The scratch reflex can be useful for your veterinarian to determine if your pet is suffering from any nerve damage, kind of like when your doctor tests your knee reflexes during checkups. Also, since the reflex is more for swatting away pesky bugs, it doesn’t necessarily mean your dog likes being scratched in that particular area. But of course, some dogs do enjoy a good rub on the belly. You’ll just have to pick up on cues from your pet to figure that out.
Underneath certain portions of your dog’s skin, there are collections of neural pathways that are connected to the spinal cord. When these nerves are activated – either by a scratch or a tickle – they quickly send messages to the spinal cord, which then instructs the dog’s leg to kick. For some dogs, the kicking can be more pronounced depending on how much scratching they feel.
“Dogs that have allergies in particular, it tends to be really easy to illicit that scratch reflex, because the dogs are borderline itchy anyway,” says Lore Haug, a veterinarian and animal behavior expert for Texas Veterinary Behavior Services. “But when you rub their skin more, it accentuates the scratching.”
According to Haug, the scratch reflex came about as a way for animals to protect themselves against irritants on their bodies, especially invading bugs that could carry diseases. For example, if a dog has fleas running around on its skin, the insects’ itchiness will cause the scratch reflex to activate. Then, perhaps the kicking will knock some of the fleas off, alleviating the source of the itch.
It’s called the sweet spot. That perfect place on your dog’s belly or sides that, when scratched, causes your pet’s foot to go into crazy automatic kicking mode. Every dog owner knows where to find this magical region on his or her canine, as it usually offers up unmitigated joy.
You’re excited about getting a new dog only to notice that after you’ve played with him, suddenly your skin feels irritated and itchy. Unfortunately, it’s estimated that at least 1 in 10 of us will develop some kind of allergic reaction to dogs.¹ These allergic reactions can cause symptoms of sneezing, irritated and watery eyes, nasal congestion as well as asthma and breathing difficulty in the most severe cases. One other common side effect of having allergies to dogs is developing contact dermatitis – when your skin has an allergic reaction after coming into contact with a specific trigger. This can cause you to experience red, rashy and itchy skin and can also result in eczema. Not fun!
One effective solution is to use a shielding lotion like Gloves In A Bottle that creates a thin line of defence on the top layer of your skin. This shielding barrier can help to protect your skin from direct contact with dander, not allowing it to penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin. Being able to keep dander off of your skin allows you the freedom to still touch your pet without having to suffer the irritating side effects. What’s even better is that it stays on your skin until your skin sheds naturally so you don’t have to worry about reapplying it every time you pet your dog.
While Gloves In A Bottle can’t make you stop sneezing or prevent your eyes from watering, it can help with the symptoms of itchy and irritated skin so that you can enjoy your time with your furry friend. If you want more protection for the rest of your body, try Skin MD Natural to help protect other parts of the body too.
If you’re an animal lover, you most likely have your own pet that you spend lots of time with. Dogs, in particular, are great for company and cuddles and we need to give them a lot of our time and affection to keep them happy and make them feel loved. However, all this love for your puppy doesn’t always end up being loving for your skin. Have you ever spent a lot of time with your canine only to end up asking yourself, “Why does my dog make me itch?’ This is a more common question than you’d think!
Most people think that allergies come from the dog’s hair but it is actually caused by the animal’s dander – the microscopic skin cells that are shed by animals.² This is what makes it so difficult to treat and to prevent because you can’t see dander so it’s hard to keep our homes dander free. Just like humans, a dog’s skin sheds naturally so these small particles will be left all over the house – on the sofa, on the floor, floating in the air. It’s virtually impossible to rid your home of all dander so it’s a case of trying to treat the symptoms as best as you can. While there are no cures for allergies, there are ways to help treat the symptoms of your irritated and itchy skin.
What does it mean when your dog is sensitive to touch?
Fearful or painful experiences can also cause a dog to develop touch sensitivity. For example, if your dog had a poor experience while having their nails trimmed, they may associate their paws being touched with fear, pain, or discomfort.