Itchyness - Need Advice

[B-Q]

As far as I can remember Buster started itching about 6 months ago, we had a bad batch of fleas and had trouble getting rid of them. Eventually we did but he didn't improve, we went to the vet, they said advantix him more often and its probably a flea alergy. We did, it didn't improve. We went back, they said he might have just had a couple of flea bites, probably an allergy, heres an injection to stop the itching for a couple of days untill I can get rid of any fleas that may be on him.

So after this I was sure there were no fleas, I scoured every inch of him looking for any flea or flea poo. Nothing. Changed his shampoo to something for sensitive skin (were using hoss gloss, now use Fuzzyard oatmeal and mandarin)

By now he was missing patches of hair from it on his butt. I took him off grain, didn't seem to really improve, put him back on grain and it got heaps worse, he's been back off all grain for about 6 weeks and there is no change. He's got bald patches on his behind and he's just so itchy. I feel awful for him. He is on about 70% raw, some artemis maximal and I've been adding some oil, eggs or yoghurt a couple of times a week.

I'm hesitant to go back to the vet and throw more money at them for them to tell me the same thing again.

Has anyone got any advice, I feel bloody awful for him. And its not just him, Quinn itches aswell and we're struggling with it, although she's not actually ripping hair out its still wayy excessive. But the other 2 dogs don't. I just don't know where to start to get answers for this? I just feel awful for them.

[t-time]

Have you tried an antihistamine? Sounds like contact allergy of some description (or perhaps a food allergy?) which *can* be quite difficult to diagnose - read some of the threads about allergies in this forum - WOW - some owners have gone through hell trying to figure out what their dogs are allergic to!.

Back to the vets - it might take a couple of visits to get to the bottom of the problem.

ETA: One flea bite can set up a good itchy reaction so be certain that you don't have any fleas

Edited November 1, 2010 by t-time

[CavsRcute]

Try a product called Thoroughbred Fix.

My friend was almost at the srage that she was going to hav to put her staffy to sleep as he was in so much pain from scratching.An he was miserable.

He now has his coat back and is in really good condition

[B-Q]

Thanks guys, I'll look into both those. He almost 8 and he's never had an issue before, we've been in this house for just over a year so maybe its a plant? That wasn't here when we first moved in and is now. Its just that our houseyard is about 1.5 acres and a lot of it is unmaintained gardens so if I could manage it without having to tear out half the plants in the yard it would be awesome.

[sheena]

Thanks guys, I'll look into both those. He almost 8 and he's never had an issue before, we've been in this house for just over a year so maybe its a plant? That wasn't here when we first moved in and is now. Its just that our houseyard is about 1.5 acres and a lot of it is unmaintained gardens so if I could manage it without having to tear out half the plants in the yard it would be awesome.

Some dogs react very badly to Wandering Jew.....any of this growing around especially where an old garden might have been ?

[Mason_Gibbs]

Take him to see a dermatologists, I tried guessing what was going on with my dog and in the end it just cost me loads more money instead of going to the derm.

[wuffles]

I would recommend a dermatologist as well, we never got to that stage but it was going to be our next step with our boy. If he ever gets the itchies again that's what I'll be doing.

My boy had similar symptoms, hot spots on his rump, fur loss on his front legs and belly. Soooo itchy. We never got an official diagnosis but the consensus is that he is highly allergic to algae in our local lakes. His itchy spells had coincided with swims in the lake and he hasn't had any since (he hasn't been swimming in lakes since, either). There are sooo many things that could be causing it so I wish you luck Under the guidance of a vet we ruled out sarcoptic mange, used antihistamines daily and cortisone injections when he was so itchy he couldn't function.

Dogs allergies also often appear or worsen as they get older.

[sas]

It could be a contact allergy, sounds silly but can you can some toddler pants and chuck them on the dog to act as a barrier and see what occurs.

Rinsing the area daily just with water to can assist if it's contact.

Did the itching subside when the dog was on Cortisone (injection)?

Having unmanaged yards isn't great for sensitive dogs, I would reccomend you block off access to the unmanaged part or take a lawn mower through it and cut everything back. You really need to get into that yard and have a walk around and see what plants, weeds and grasses you have and if there are any of the common irritants there.

I would go back to the Vets and if they cannot assist any further ask for a referral to a Derm but it sounds like there is still a bit you can do as it doesn't sound like you have looked into the yard to see if that is a problem.

[tlc]

Sounds like a simialr scenario we had with our old dog, turned out he was allergic to fleas in a big way and basically when he got a flea bite had a bad reaction, even treated for the fleas with whatever treatment the fleas still bite. The vet put him on a course of Prednisone (sp) and anti biotics at one point because of hair loss and after that course it seemed to knock it on the head. He put on a trememdous amount of weight with the meds but we got that off again. After that initial treatment we had to keep on top of the flea treatment before it ran out and also used flea powder to deter fleas as well.

