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Barnyard Buddies:  Dog's skin issues  |
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babysmama
True Blue Farmgirl
931 Posts
Elizabeth
Iowa
931 Posts |
 Posted - May 20 2010 : 10:52:02 AM
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I'm starting a new thread after the stinky dog smell one because I think you are right...the doggy odor is probably because our bulldog is going through skin issues. She is VERY itchy and is constantly licking and scrachting herself. We think it is her food and assume she is allergic to corn and/or wheat products. We switched her to Nature's Recipe dog food and it was improving her skin but we also have a toddler that loves to throw her food...you know, things with wheat and corn in it so she still is itching. Has anyone else dealt with a dog with allergies and what did you do that helped?
-Elizabeth
www.trenchesofmommyhood.blogspot.com |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 3:05:41 PM
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sometimes just switching to non-beef base will do the trick, try chicken or lamb base. With-out seeing your dog, it also could be hot spots which can come on when the protein levels are too high in their food. You will need to buy some medicated shampoo and bath her regularly to help releave the itching, cause constant scratching and licking will cause additional skin problems. Sometimes childrens benadril (sp?) will also help releave the itching. Good luck
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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maggie14
True Blue Farmgirl
6784 Posts
Hannah
Washington
USA
6784 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 3:08:33 PM
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Our dog is very allergic to dairy and eggs. So we started ( me and my mom) to make homemade dog food and that really helped.
Hugs,
Channah
Farmgirl sister #1219
Just a small town country girl trying to live her dreams. :) |
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Bear5
True Blue Farmgirl
13055 Posts
Louisiana/Texas
USA
13055 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 3:33:52 PM
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I hope the little dog is feeling non-itchy soon. Keep us posted.
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
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babysmama
True Blue Farmgirl
931 Posts
Elizabeth
Iowa
931 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 4:13:37 PM
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| Thanks for the tips. I might try the children's Benadryl for the really itchy times. I know that it has to be food related now, as we ran out of the Nature's Recipe dog food two days ago (and the nearest store that sells it is 45 minutes away so can't go till this weekend). I've been feeding her the other dog's food (which has corn in it) and she has been itching like mad today. So I am going to have to be sure to always stock up on that special food for her and make sure the kids don't give her table scraps to keep her clear from that type of food. It is hard keeping her out of the cat food at times though so I'm sure she gets corn/wheat here or there but I can tell a huge difference in how much she is bothered when she eats regular dog food. Poor doggie. |
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1cutecricket
Farmgirl in Training
13 Posts
Cristi
Brevard
NC
USA
13 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 4:55:12 PM
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Poor lil girl. We had a mini doxie that had skin problems, benadryl really does help along with a oatmeal based pet shampoo.
Hope she's better soon.
Cristi
"Critters make life better!!!"
http://MyCritterCreations.etsy.com |
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Ms.Lilly
True Blue Farmgirl
826 Posts
Lillian
Scotts Mills
OR
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 5:08:05 PM
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Elizabeth- you are probably right about the food allergies. We are in the process of finding what will work for our dog, he is allergic to protein. I used to cook for my dogs, but it really is hard to cook a vegitarian meal for dogs when they aren't vegitarians!! We are hoping that we will find something that will work for him. Clues to a food allergy.....Chewing or licking their feet, constant itching, bad body smell, constant ear (yeast) infections, and red splotches on skin. If your dog has food allergies the Benedryl won't work so you are medicating you dog for no reason. Now if he has non-food allergies like grass or pollin, then it will work. If you can find a vet that deals with food allergies then enlist his help, it can be a lenghty process.
Lillian |
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LakeOntarioFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
933 Posts
Brenda
North Rose
NY
USA
933 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 5:19:59 PM
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Elizabeth- I have 2 golden retrievers, one of who has had allergy problems, almost since we brought him home at 8 weeks. It first showed up as stomach issues, and I was feeding him ground beef- boiled, chicken- boiled and either rice or oatmeal at each meal. When he got a little older we started feeding him a commercial dog food(sorry I can't remember which one now, but it was a high quality one) and we found that the only one he could tolerate was the lamb and rice.
