Ear Infection, Itchy Skin

[Eliza Jane]

ShepherdAngels, I can recommend a homeopathic vet in Glenrowan (between Benalla and Wangaratta). Dr. Joanne Watkins of Glenrowan Veterinary Clinic has been great for my cat, dogs and chickens. Her phone number is 5766 2661. She has another vet working with her but I don't think this other vet is a homeopath so Joanne is the one to ask for.

I also think you need to discuss with whichever vet you go to about a referral to a dermatologist.

About the apple cider vinegar, I used it for my old dog in the early stages of incontinence before she was put on medication. I just put a teaspoon on her food and she ate it.

Dianed, did you use Nucadol on your dog? I haven't heard of Nucidol, only Nucadol which I once used on my pony but wouldn't use on my dog as it has malathion in it. Malasab doesn't have malathion in it.

[ShepherdAngels]

Thanks everyone, Glenrowan is near where i am.

i have been in contact with Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre they specailize in this area, so there web site says, i havent spoken to anyone who has been there. I really think skin test are the only sure way to find out whats going on in there. I only said to the vet last week, i feel like im not getting on it 100% and it just keeps coming back. so skin test or what ever test i think is they way to go so i know for sure and can make her better.

JED: i agree with you about her system being out of whack, all this started just after her mate passed away and she fretted for a while, she went off her food, Her fur is sort now and no longer falling out.

It has been suggested i put her on eukanuba brand food. I have gone with the vets for the moment.

[ShepherdAngels]

Well i heard back from the Dermatology centre, Allergy testing is expensive.

I will take her back to the vet and have a chat to them about the next step. i need a referral to go to the melb clinic.

Does a raw diet help if it was a food allergy?

[Loraine]

Well i heard back from the Dermatology centre, Allergy testing is expensive.

I will take her back to the vet and have a chat to them about the next step. i need a referral to go to the melb clinic.

Does a raw diet help if it was a food allergy? Not necessarily. If you feed beef to a dog with a beef allergy it won't matter if it is raw or not - it will still cause a problem.

Has your vet done blood tests and skin scrapings for mite? I have an itchy Terrier who also gets bad ears. After much allergy testing (at great cost) his blood was tested. His thyroid came back marginal and on checking his heart rate it was determined that he had a thyroid problem! He is now on Thyroxine twice a day and doing great. I did discover that he is allergic to oats and beef, so I make sure not to give him either.

[dianed]

ShepherdAngels, I can recommend a homeopathic vet in Glenrowan (between Benalla and Wangaratta). Dr. Joanne Watkins of Glenrowan Veterinary Clinic has been great for my cat, dogs and chickens. Her phone number is 5766 2661. She has another vet working with her but I don't think this other vet is a homeopath so Joanne is the one to ask for.

I also think you need to discuss with whichever vet you go to about a referral to a dermatologist.

About the apple cider vinegar, I used it for my old dog in the early stages of incontinence before she was put on medication. I just put a teaspoon on her food and she ate it.

Dianed, did you use Nucadol on your dog? I haven't heard of Nucidol, only Nucadol which I once used on my pony but wouldn't use on my dog as it has malathion in it. Malasab doesn't have malathion in it.

Its spelt Nucidol, I have a tin in front of me. Its 200g Diazinon, an organo phosphate. If you google it you will see diazinon is used in some dog washes and flea collars.Its good for mites and ticks etc on dogs and lots of other uses. Years ago after moving from a farm in Vic to the coast my dogs got fox mange. It was recommended I use it and it did the job, my dog was biting herself red raw. I mix it up only when My dogs get itchy and rinse them after a bath. I use advantix for fleas. Lucky we have been flea free for 2 years. I hate using any sort of chemicals on them.

Your use of cider vinegar interests me, I have a 12 yo who is in the early stages of incontinence. I knocked back Hormone based medication as she has had Hemangiosarcoma of the spleen nearly 4y ago. we manage at the moment, I am lucky to have no carpet.

I think ShepherdAngels itch probs are most likely food based. A vet told me once ear infections are their best money maker. Only one vet suggested a polyp and an op, by that time Charlotte was 18yo.

[dianed]

Well i heard back from the Dermatology centre, Allergy testing is expensive.

I will take her back to the vet and have a chat to them about the next step. i need a referral to go to the melb clinic.

Does a raw diet help if it was a food allergy?

Not in all cases, depends on what food you think is causing it. My young gsd has red rashes all over her and is biting herself again.We are off for a swim in the dam. It could be a bit heat related as its humid here atm.

If that doesn't work, I,ll bath her and then if she still has the itch I will rinse her.

When she was scratching badly 2 years ago she didn't have any fleas so the rinse was a last resort and it worked. I reckon she had mites. Her coat even thickened up afterward.

