu | Male | neutered | 6 months and 11 days old | 11 lbs

My 5 month old dog keeps chewing on his back, is piriton ok to use?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Published on November 24th, 2016

Piriton is an antihistamine commonly used in dogs. Unfortunately, we are legally prohibited from providing or recommending dosage information the absence of a physical exam and a patient-veterinarian-client relationship. You can contact your veterinarian and request this information. Piriton is given based on weight so you will need a current weight to get an accurate dose.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
I would not recommend giving Charlie Piriton. This should only be given to dogs under veterinary supervision, who would give the correct dose depending on his weight and age. It may not be safe to give to puppies either. Chewing on the back is a sign of itchiness, which could be due to a couple of things. The underlying cause has to be treated in order to relieve the itching. This biting can be caused by fleas, mites, ringworm, or allergies. If he isn't up to date on his flea treatment, he will need a spot on treatment such as Advantage or Revolution. You will need to disinfect the environment as well. If he is up to date on his flea treatment, I recommend taking him into the vet for an exam. The vet can do blood tests, skin scrapings, and use a Wood's lamp to diagnose allergies, mites, and ringworm. Once the cause of the itching is found, the vet can prescribe the appropriate treatment. I recommend taking him into the vet today or tomorrow during normal business hours.
0Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Related Questions

How much Piriton is safe for my dog who weighs over 42 kilos?

You should contact your vets office for a recommendation as we are not in a position legally to give out dosages. In order to do legally so we would have to have a patient-veterinarian-owner relationship with you. Your veterinarian also knows your dog and the potential risks for your dog receiving this medication.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog's Piriton isn't working. Are other antihistamines better?

In general, antihistamines are not very effective in dogs for itching - so unfortunately, it doesn't surprise me that you aren't seeing much effect with Piriton. You could certainly talk to Lily's veterinarian about trying a different antihistamine such as hydroxizine or diphenhydramine, as some dogs may respond a bit better to a different drug.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Is Piriton safe for my dog's scratching after flea treatment?

Yes, it should be OK to give her the Piriton, but bear in mind it doesn't always work for allergies, if after a couple days you do not see any change, you will probably have to take Honey to the vet in order to get something stronger that will stop the scratching.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My pug is itchy from allergies. Can I increase her Piriton dose?

Piriton is sometimes used every 8 hours in severe cases but is of limited use if she is still being exposed to the source of the allergy. I would recommend a hydrolysed or home prepared diet (potato/tofu/vegetables/omega fatty acids) for 6-8weeks to rulw out food triggers, rigorous flea prevention and also blood tests to help identify what she is allergic to as some preventive measures can help in reducing the severity of the condition and makes symptomatic treatment easier and more effective. Medicated shampoo such as allermyl or dermocanis can help improve the natural skin barrier and helps to keep the outside allergens out and the moisture in which dramatically reduces irritation

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog has allergies. Can I give Piriton to my dog long-term safely?

It can be used as a long term solution for allergies, but only your vet can make the determination if that is safe for Purdie to take indefinitely. Without seeing her in person, I can't tell you to do this as it's illegal for me to say that. I recommend having her seen by your vet to discuss a safe and appropriate length of time to give her piriton. You can also discuss other medications used for dog allergies such as Apoquel, which is safe to give long term and extremely effective for allergies. I hope this helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Is it safe to give Piriton to my dog with other medications?

Thanks for using Pet Coach. Jasmine is already getting predicare which is a strong anti-inflammatory drug and commonly used for treating allergies so I do not think piriton would add any beneficial effect. In addition, piriton in dogs is not as effective as in human. Please post again in the forum if you would like to discuss it further. I hope the answer was helpful.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

How much Zyrtec can I give my dog for allergy itching relief?

Legally, we are prohibited from providing dosing information, even for OTC medications, in the absence of a physical exam and a patient-veterinarian-client relationship. Contact your veterinarian who can give you a dose based on Chloe's current weight.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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