When he was about 3 months old, he got into some burdock and really had a severe allergic reaction to it. That was the first time, but not the last that I ever gave him benadryl. It really knocked him out, but took care of the skin problems in a hurry.
Now, we feed both the dogs Blue Seal lamb and rice, and Bear seems to do fine on it. I do give him plain yogurt a few times a week, and try to mix rice in to soothe his tummy. He is still prone to allergies, he developed hot spots at a very young age.
The benadryl works wonders for him though! It's funny when he has to take it, because he is my goofy, running, very active dog, and the benadryl just lays him out flat, lol!!!
You might want to try the beef/chicken and rice/oatmeal for a week or so. See how he does, then gradually introduce a mild commercial food and see how he reacts to that.
Brenda
FarmGirl # 711
Nothing we achieve in this world is achieved alone. It is always achieved with others teaching us along the way. Lee J. Colan
http://theviewfromhere-brenda.blogspot.com/ |
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msdoolittle
True Blue Farmgirl
1145 Posts
Amanda
East Texas
USA
1145 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 6:13:42 PM
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I missed the other post, but if you have an English bulldog (or any dog with wrinkles, for that matter), they are very prone to yeast infections of the skin. This is due to the numerous folds of the skin. Moisture is trapped in those folds, and yeast multiply rapidly. It creates a 'corn chip' smell. Here is a good snippet from a vet about yeast:
Malassezia pachydermatis--Cause of yeast dermatitis-Otitis
Clavamox is a good antibiotic but is expensive
Prefer to use brand names and not generic
Yeast--looks different, there are no purulent lesions
Clinical signs: Fold areas--ears
Lip folds, vent. Neck folds
Axilla, peri anal, intra digital
Clinical signs (Yeast)
Redness
Hair loss
Odor
Greasy
Chronic purities
Lichenifications
Hyperpigmentation
Ears-Discharge is thick, black or dark brown--copious amounts
Chronic ear disease is usually caused by allergies.
25% food allergies-chronic otitis
Chronic --rupture of ear drum,
Food allergy--may affect only one ear--not always both ears.
Dogs will lick their feet with yeast infections. Many times the allergy is overlooked, one must check the nail folds, and may have mild hair loss in these areas.
To diagnose yeast--cytology
Topical antifungal (bath) for yeast dermatitis
Shampoos:
Topical: 2% miconazole, Ketoconazole, 2% chlorhexidine (good for bacterial and yeast)
Shampoo has a limited effect. It is best to use one with residual--leave on formula such as resizole.
Found here: http://www.amrottclub.org/skin.pdf
:0)
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.wordpress.com |
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katalind
True Blue Farmgirl
177 Posts
Kathy
Chapin
SC
USA
177 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 6:28:19 PM
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| This sounds like what I went through with my fur baby. I tried everything under the sun to bring her some relief and nothing worked. I finally had to take her to the vet and discovered she had something like a yeast infection on her skin and in her ears. It took 2 months of antibiotics to clear it up and now she is happy again. If it gets too bad I wouldn't wait as long as I did because she actually scratched so bad to where she left some really bad sores that became infected. |
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msdoolittle
True Blue Farmgirl
1145 Posts
Amanda
East Texas
USA
1145 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 6:35:35 PM
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Glad they found out what it was, Kathy! The only other thing I can say about yeast is that they are very, very itchy to have. I mean....think about a....vaginal yeast infection. Most of us know how maddening THAT can be. Now imagine that same feeling all over your skin. YUCK!!!
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.wordpress.com |
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babysmama
True Blue Farmgirl
931 Posts
Elizabeth
Iowa
931 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 7:37:54 PM
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Thanks for all the suggestions! She goes to the vet soon to be spayed so I will ask the vet for help too.
