Help With Skin Condition In Rescued Bully Pup

[BomaBec]

Hey everyone,

I rescued a bully pup out of the pound yesterday who has been in there a month. Hes about 14 to 16 weeks and is deaf .

He has very bad skin at the moment. His skin is not particulary itchy as he isnt constantly scratching but is red and inflamed, he doesnt have major hair loss but it is patchy and the main points where hair is missing is on his ears and feet and down his back end and tail he has pimples on his tummy too. There are a few small two cent sized spots down his back where there is no fur either and hes chewed the fur off the dn of his tail. Mainly it just looks pimply and raw and a few scabby spots near his tail base and rump.

I am wondering if this is a flea allergy dermatitis or some form of mite causing it or just an allergy? I cant see any fleas on him.

I have wormed him and given him a bath in malaseb straight away as vets said its best todo with all dogs who come in in poor condition and some of the pimples have gone down. I dont think its ring worm as it is generalised looking. I am adding some fish oil to his diet as his coat is dry and dull and gave him a raw egg last night with some metamucil and charcoal tablets as he has the runs.

He is in poor condition and was obviously not very well looked after

Any suggestions on what it could be would be helpful as I have read up and up but cant figure out which thing is more than likely the cause.

I have malaseb wash( antifungal/antibacterial/antipruritic), pyohex wash (antibacterial), oatmeal leave on lotion, plus frontline spray and some natural flea shampoo that controls lice ,also some flea balm and powder, surolan and ilium neocort. Which one/s would be the best to use atm?... I dont wanna overdose him.

Hes such a gorgeous natured pup despite his rough deal to a start in life and I just want to make sure hes not in any discomfort and has some reflief from what ever is causing it.

Cheers in advance for advice.

[WreckitWhippet]

Go to a vet, get a skin scraping done and rule out mites.

Then you know what you aren't dealing with.

[sugclasco]

im with Warley .....poor baby ....hope he feels better soon

[BomaBec]

Yeh he will be going to the vets this week.

Whats best atm? Until he gets there?

Washing him daily with a one of the medicated foams? Or just putting one of the lotions on?

[puggy_puggy]

As others have said get a skin scraping done to rule out mites.

Get him on a good diet. BARF or RAW. Some allergic conditons can be caused by dry foods. And I bet he has been eating the worst of the worst food for his whole short little life.

You said you have wormed him have you also used something like puppy revolution on him?

The malaseb wash sounds good. Not sure how often you should bath him. Maybe everyday?

You could also get some curash for the raw spots.

[WreckitWhippet]

Wash him in something soothing like Episooth and get him to a vet straight away. Why was he not taken to a vet today ?

[BomaBec]

Yeh I wormed him Puggy, what is the revolution for? I only know about advantage and advantix.

The vet Im taking him to isnt open weekends?

Why did he need to go today? It isnt life threatening. Do all rescues take their dogs to the vets the next day? Not as far as I know they dont.

[puggy_puggy]

I think that most 'Rescues' try to deal with problems before they resort to vets because of cost factors. Alot of things people take their dogs to the vets for can things that can be easily treated at home and for far less expense then if it went to the vets.

So BomaBec I support you in taking him to the vets straight away if he is happy, bright and alert, eating fine, drinking enough water, and he is toileting fine.

Forget about the Revolution. It does heartworm as well as fleas, ear mites and scarcoptic mange. Probably best to have him heartworm tested, as he has come out of a pound, before using any heartworm product.

Use a flea product. You said you had some frontline spray. This would be fine to use.

Directions: For use on dogs and cats, puppies and kittens from 2 days of age. Adjust the pump nozzle to the spray setting. Apply Frontline Spray at 3-6 mL per kg body weight. Use higher rates for long haired or densely coated animals to ensure the coat is thoroughly wet. Spray the entire body of the animal and apply from a distance of approximately 10-20 cm. Apply against the lay of the hair, and make sure that the entire coat of the animal is thoroughly wet with Frontline Spray. Ruffle the coat as the spray is applied, especially in long haired or densely coated animals, so that the product penetrates down to the skin. Allow to dry naturally. Do not towel dry.

Is he desexed and microchipped?

[BomaBec]

Thanks Puggy...yeh I will always take a dog to the vet if its life threatening or serious but he is healthy and happy besides his skin and needing a bit of fattening up.

No he isnt sterilised yet but will be done before he goes to his new home... I wont be rehoming him a for a few weeks anyways as I want him to be in better condition and I only just got him yesterday. Dont know any vets in Perth that will sterilise under 4 months esp unhealthy ones. He is registered.

I will get his vaccination done when hes goes to the vet.

