: Puppy Health

My puppy seems to scratch all the time. What should we do?

All dogs enjoy a good scratch from time to time, but a constantly scratching puppy is frustrating for both owner and pup. There are several things you can check for yourself.

Part the puppy's hair near the tail and look for evidence of fleas. You may only see tiny specks of black near the skin. This could be flea dirt and will certainly cause scratching. Flea powders and a fine comb can be used to remove the fleas. Check the packaging carefully of any product you buy as some are not suitable for young animals.

If your pup is scratching their ears there may well be a problem with ear mites, a very common condition in young animals. The ears may have an abundance of brown crumbly wax just inside the canal. Your veterinarian will be able to examine the ear canal more closely and prescribe the appropriate treatment.