Yes, she is a bulldog. She is an Olde English Bulldog which means she is bigger and has less wrinkly skin. The only wrinkly place on her is her face (which we clean) and her face is the only part of her that doesn't seem to bother her. But maybe she does have a yeast infection too...so will be getting it checked out by the vet soon.
-Elizabeth |
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katalind
True Blue Farmgirl
177 Posts
Kathy
Chapin
SC
USA
177 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 7:43:37 PM
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| I know it was terrible. She was squirming around all over the carpet trying to scratch her back, pawing at her face, eyes, and ears, rubbing against all the furniture and walls. The poor baby couldn't even get a good nights rest, she was miserable. She was on 3 different med's, one was the antibiotic, then there was a steroid, and I believe some kind of anti fungal pill. After the 1st week I could see a huge difference, she was able to sleep and her energy levels increased and her sores were able to heal. She's all better now but I constantly keep my eye open for the symptoms to reappear and if they do I'm taking her straight to the vet, I'll never let it get that bad again. |
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msdoolittle
True Blue Farmgirl
1145 Posts
Amanda
East Texas
USA
1145 Posts |
Posted - May 21 2010 : 06:09:35 AM
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Elizabeth,
I hope they can find the source of the dog odor. Believe it or not, there are also canine allergists. You can have a dog tested just like a human. It's pretty cool and will honestly save you time and $ trying to figure out yourself what she is allergic to. Since yeast/bacteria are opportunistic, if she has an underlying allergy, as you suspect, a yeast and bacterial infection may just be a secondary infection, too. Not the primary cause.
Good luck! :0)
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.wordpress.com |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - May 21 2010 : 06:20:31 AM
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Often times corn and grain based foods cause the itchy skin and feet
There are great foods out there w/o these ingredents.
Petsmart has been carrying a few non-mainsteam foods so check the labels |
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Ingrid
True Blue Farmgirl
432 Posts
Ingrid
BC
Canada
432 Posts |
Posted - May 21 2010 : 07:34:19 AM
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My shepherd/lab cross is allergic to all grain products but we did find a dry dog food that we mix with raw dog food and that helps. It is called NOW! but I don't know if it is available in the United States. He also gets baths in oatmeal just like you would with people when they have skin issues. It works well. Good Luck.
Give thanks to yourself everyday for all the wonderful things you do! |
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Faransgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
895 Posts
Beth
Houston
Texas
USA
895 Posts |
Posted - May 21 2010 : 08:15:28 AM
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I know that dogs and cats can be allergic to veggies and grains. They were not meant to eat either of those products, they are carnivores. Almost all dog foods have some sort of grain in them. Even rice is not something dogs should eat. We have found a dog food called Taste of the Wild that we have started feeding our dogs. (and cats) it is a bit on the pricey side but it is much better for them than all the commercial dog foods with all those vegetables and grains. When we first found it we got it a a specialty pet store but now they have it at almost all the feed stores and tractor supply.
Farmgirl Sister 572
When manure happens just say "WOO HOO Fertilizer". |
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MaryLD
True Blue Farmgirl
861 Posts
Mary
New Braunfels
TX
USA
861 Posts |
Posted - May 21 2010 : 6:34:55 PM
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This may not be totally related, but I use Nu-Stock on dog hot spots and also on mange. Out Aussie got red mange in Houston, which has a 70% cure rate after 6-7 toxic dips at the vet. Nu Stock cured it, for $10.00. Nu- Stock is mineral oil with pine oil and sulpher. It heals skin and regrows hair. Not good for indoor dogs due to mess/ strong smell. Great for dogs and equine. My donkey has dermatits from flies and I use Nu Stock after using Lanacaine from the drug store, with Swat. Nu Stock grew back hair that had been missing for a year, from right when I got Brownie from rescue. Lanacaine has eliminated the need for cortisol shots.