Hes only 14 to 16 weeks old and from my understanding in Perth the risk of a dog under 6 months old having heart worm is almost non existant. He has been in a very clean modern indoor pound. I usually tell new owners to get the heart worm done as an injection as it slowly kills any heart worm they may have off and doesnt dislodge in large amounts which can kill and I tell them to get this done with the second booster which is done a month after the first..recommended by vets. I tell people to speak to their own vets about this as some will recommend the spot ons with heart worm in them but I dont flea treat every month unless its needed.

Yeh I have the frontline spray so will use that... it wont sting or irratate his skin will it?

I will ask the vets when I see them what the best way is to treat what ever he has. Im sure half of the stuff Ive got is what they will prescribe anyways to treat it just not sure which ones yet and how often.

ATM I will keep to the ilium neocort as found a thread that said its good stuff unless someone else suggest different before I take him to the vets.

I have nappy rash creams ect but I think they are similar to the neocort? Would the episooth have a similar effect?Is the malaseb and pyohex washes soothing at all?

I havent had many dogs with skin conditions besides some dry flakey skinned ones which was from bad diet and flea allergy and some pups who the vet couldnt confirm but thought had ring worm which was treated with the malaseb wash and none have been this severe.

[Crysti_Lei]

just on the heartworm.

you are right, it takes six months from infection for a dog to develope adult heart worm. so if they are under six month or have been treated in the last 6 months, then they are clear.

the spot on treatments for heart worm don't kill the adult heartworm, so they are safe, (even if the are useless if the dog is infected).

i am not sure what is in Nappy rash cream, but the ilium stuff (if i have the right one in mind) is a combination of teatments and is very broard in its treatment, so i would stick with that. if i am thinking of a different product, Dermotic is another broad treatment (but i think thats prescription stuff)

[shazz05]

Hiya,

Bullies can be prone to skin allergies etc, so are best fed on a raw / barf diet.

Some bullies can't tollerate dry foods due to the preservatives and dyes in them.

Mine are all fed on whole chicken frames, and have a sprinkle of petvite multivitamin powder on them as well as a flaxseed capsule for their skin.

The chicken frames or necks etc will pack weight on quickly in bullies, but everyone is different as to what they feed their dogs.

For a young pup you may want to start out feeding chicken necks, then graduate up to the frames.

You will see a big difference in the pup within about 2 - 3 weeks, I sure did, but all dogs are differnt too.

Do check with the vet to make sure there are no mites present, and possibly look at a flea treatment if not already on something.

Hope I've helped a little.

Shazz

Edited May 3, 2008 by shazz05

[WreckitWhippet]

Thanks Puggy...yeh I will always take a dog to the vet if its life threatening or serious but he is healthy and happy besides his skin and needing a bit of fattening up.

No he isnt sterilised yet but will be done before he goes to his new home... I wont be rehoming him a for a few weeks anyways as I want him to be in better condition and I only just got him yesterday. Dont know any vets in Perth that will sterilise under 4 months esp unhealthy ones. He is registered.

I will get his vaccination done when hes goes to the vet.

Hes only 14 to 16 weeks old and from my understanding in Perth the risk of a dog under 6 months old having heart worm is almost non existant. He has been in a very clean modern indoor pound. I usually tell new owners to get the heart worm done as an injection as it slowly kills any heart worm they may have off and doesnt dislodge in large amounts which can kill and I tell them to get this done with the second booster which is done a month after the first..recommended by vets. I tell people to speak to their own vets about this as some will recommend the spot ons with heart worm in them but I dont flea treat every month unless its needed.

Yeh I have the frontline spray so will use that... it wont sting or irratate his skin will it?

I will ask the vets when I see them what the best way is to treat what ever he has. Im sure half of the stuff Ive got is what they will prescribe anyways to treat it just not sure which ones yet and how often.

ATM I will keep to the ilium neocort as found a thread that said its good stuff unless someone else suggest different before I take him to the vets.

I have nappy rash creams ect but I think they are similar to the neocort? Would the episooth have a similar effect?Is the malaseb and pyohex washes soothing at all?

I havent had many dogs with skin conditions besides some dry flakey skinned ones which was from bad diet and flea allergy and some pups who the vet couldnt confirm but thought had ring worm which was treated with the malaseb wash and none have been this severe.

You've just contradicted yourself there, either he's healthy and happy or he's not.

A consult is a consult and it will cost the same now as it would in two weeks time. It's just the dog that has the potential to suffer in the mean time with an obvious complaint.

Cut the self diagnosis and the attempted cost cutting and take the bloody dog to the vet.

If you can't afford a vet consult and treatment when you rescue a dog from a pound, then don't pull it in the first place.

[BomaBec]

Oh for god sakes picking out tiny bits of my post. Its says hes happy and healthy BESIDES his skin condition and needs some fattening up. Read the posts in their whole context.

