The present invention is directed to a treatment for animal pruritus. One aspect of this invention involves a treatment for animal pruritus comprising one or more polypeptides with an amino acid sequence including KPV (SEQ ID NO: 1), VPK-Ac-CC-Ac-KPV (SEQ ID NO: 5), MEHFRWG (SEQ ID NO: 2), HFRWGKPV (SEQ ID NO: 3) or SYSMEHFRWGKPV (SEQ ID NO: 4) for animal pruritus caused by exposure to any number of agents or causes. The polypeptides are at a level to effectively treat the animal pruritus and are combined with a shampoo. Other combinations include the polypeptides at a level to effectively treat animal pruritus combined with a shampoo and an antibiotic, antifungal and/or and anti-inflammatory. The one or more polypeptides can also be a dimer formed from any of the amino acid sequence above.