Again, not totally related to the topic but maybe this will help someone.
~ Mary LD
Haflingers- You can't have just one!
( I'm just one short of a drill team!) |
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babysmama
True Blue Farmgirl
931 Posts
Elizabeth
Iowa
931 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2010 : 3:44:39 PM
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Okay, well, today I finally took her to the vet. She has continued to itch and this morning my husband called from work and told me to check out her back because it was sticky this morning. I said "there's nothing there" and thought nothing of it until later today when we were outside and I noticed puss on her back. Well, I called the vet right away and they fit her in.
The vet said it is an infection so put her on antibiotics. He took skin scrapings to find out what kind of skin issue we are dealing with. He gave her a shot to help with the itching. So we should know more when the lab results come back.
The shot has helped her already as she isn't itching at all. Hope that the pussy sore heals up soon...it looks nasty, poor thing. He does think it is food related so we will have to try different things. He thinks she may have estrogen issues as well so we hope geting her spayed will fix some of it.
-Elizabeth
www.trenchesofmommyhood.blogspot.com |
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Especially For You
True Blue Farmgirl
541 Posts
Tina
Watkinsville
GA
541 Posts |
Posted - May 29 2010 : 07:57:24 AM
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I am so sorry your fur baby is having skin problems. My little yorkie has skim problems. The scratching drives me CRAZY!!!! I finally found a dog food that helps with the scratching Nature Balance Duck and Sweet potato. They also have treats. We also have to shampoo her twice a week with Douxo shampoo. It seems to help. i hope things settle down for you soon.
Blessings,
Tina Farmgirl #455 |
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bluebellequilts
True Blue Farmgirl
72 Posts
Teresa
Georgia
USA
72 Posts |
Posted - May 29 2010 : 09:21:34 AM
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| Nonstop itching & scratching makes everyone in the family miserable. My previous dog had serious skin issues. During the last two years of his life, the vet kept me supplied with 10mg prednisone tablets to use when Benadryl couldn't stop the itching. My new furbaby is also prone to itching, but he responds well to oatmeal baths and a skin spray sold @ Red Bandana pet food stores. I only had to break out the Benadryl twice during allergy season. |
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vegetarian farmer
True Blue Farmgirl
249 Posts
Jane
Freedom
pa
USA
249 Posts |
Posted - May 29 2010 : 10:36:27 AM
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Boy makes you wonder what is going on in this earth all our animals have allergies. I have 2 severely allergic dogs also. If fact I adopted the second at 6 years old because she had allergies and I knew what it was like so I felt I could help her. I went 3 hours away to a doggie allergist. Unfortunately they do not run extensive test on animals like they do humans. If they do find the culprit you will have to adminster allergy shots. Well the only thing that came up on my first dog was CATS. I think that is so funny, a dog allergic to cats. Anyway I don't have cats so it had been an 11 year battle. You just have to do the best you can. I feed Blue Buffalo Fish and potato because you need a good food with Omega 3 to help the skin and no extra crap. Both dogs get a vitamin E capsule which also helps the skin. Then oldest dog had tried everything under the sun, so with her age I have had her on steroids full time. When she gets a flare up it is off to the vet to determine if yeast, bacteria, or fungus. And it can be anywhere they lick, even the private parts. She was so bad at one point she licked all the fur off both flanks(thats when I went steriod route) Now she is manageable but still licks daily and her feet look like dinosur feet but that is the best I can keep her. Now dog number 2 gets same food, vitamin E, and Zyrtec two tablets a day. Vet said I can go up to 8 tablets a day but that is just crazy. She is doing much better and her fur has grown back. She has less lesions now. It is all about finding that best things you can do and keep the dog comfortable. Best of luck.
Jane
http://hardworkhomestead.blogspot.com/ |
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Barnyard Buddies: Dog's skin issues |
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Dog's skin issues
