What Has Happened To My Poor Doggy's Face?

[GermanShepherdsRock]

Yes I have two black German Shepherds and am facing the same problem now with the hotter months hitting us. My poor babies have developed the most unsightly red lips, muzzle and noses with spots and inflamed gums - all within a few hours (two days ago - see pics). Thank you for this post as it has been very helpful! I wanted a more natural way of dealing with this (no chemicals etc), I have found that the suggestions here have been wonderful. So far I have gently washed and then dabbed the area with Chamomile tea (lukewarm to cool) and found this to be a great start. Once the area is dry, I initially applied Paw Paw ointment (and yes, it was licked off in seconds!) then I tried the fresh Aloe Vera juice (directly from the plant itself) which yes, tends to dry quicker and the dogs don't seem to notice it as much as the ointment. I have had to distract them while the stuff dries though - my 50kg terrors can't help but lick it all off - so be warned, have toys, treats, hire a clown or a cat, you name it, but if your dog is anything like mine, then they will need some serious distracting! I have also tried 'sneaking' it on when they sleep...sometimes this has actually worked, because they're too tired to do anything about it, lol. Thank you for all the suggestions as they work!!

In relation to the Wandering Jew (or Wandering Evil, as I call it!) - I haven't tried any yet, but am going to give the newspapers covered in woodchips a good go (thanks for the suggestion!).......and maybe a few 'chickens' (see this link http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=185210, another post I also commented on and found to be of use)! Good luck and I hope this helps - so sad when our pups suffer !