[Marley & Zoe]

I have a Puggle that is 3 years old. He is constantly biting and itching himself. He has done so bad enough to make small sores on himself. I have tried medicated shampoo and benadryl, but none seem to work. He does not have fleas either. His diet has not changed, he eats Purina Dog Chow. Any advice? And yes I am in line to get him to the Vet next.

[Lunareclipse]

He could be allergic to the dog food. Purina dog chow is one of the worst foods to feed your dog. It can trigger allergies in a lot of dogs. I would start by taking your dog to the vet. And I would change your dog's diet. Feeding purina dog chow is like letting your kids eat candy all day long. Not many nutrients and could cause health problems in the long run. There are lots of people on here that can point you in the right direction about a better diet for your dog. And in most cases, don't follow your vet's advice about what to feed your dog if the vet is suggesting that you buy food that is at the vet's office. A vet is a vet and not a nutritionist. If you want to be steered on properly feeding your dog, talk to a nutritionist. But also talk to your vet and see if there could be other things causing itching and allergy-like symptoms in your dog. Maybe he doesn't agree with your floor cleaner or something. But first and foremost, change your dog's food. It might take care of the problem.

Where did you get your dog? There is no such breed as a Puggle. There are pug/beagle mixes. But anyways, no matter what they call it, it is still a mixed breed. I was wondering if you didn't get it in a pet store. They tend to use cute names for mixed breeds like that so they can sell a mutt for $2,000.

Most dogs sold in pet stores come from puppy mills and tend to have a lot of health problems. If you bought your dog in a pet store, you may have signed on for constant vet visits for most of it's life. Something as simple as changing it's food might not be enough to make your dog be as healthy as it should be. Talk to your vet, get some new food and post back with what you found out. We'd like to know how it turns out.

[Yogi]

Well to first point out, Purina is not a bad food. I have fed my dogs Purina for over 30 years, though I do feed them the Purina One.
This could be anything from mange to allergies which if allergies, the only way to tell for sure is the have the vet run the tests. There are shampoos that are recommended for sensitive and itchy skin. You may want to consult your vet to see what they may have. Good luck.

[Lunareclipse]

Purina one is ok. Purina dog chow is horrible.

[Yogi]

Originally Posted by Lunareclipse

Purina one is ok. Purina dog chow is horrible.

Well then I guess that is ok...

[Grimace17]

Lunareclipse was spot on with the candy analogy. Rather than arguing about whether or not Purina Dog Chow is or is not a poor food, why not try another? There are many other options and some are competitively priced to the dog chow. Spending a little more on food can save you money in the long run by not having to go to the vet all the time.

Also, consider using a vitamin or supplement in addition to the food. It can't hurt and can only help.

[jameserickson80]

Yes I agreed that you should look for an alternative food or better yet you should first seek help from your vet.