Hope you can get to the bottom of it, so frustrating when you see them like that and feel hlepless and at a loss for what to do. Can you take him to a different vet for a second opinion, or lik the others said a dermatologist?

[Erny]

If it were me I would :

Have the anti-histamines on standby but first try a sponge bath/rinse with Calendula Tea. Do a spot test first, before you rinse your dog all over with the tea, just to ensure there is no reaction to the tea itself. Reactions aren't common, going by the feedback I've had to the use of the Calendula Tea.

My boy's skin issues doesn't seem to be contact related, but he does have periodic hive break-outs. One really really bad episode back in earlier days had him giving a shiver, the itchiness was so bad. I bathed him with the Calendula Tea and held back the urge to dose with the anti-histamine. By the next day the hives had reduced at least by half in size; any red rash areas had diluted in colour, and the itchiness had all but stopped. Another few rinses over the next few days and his skin was cleared and could get about the job of healing. I never needed to dose with the antihistamine and was able to avoid the administration of antibiotics and cortisone to his system.

You'll still need to work out what is causing the itchiness as the Calendula Tea will not cure it, but it will generally bring comfort to your dog; help thwart secondary skin infection; and help reduce inflammation; in the meantime.

Calendula Tea can be purchased from a Health Food Store. A 50g packet will set you back about $8.00. For the skin I use about a heaped tablespoon of the Calendula to a cup of boiled water. I put the Calendula in the toe end of a stocking and let it steep in the boiling water until the water cools to tepid or less. Squeeze the excess water from the tea, remove the stocking (discard the used tea) and you have your broth to work with. Use a flannel saturated in the tea to rub into your dog's coat down to the skin, or put it in a spray bottle and spray it on to the skin - whichever you find the easiest.

When the itchiness is a generalised all over thing, I tend to use a good handful of the Calendula tea, stuff it in the toe end of a stocking and tie the stocking off in a knot. I let this float in a bath tub filled with 2 inches of really hot water, until the water has cooled to tepid. Put dog in bath tub (rubber mats to prevent slip and scratching) and use the Calendula Tea 'bag' kind of as you might a sponge if you were giving a sponge bath.

Just towel dry after this soaking and allow to dry naturally - do not rinse and do not use a hair dryer/blower.

Edited November 2, 2010 by Erny

[B-Q]

Thanks guys, have asked mum about the yard and she does think we have wandering jew (I don't have a clue about plants but she does)

I've got the day off tomorrow and I'm doing work outside so I might get to work out there are see whats around, if that doesn't turn up anything then its back to the vet and onto a dermotoligist if I need to.

Erny - Thanks for the Calendula Tea suggestion, I was thinking about doign the same sort of thing tomorrow with apple cider vinegar but I'll have a go with the Tea.

[Erny]

Erny - Thanks for the Calendula Tea suggestion, I was thinking about doign the same sort of thing tomorrow with apple cider vinegar but I'll have a go with the Tea.

Hopefully you've found the cause. Finding the cause is the major part of the battle. I would think the Calendula will be more soothing to your dog's skin than the ACV. Good luck. Hope it is all sorted .

[The Flea Guru]

As far as I can remember Buster started itching about 6 months ago, we had a bad batch of fleas and had trouble getting rid of them. Eventually we did but he didn't improve, we went to the vet, they said advantix him more often and its probably a flea alergy. We did, it didn't improve. We went back, they said he might have just had a couple of flea bites, probably an allergy, heres an injection to stop the itching for a couple of days untill I can get rid of any fleas that may be on him.

So after this I was sure there were no fleas, I scoured every inch of him looking for any flea or flea poo. Nothing. Changed his shampoo to something for sensitive skin (were using hoss gloss, now use Fuzzyard oatmeal and mandarin)

By now he was missing patches of hair from it on his butt. I took him off grain, didn't seem to really improve, put him back on grain and it got heaps worse, he's been back off all grain for about 6 weeks and there is no change. He's got bald patches on his behind and he's just so itchy. I feel awful for him. He is on about 70% raw, some artemis maximal and I've been adding some oil, eggs or yoghurt a couple of times a week.

I'm hesitant to go back to the vet and throw more money at them for them to tell me the same thing again.

Has anyone got any advice, I feel bloody awful for him. And its not just him, Quinn itches aswell and we're struggling with it, although she's not actually ripping hair out its still wayy excessive. But the other 2 dogs don't. I just don't know where to start to get answers for this? I just feel awful for them.

Hi

The fact that you can't find fleas or flea dirt on Buster doesn't mean that he can't be suffering from flea allergy dermatitis. One third of dogs with flea allergy will have no evidence of fleas or flea dirt!

Can you see fleas or flea dirt on any of your other pets?

If the problem is confined to Buster's rump, and he has had fleas in the past, then it is very likely that he is suffering from flea allergy dermatitis.

It sounds like the problem was occuring at the end of the last flea season & has started again at the beginning of the current flea season, which obviously also suggests that fleas could be the cause.

