Since June my dog has been scratching constantly, especially on his paws and ears. With the heat and humidity I've noticed it gets worse. The vet says it could be environmental or food allergies. I was wondering if I should switch his kibble or if there are supplements or treatments that work better than steroid medications.
Your vet has already pointed you in the right direction, because figuring out whether it's food-related or environmental is really the first step! With the heat and humidity making things worse, it could be a combination of both. For food allergies, switching kibble only makes sense if your vet suspects specific ingredients - some people see improvement with limited ingredient diets or different protein sources (chicken vs beef, for example), but it's not an automatic fix for all dogs. Supplements like omega-3 fatty acids really do help a lot of dogs reduce skin inflammation, and there are also supplements with probiotics that seem to have positive effects, but they're not a substitute for medication when your dog is suffering!
Steroid medications work fast when it's acute, and I get your hesitation about taking them long-term. You could ask your vet if it makes sense to try antihistamines (they work well in some dogs) or other treatments that are less heavy-duty than steroids for maintenance, maybe combined with supplements. In the meantime, practical stuff: frequent baths with shampoos made specifically for allergies (don't overdo it), dry well especially between the paws and ears, and if you can reduce the humidity in your home it helps a ton. There are also other options your vet could consider like allergen immunotherapy, if your situation is complicated!
If your dog scratches worse when it's humid, it's often not just food allergies but a combination: pollen, dust mites, and mold thrive in warm, damp conditions and irritate already sensitive skin. Before switching his kibble (which might not even help), try controlling the environment where he sleeps: dry his bed thoroughly, keep the room ventilated, and wash his bedding frequently, because dust mites make everything worse. If your vet still suggests testing his diet, do it alongside these hygiene measures anyway, so at least you pin down what's actually causing it without throwing money away blindly.
What people underestimate is the flea-mite cycle: even if your dog has no visible fleas, skin mites proliferate when there's humidity and heat, and trigger inflammation that then amplifies any underlying food allergy. Before switching kibble or dropping money on expensive supplements, make sure you're using a decent monthly antiparasitic year-round, not just in summer. If you're already doing that, then yeah, it's worth testing the diet.
As for steroids: they're annoying for chronic use, but random supplements like low-quality omega-3 often don't do much if you're not managing the environment. What actually works is reducing triggers: dry his paws thoroughly after walks (especially between the toes), use a humidifier at home if the climate is particularly humid, and consider frequent baths with a soothing shampoo specifically for dermatitis. Continuous relief of irritated skin helps more than a lot of supplements.
If you really want to try a dietary approach, ask your vet about a limited-ingredient diet (few proteins and carbs, maybe duck or fish with rice) for a month or two: if it improves significantly, then food's involved. But starting from environmental and parasitic basics gets you results faster and cheaper.
Log into answer.