Have you tried some Roo meat or tails if you think its food related. If shes not used to all raw I,d cook a little to start with.like you did the chicken. She may vomit it all up again, mine did to start with as when I got her I think she had been fed on tin food. You must have some produce/ pet store down your area where you can get some affordable raw meat. I came from down your area btw.

[ShepherdAngels]

She has skin scrapping done and no mites. Blood tests have not been done.

well she's been on this vet prescription food and the itching has not stopped the ear has cleared while on antibiotics and then returned about two an a half weeks later so is back on antibiotics. So the diets not really impressing me. Cost a lot of money and haven't seen any real results. She is eating more now thou but i put that done to the ear infection clearing up.

I am sceptical about going to a vet that has there own food brand to push.

[Rappie]

A diet trial, done properly (strictly) should be considered as a diagnostic test. If the skin condition improves (and this may take up to 6-8 weeks to occur) then it supports a food allergy. If the skin condition does not improve, it suggests that food is not the issue - it does not mean the food trial was a waste of time or money.

A strict flea control trial and food trial are both things that I would try to have done before referring an owner to a dermatologist, as are skin scrapes to rule out mite infestations and possibly also sticky tape tests to determine whether a yeast infection is present.

With regards to ear infections, it is important to remember that ears are lined with skin and in many cases where dogs (or cats) have allergic skin conditions they will also have ear infections. The ear, when it works well is well designed but when things are going badly it can cause of all sort of issues - a deep, dark. damp, non-expandable tube with a thin membrane that can perforate at the the bottom, that gets inflamed easily and can swell itself shut. Yeast infections tend to be secondary infections, so secondary to allegies, or structural problems (such as calcification of the ear canal after chronic infections). One significant problem I face is cases where an ear infection is not treated to resolution, it looks better but is not treated completely - and it keeps smouldering on because it just looks better on the outside - thats when we get a big problem that is much harder to treat (and sometimes impossible to treat medically).

[ShepherdAngels]

Thanks Rappie,

You wrote: One significant problem I face is cases where an ear infection is not treated to resolution, it looks better but is not treated completely - and it keeps smouldering on because it just looks better on the outside - thats when we get a big problem that is much harder to treat (and sometimes impossible to treat medically).

- I did spoke to the vet about the ear infection not clearing up 100%, but she just asked me if someone had snuck her some food.

Could Ants cause this? She hasnt been in the back yard since yesterday afernoon and she hasnt been scratching, my vet say no and they wouldnt have biten her in the ear. My yard out the back is LOADED with little ants i put bait down so shes not allowed out there. If a dog can be allergic to a flea why not an ant?

I am going to try the diet for another large bag, see how we go with her on it a bit longer.

She was 2yrs before any of this started happening, it was only after her mate passed away. Could it be possible that her immune system hasnt recovered 100% from when she got sick then. She doesnt have ear infections in the winter and she ate the same food.

Thanks everyone for the input it has been really helpful and certainly given me some things to talk to the vet about and to think about. So thanks again everyone.

Edited February 2, 2010 by ShepherdAngels

[Eliza Jane]

Dianed, thanks for that information on Nucidol. I haven't heard of it.

About the apple cider vinegar, I used it before I found out my dog was incontinent. Looking back it helped at the start but we had to move to hormone therapy. I was using it after she got a uti and the vet recommended it as it changes the ph of the urine.

She also got ear infections but that was from swimming in the dam. She was a rescue, fear aggressive and had to be muzzled to treat her ears so I had to eventually stop her swimming. I have been lucky enough not to have a dog with real allergies.

To ShepherdAngels, I hope you are able to solve your dog's ear soon!

[Swiss Girl]

I did the food allergy diet with my dog as well. Just remember that loads of dogs are allergic to beef and chicken, and most dog kibble is made from this. So to do a food trial you have to choose a food they normally do not eat or are part of kibble they eat. I also used the apple cidar vinegar to help wither her ear infections (ongoing problem) and I think it did help, we just put it in her drink water.

The 2 easiest are fish/potato or Kangaroo/rice. I tried both of them, just in case she was allergic to one of them. It means no treats or anything other food. In the end we found our dog had inhaled Allergies and the food diet did not work. But, it's one of the easiest things to test for, as your dog has to eat anyway and its not expensive to do.

I am copying the below for you to read as it goes through the steps from easiest/cheapest to test to the most expensive, I got this from elsewhere and savd it at the time, hope it helps.

There are 2 common reasons for dogs to be itchy- mite infestation & allergic reactions. Mites are diagnosed by skin scrapings & you need to see your vet. Signs of allergies include chewing at skin, licking, rubbing up, scooting(rubbing bottom along the ground), chewing/licking at feet, chronic ear irritation, chronic watery eyes & sneezing.