Who said I couldnt afford it? Bit of an assumption isnt it? and I AM taking him to the vet as I have said!

Do you often tell all Rescues the same things? Or is it just you have nothing better todo with your time or like singling people out? Infact do you even rescue at all?

Thanks Shaz will try some of the suggestions you made, yeh I do know they are prone to skin allergies and will pass on the same info to who ever adopts him.

[Clyde]

The Aloveen will be soothing (or Episooth). I wouldn't use the Malaseb more than three times a week or you will really dry his skin out. Pyohex is more for infection or mange. The vet will probably need to do a skin scraping. I wouldn't be lathering the dog in anything until you know what it is, except for a soothing bath. Hold off on all the lotions and potions until you know what you are dealing with. I would also hold off on the Frontline spray unless you have a flea issue at home.

I'm not sure about the info you have been provided about heartworm. If a dog is at an age where heartworm can be an issue then a blood test is absolutely necessary before applying heartworm prevention and/or giving the Pro heart. So I'm not sure why your vet recommends to give it at second booster Heartworm needs to actually be treated rather than giving Proheart. Regardless, booster and Pro heart injections are usually given at seperate intervals in case there is a reaction the source can be isolated. Plus there is a concern of one compromising the other.

[BomaBec]

Thanks Clyde, I have never heard that from any vet about compromising between the two? I just go on what all the different vets tell me.

Dont have a flea issue.

[Baz+Rome]

Thanks Puggy...yeh I will always take a dog to the vet if its life threatening or serious but he is healthy and happy besides his skin and needing a bit of fattening up.

No he isnt sterilised yet but will be done before he goes to his new home... I wont be rehoming him a for a few weeks anyways as I want him to be in better condition and I only just got him yesterday. Dont know any vets in Perth that will sterilise under 4 months esp unhealthy ones. He is registered.

I will get his vaccination done when hes goes to the vet.

Hes only 14 to 16 weeks old and from my understanding in Perth the risk of a dog under 6 months old having heart worm is almost non existant. He has been in a very clean modern indoor pound. I usually tell new owners to get the heart worm done as an injection as it slowly kills any heart worm they may have off and doesnt dislodge in large amounts which can kill and I tell them to get this done with the second booster which is done a month after the first..recommended by vets. I tell people to speak to their own vets about this as some will recommend the spot ons with heart worm in them but I dont flea treat every month unless its needed.

Yeh I have the frontline spray so will use that... it wont sting or irratate his skin will it?

I will ask the vets when I see them what the best way is to treat what ever he has. Im sure half of the stuff Ive got is what they will prescribe anyways to treat it just not sure which ones yet and how often.

ATM I will keep to the ilium neocort as found a thread that said its good stuff unless someone else suggest different before I take him to the vets.

I have nappy rash creams ect but I think they are similar to the neocort? Would the episooth have a similar effect?Is the malaseb and pyohex washes soothing at all?

I havent had many dogs with skin conditions besides some dry flakey skinned ones which was from bad diet and flea allergy and some pups who the vet couldnt confirm but thought had ring worm which was treated with the malaseb wash and none have been this severe.

You've just contradicted yourself there, either he's healthy and happy or he's not.

A consult is a consult and it will cost the same now as it would in two weeks time. It's just the dog that has the potential to suffer in the mean time with an obvious complaint.

Cut the self diagnosis and the attempted cost cutting and take the bloody dog to the vet.

If you can't afford a vet consult and treatment when you rescue a dog from a pound, then don't pull it in the first place.

This is no different to the other bigger rescue groups getting on the Forum and asking similar questions. The OP has stated that she IS getting the dog to the vet but wanted help to ease dogs irritation before he goes. Give her a break, she rescues many dogs that wouldn't have a chance.

And Bomabec, no other rescues wouldn't be told the same thing because DOl rescue has one rule for some and another rule for others.

[BomaBec]

Thanks for the support Bully T :rolleyes:

[puggy_puggy]

Any improvement?

I asked if he was desexed just because if he needed to be done and his skin improves with what you are doing at home I would have gotten the skin scraping done when he was desexed. But if he can't be desexed for a while and his skin doesn't look any better with what you are doing then get him done. Get him vaccinated when he is desexed.

Get him onto a BARF diet.

[BomaBec]

Yeh I will get it done when he is at the vets this week for his vaccination.... I woulda asked them to confirm what ever it is anyways. He certainly is looking less red and irratated.

It only takes a few minutes from what I saw last time with the pups I had before and didnt seem to be a problem when the pups were awake.

Will get him sterilised in a few weeks when hes healthier and the vets will do it.

Am making sure his diet is good :rolleyes:

[Guest Tess32]

I will get his vaccination done when hes goes to the vet.

If I were you I wouldn't vaccinate an immune-compromised dog.