Seeking Advice For An Itchy Dog.

[Ben and Jerry]

I'm looking for advice on whether or not I should take my dog back to my current vet or consider finding a new one. As I've only ever had to take my dog to the vets for his vaccinations I'm a bit unsure of what the normal procedures can be for other things. I took my dog into the vets about 2 weeks ago because he had an itchy face and had started rubbing his chin on the carpet causing it to look like it had carpet burn (maybe I mean something more like a rash ). This is what it currently looks like;

(Not a really clear picture but it sort of shows what I was trying to explain I think).

I assume the vet did all the normals, he checked for fleas, asked about any changes in his diet, whether or not I had taken him out any where new recently then tested his temperature. He couldn't find fleas or anything else that could possibly be the cause on his body and he hadn't been anywhere new recently.

He told me it could very well be an of some sort and left it at that. He prescribed me some antibiotics to try help with the rash thing and antihistamines for the itching. He didn't go into any detail or anything about possibly being an allergy and just prescribed the medication and told me to see what happens. Neither medication seems to have done anything for him he is still scratching and rubbing his face and now starting to lick his leg.

As I said I'm not a regular vet goer so i'm not to sure what I should expect from a check up like this, has my vet done the normal you would expect for a possible allergy case or should I have expected more?

Hopefully this makes some sort of sense to someone, I'm not the best at trying to explain things in writting .

Edited December 10, 2011 by Ben and Jerry

[Kirty]

If its not getting better, its time for a more thorough investigation such as skin scrapings or maybe a specialist.

[Greytmate]

I'm looking for advice on whether or not I should take my dog back to my current vet or consider finding a new one. As I've only ever had to take my dog to the vets for his vaccinations I'm a bit unsure of what the normal procedures can be for other things. I took my dog into the vets about 2 weeks ago because he had an itchy face and had started rubbing his chin on the carpet causing it to look like it had carpet burn (maybe I mean something more like a rash ). This is what it currently looks like;

(Not a really clear picture but it sort of shows what I was trying to explain I think).

I assume the vet did all the normals, he checked for fleas, asked about any changes in his diet, whether or not I had taken him out any where new recently then tested his temperature. He couldn't find fleas or anything else that could possibly be the cause on his body and he hadn't been anywhere new recently.

He told me it could very well be an of some sort and left it at that. He prescribed me some antibiotics to try help with the rash thing and antihistamines for the itching. He didn't go into any detail or anything about possibly being an allergy and just prescribed the medication and told me to see what happens. Neither medication seems to have done anything for him he is still scratching and rubbing his face and now starting to lick his leg.

As I said I'm not a regular vet goer so i'm not to sure what I should expect from a check up like this, has my vet done the normal you would expect for a possible allergy case or should I have expected more?

Hopefully this makes some sort of sense to someone, I'm not the best at trying to explain things in writting .

I would expect the vet to do what he did. Start with the basics and move on from there. Because it hasn't cleared up with treatment, the vet can now start looking at other things that might be continuing to cause the problem.

Maybe he should have mentioned allergies, because the first thing I would check for would be fleas, and the second thing I would check for is the weed, Wandering Jew. It is a common weed and it makes some dogs itchy.

I would continue with this vet, because it often takes a few visits for things to be ruled out before the problem is found out. The vet started with a treatment that is going to clear up secondary infection and make the dog comfortable. Sometimes this is all that is needed. The vet now needs to know that the problem is getting worse, and he will take the next step.

[tdierikx]

Do a Google search on "Wandering Jew" - check out the pictures. If you have anything in your yard that looks like that, then it could be part of the issue for your poor dog. It's a bugger to get rid of too - I usually rip up as much of it as I can, then pour sump oil over the bits I can't rip up. Slows up the regrowth a lot.

Does your dog eat from a metal bowl? I had a Rotti boy who would break out around his mouth in pimple like sores after eating from a metal bowl - we changed his bowl for a ceramic one and his mouth area cleared up nicely.

T.

[Ben and Jerry]

thanks for the responses guys . I had a Google of that weed and I cant say its something I have seen in our yard. The vet did mention the use of plastic bowls as being an irritant to some dogs but my guy also has a ceramic food and water dish. As I will be unable to get him back to the vets until Wednesday or Thursday is there anything in particular I can rub or spray onto the itchy areas to help him out a bit? I have some tea tree ointment at home which says it's for cuts burns and abbrassions so thought maybe that might help a bit but I can't find anything about it being safe for dogs to lick as it would be used around his chin area.

[Ben and Jerry]

thanks for the responses guys . I had a Google of that weed and I cant say its something I have seen in our yard. The vet did mention the use of plastic bowls as being an irritant to some dogs but my guy also has a ceramic food and water dish. As I will be unable to get him back to the vets until Wednesday or Thursday is there anything in particular I can rub or spray onto the itchy areas to help him out a bit? I have some tea tree ointment at home which says it's for cuts burns and abbrassions so thought maybe that might help a bit but I can't find anything about it being safe for dogs to lick as it would be used around his chin area.

[flame ryder]

You could try putting some PawPaw lotion on it. It's not toxic (far as I know) I've used it on my Chinese Crested who's always getting rashes of some sort. He's licked some off in the past and hasn't hurt him. Another thing I use with great success is Curerash baby powder, but that may not work in your dogs case. Whatever you use with it being so close to his mouth he'll probably lick it off before it has time to work. Both are available at most supermarkets or chemists.