I would recommend treating all your pets with effective flea treatments - Comfortis is best for dogs - as well as environmental flea control.

Buster may also need medication from your vet to control the itching while the flea control measures kick in.

Cheers

[B-Q]

Except I havn't found a flea on the others in months, Quinn had a few when we first bought her home but we got them controlled and gone very fast and havn't seen any evidence since. And it has continued all the way through since it started, sometimes slightly better and sometimes worse. I'll try ripping out all the wandering jew I can find first because he also has quiet a pink belly a lot of the time. Plus Quinn is itchy but she's not leaving makrs on herself, if nothing gets any better than its back to the vet.

[elsaone]

I have two dogs with allergies. One has a food allergy and one has a flea allergy. The one with the flea allergy was very bad last summer, to the point where I thought she had mange! I treated her every fortnight with flea treatments to try and control it. After a bath, I put Neem Oil in the rinse water. These things helped her itching, but her skin and coat stayed dry and flaky.

I was a bit ashamed to take her out anywhere. As a long coat Shepherd it was horrible. There was hardly any hair on her tail except for wisps on the end, half way up her back was bald and so was her rear end.

Then I was recommended to try Heritage Park shampoo and conditioner for about $25. Its a horse product and you can get it in a trial pack from produce stores. It also comes with a massage oil. I really think it was the massage oil that did the trick. She looked pretty awful for a few weeks with the oil, but I didnt care. Then I put her on Comfortis, which was great. Her coat started growing back but it was still dry to touch, so I put her on straight Roo Meat. It took about a week, and her coat was soft and glossy again.

I would never have either of these two dogs treated with prednizone or any type of steroid, and I would advise you not to either. I prefer to manage their problems and I usually get good results.

I feed them a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar on their meals every night and it is helping too, as a repellant from the inside out.

So, try Comfortis and the Heritage Park stuff, finishing with the massage oil. Or you can simply use vegetable oil (cooking oil), not baby oil. And also the Roo Meat. I couldnt believe the change in just a week.

Unfortunately, I cant give my girl Comfortis for a few months now, as I have just put her in pup, and it is not recommended for pregnant or lactating bitches.

Good luck with your dog. I am sure it will all work out ok. It did for me

[elsaone]

Oh, and it can only take one flea, so you wouldnt see any evidence of fleas

[Paul Bright]

When my dog started to itch, the vet suggested a dandruff shampoo (Nizoral - strong and expensive type) -- she said to mix the shampoo in a little water and liberally apply to my dog's feet (that's where she itched the most) 2x a week. That's what I did, and it worked!

You may also want to check these articles -> http://www.goldenretrievertrainingonline.c...iever-allergies

-> http://www.goldenretrievertrainingonline.c...n-and-allergies

Good luck!!!

[Boronia]

this is wandering jew. It has also comes with blue flowers as well

............................

[The Flea Guru]

Oh, and it can only take one flea, so you wouldnt see any evidence of fleas

Nizoral is an antifungal treatment, so it will only be effective for fungal infections.

[Mason_Gibbs]

I have two dogs with allergies. One has a food allergy and one has a flea allergy. The one with the flea allergy was very bad last summer, to the point where I thought she had mange! I treated her every fortnight with flea treatments to try and control it. After a bath, I put Neem Oil in the rinse water. These things helped her itching, but her skin and coat stayed dry and flaky.

I was a bit ashamed to take her out anywhere. As a long coat Shepherd it was horrible. There was hardly any hair on her tail except for wisps on the end, half way up her back was bald and so was her rear end.

Then I was recommended to try Heritage Park shampoo and conditioner for about $25. Its a horse product and you can get it in a trial pack from produce stores. It also comes with a massage oil. I really think it was the massage oil that did the trick. She looked pretty awful for a few weeks with the oil, but I didnt care. Then I put her on Comfortis, which was great. Her coat started growing back but it was still dry to touch, so I put her on straight Roo Meat. It took about a week, and her coat was soft and glossy again.

I would never have either of these two dogs treated with prednizone or any type of steroid, and I would advise you not to either. I prefer to manage their problems and I usually get good results.

I feed them a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar on their meals every night and it is helping too, as a repellant from the inside out.

So, try Comfortis and the Heritage Park stuff, finishing with the massage oil. Or you can simply use vegetable oil (cooking oil), not baby oil. And also the Roo Meat. I couldnt believe the change in just a week.

Unfortunately, I cant give my girl Comfortis for a few months now, as I have just put her in pup, and it is not recommended for pregnant or lactating bitches.

Good luck with your dog. I am sure it will all work out ok. It did for me

Some dogs have allergies so bad that they need Prednisolone for short periods of time and sometimes permanently, my dogs life is sometimes a misery because of his allergies and without using some form of cortisone he would have probably been in a lot more discomfort to the point where I would rather put him to sleep then see him suffer like that.