We can divide skin allergies into 5 general areas:

1) Flea Allergies- usually chewing/scratching around tail base or around neck, but can be itchy anywhere. It takes only 1 flea to cause an allergy, which is why some dogs that have very few fleas can be itchier than a dog with many fleas that isn't allergic. Often seasonal (Spring/Summer), but can be all year round.

2) Food Allergies- often will be itchy around the face, ears and feet, although can be itchy all over. Most common allergens include wheat products (found in most canned and dry foods), beef, and to a lesser degree chicken. Allergies will occur all year round.

3) Contact Allergies- are quite uncommon, and usually affect areas with no or little fur cover eg. abdomen and feet. Allergens include grasses, plants, clothing/carpet fibres and many others. Often seasonal, but can be all year.

4) Inhaled Allergies- are quite common, and affect all areas ie. skin, feet, ears, face, eye, nose etc.. Most common are grass pollens, plant pollens, dust mites, and moulds (found normally in most environments). Often seasonal, but can be all year.

5)Allergies to the normal bacteria found on the skin- called Staph. These often show slightly different signs to other allergies- need a vet to confirm. Often all year round.

All allergies can cause itchiness anywhere, so it is impossible to tell just on appearances which allergen is causing the problem. Many dogs are allergic to several.

TREATMENT There are 2 main options when trying to deal with allergies:-.

1 Discovering the Cause- 2 allergies can be eliminated easily are flea & food.

* a) If fleas are present, it is worthwhile trying to eliminate them first.

* b) If food allergy is suspected, trial dog on low allergy food diet, must be done for 8 weeks, The diet consists of:- Meat that the dog hasn't had before eg. fish, kangaroo, rabbit and one other product, consider rice/potato/carrot but most not be part of their original diet.

After 8 weeks there should be improvement, if not an allergy test is next.

This is a test for inhaled allergens, and tests plants, grasses, trees, dust mites and moulds. Done by blood samples. - if all of the above has been performed to no avail, then a contact allergy, or inhaled allergen not included in the allergy test is most likely. try change of bedding and all detergents including washing products and shampoo, you can also send your dog to a relative's place for 3-4 weeks.

2 Other medications -

* (a) Antihistamines-. these work better with evening primrose oil (1-4 capsules in food) antihistamines to try include:- Phenergan, Periactin, Polaramine, Teldane Contact your vet for dosage, determined by weight.

* (b) Anti-allergy shampoos and conditioners- There are many that help, eg. tea tree preparations, eucalyptus rinses, Quit Itch Lotion & Malaseb

[WillowGirl]

hi there, sorry if this has been said before but I didnt have time to read all the posts. I have a DDB who is 4.5 and has had pretty constant fungal ear infections and inflamed paws. Vets say he has atropy (or however you spell it) a food allergy. I had him on a special diet of roo meat and potatoes but that didntseem to make any difference, however the vet suggested dog food which was $80 for 8kgs worked a treat. it was anti allergy stuff.

I am going to try him on some anti-histamines to see if that helps. when he is really allergic to something he eats, his hair can drop out too. He is so sensitive to EVERYTHING.

Anyway, vet said his throat goes red as well. I know your pain - hugs!

[ShepherdAngels]

Update......... i went back to original vet, the 2nd vet was an emergengy vet from another town. Well my vet gave me ear drops which cleared it up straight away. She was checked over on friday everything good. Yes still allegery dog but not as bad as the 2nd vet like to have made the issue to be. She had a fungal infection in the ear. We have finished the prescription diet no we are trying eukanuba brand to see how that goes. I think we would be looking towards enviroment for an allergy

I brought her a new brush today which has made a big diffence to her coat. A furminator which removes dead coat by the roots. Im really loving the results at the moment.

[Boronia]

That is good news that her ear infection has cleared up. I didn't have any drops left when Penny developed one of her recurring ear infections and was unable to get to the vet quickly, a friend gave me a tube of Kenacomb ointment and I put a little smear on the inside if her ear (not into the canal itself, only on the inside of the sticky-up-part of her ear) and it cleared it up in no-time. It hasn't recurred so far and that was 7 weeks ago. It also helped when she developed a small hot-spot near her bum.

Hopefully my using the Kenacomb was not harmful to her, but at least it fixed the problem. Maybe some of the other posters may know of any side affects in using this product.

Also check that you don't have ANY Wandering Jew at you place, dogs love to lie on it as it is cool...here is a link with pictures that may help identify it http://www.nqccs.com.au/library/weeds/wandering_jew.pdf

Edited February 14, 2010 by Boronia

[dancinbcs]

Haven't read the whole thread but would suggest you take her to Dr Ann Neville at Sth Rd Animal Health in Bentleigh. She is a vet that does Chinese Medicine as well and can often fix things that other vets can't. She is best known for cancer treatment but I have also had her successfully treat a dog with ongoing ear and bladder infections that had been happeng over a several years.

It sounds like you dog's body is out of whack and she needs to be treated for specific deficencies before she can fight off infection.