[Guest lavendergirl]

I would be careful using the tea tree ointment as it is more of an antiseptic and may be irritating. I have found the paw paw ointment soothing for rashes and it does not seem to hurt if the dog licks it.

[redial]

Do a Google search on "Wandering Jew" -

I googled Wandering Jew and this is what I got lmao

I googled Wandering Dew and got this ahahaha

OMG you so made my day!!!! I laughed so hard

[jr_inoz]

thanks for the responses guys . I had a Google of that weed and I cant say its something I have seen in our yard. The vet did mention the use of plastic bowls as being an irritant to some dogs but my guy also has a ceramic food and water dish. As I will be unable to get him back to the vets until Wednesday or Thursday is there anything in particular I can rub or spray onto the itchy areas to help him out a bit? I have some tea tree ointment at home which says it's for cuts burns and abbrassions so thought maybe that might help a bit but I can't find anything about it being safe for dogs to lick as it would be used around his chin area.

I know of a dog that developed a similar rash around his mouth from using a ceramic water bowl. It was the glaze on the bowl that was causing the problem. They did have more than one dog at home and he was the only one affected. They worked out that this was the problem when they were talking to someone else at their dog club that had the same issue - turns out it was the exact same ceramic bowl. They stopped using that bowl and the problem cleared up. (They did go to the vet and have treatment too - but it stopped getting worse and started clearing up after they stopped using the bowl).

Just a thought.

Pure aloe on the rash would be ok - would be fine for him to lick.

[Andisa]

Does he have a plastic or rubber ball/toy that he is obsessed over?

Hamish had what looks the same as this when he was playing too much with a jolly ball - he is obsessed with it and when he first started playing with it I had to take it away from him to allow his mouth to heal properly. He has toughened up since and it no longer bothers him.

Just a thought - hope it is nothing serious.

Edited December 11, 2011 by Andisa

[Ben and Jerry]

Thanks again guys . I'll try switching his bowl for a couple days and see if anything changes. He isn't overally obsessed with much of his toys other then whatever type of ball he can find as soon as someone steps outside . Will also check out woolies tonight for the pawpaw ointment, if it shouldnt hurt him i'll give it ago .

[Greytmate]

Try the new bowl for a few weeks.

The problem with dogs and itches is that the dog's scratching is what causes the most damage, it gets inflamed from scratching and then it's more itchy and then the dog gets in the habit of scratching.

Whatever caused the problem, it can still take up to a couple of weeks for the itchiness to stop. It can take a lot of patience.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

probably W.Jew - it grows in single sprigs and even one can cause an allergy so have a good look in yr yard or where u walk

[Ben and Jerry]

Will have to wait until another day when it isn't storming or i'm working to have a good hard look around. Only other thing I could think of would be the grounds at Obedience. A certain spot where we train he would walk across it as though he was stepping on something uncomfortable. I remember the instructor saying there was some kind of weed (maybe it was Clover if that's even a weed? I dunno, Clover just seems to be in my head for some reason). Could it be possible whatever that weed is may be causing the issue. I would check his paws and couldn't see anything and had even bathed him after one night, but could it be possible that even stepping on whatever it was briefly once a week could cause the reaction?

[cavNrott]

My Cav was scratching like mad a a couple of weeks ago, driving himself and me nuts. He was scratching as close as he could get to his abdomen and having a bit of a nibble as well.

His skin looked quite pink but there was no broken skin. Because he never scratches I took him to the vet who gave him an antihistamine shot and Pred. tablets on a reducing dose for 5 days. The vet said a lot of dogs and cats are coming in with an inhaled (probable) pollen allergy. This is in Melbourne.

He didn't scratch at all after the antihistamine shot but I gave him a low dose of Pred for a couple of days just to be sure.

It might be worth getting an antihistamine shot for your boy. That looks itchy!!

[Juddabug Whippets]

Have you tried adding cold pressed coconut oil (from health food stores) to his diet? We feed 1tsp per 10kg body weight. We no longer have issues with itchy skin, grass allergies etc.

Just put it directly on their food. Our guys love it and it's the first thing they eat from their bowl. Their coats are thick and shiney too.

It's worth a shot. We've referred many itchy dogs who were costing and arm and a leg at the vets... Who now are vet free due to coconut oil daily.

[Mason_Gibbs]

Have you tried adding cold pressed coconut oil (from health food stores) to his diet? We feed 1tsp per 10kg body weight. We no longer have issues with itchy skin, grass allergies etc.

Just put it directly on their food. Our guys love it and it's the first thing they eat from their bowl. Their coats are thick and shiney too.

It's worth a shot. We've referred many itchy dogs who were costing and arm and a leg at the vets... Who now are vet free due to coconut oil daily.

Supplements help but a dog like mine with real allergies wouldn't be "cured" by the coconut oil, dermatologists are recommending evening primrose oil. Best thing I did or mine is desensitization therapy.

ETA the desensitization was started after full allergy tests

Edited December 11, 2011 by Mason_Gibbs

[Ben and Jerry]

At this stage I haven't added or changed anything in his diet yet. Was unable to find the PawPaw ointment at the supermarket so won't be able to give that ago before hopefully seeing a vet Thursday. I'll see what the vet says/does for him, but might end up giving him ago on the coconut oil idea even if it's just to help give him a better coat .

[Tilly]

My older boy had red welts / rash on his rummy not long after we got him ... it was some sort of allergy (according to the vet) but we didn't find out what caused it.

I was told to try Omega 3/6 and it quickly cleared up.

Good luck at find the cause