Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 8/5/2006

Question
i have a 2 year old male pomeranian.  he is constantly chewing on his tail and itching on his legs. when i took him to get cut at petsmart once the lady told me to put veg oil in his food and it will help the itching.  is that ok to do?  but why does he itch all of the time anyways?  please help me.
Celeste

Answer
Vegetable oil will not help itching.  There are special oils called Omega3 fatty acids that decrease the skin's sensitivity to allergens.  They are put into the food daily and they may take 30-45 days to start working. If the dog is very itchy, the best thing for him is a steroid shot to relieve him and to stop the self-mutilation. Have the dog evvaluated by your vet first.