Grrrr skin issues on a dog!

[Roopee]

man my Lab has cost me a FORTUNE in skin medications and vet bills and nothing works long term!

She has doggy eczema (or equivalent) on her back and near her tail and the itching is driving her crazy!
She has had antibiotics, fish oil, cortisone, eggs in her food, sardines in her food, garlic in her food, dry food, wet food and a ix of both, steroids and all the rest of it but nothing works for long!

Please please please help put my poor dog out of her misery ( i can't even walk her atm because a man flew into me the other day about neglecting her:(). Does anyone have any advice that doesn't include yet ANOTHER vet visit for the same treatment that never works anyway? Something from the health food shop or something?
I'm desperate.....

[London]

This wont cure it but if your not already using it, I recommend Sebazole wash. Our Staffy had really itchy sensitive skin and this wash (used regularly) helped.

[Apfel]

Our dog had really bad eczema due to the tropical climate we lived in. The only thing that calmed down the nasty red rash and stopped her scratching was doggy Tea Tree shampoo.

I can't find the brand online that we used to use, but I've done a quick google and there are a few brands out there.

Hope you find something that works! I know how hard it is to see your dog so miserable :(

[Mrs Molly Coddle]

Apparently dogs shouldn't eat beef because it causes skin problems so maybe avoid that if you haven already??

[petalwings]

I use a flea/heartworm treatment ( frontline plus) on my Goldie which settles her skin down, her ichness dematitis/ exmexa flares up when bitten by mites. I thinkshes allergic to the bites. Also I tryto keep her indoors.

[4babycinos]

Our Staffy is the same, and have tried everything, to washes, sensitive skin biscuits, medication, you name it we have done it, and yes, in 11 years have spent a fortune on vet bills!!

But our new vet said there is nothing we can do, the washes and biscuits will help but there is nothing that will cure it and he will still scratch :(

The best thing we can do is just treat the areas he has rubbed red raw and keep on going with the things we are doing - sensitive skin wash and sensitive skin biscuits.

[Roopee]

Our Staffy is the same, and have tried everything, to washes, sensitive skin biscuits, medication, you name it we have done it, and yes, in 11 years have spent a fortune on vet bills!!

But our new vet said there is nothing we can do, the washes and biscuits will help but there is nothing that will cure it and he will still scratch :(

The best thing we can do is just treat the areas he has rubbed red raw and keep on going with the things we are doing - sensitive skin wash and sensitive skin biscuits.

Oh no!! Your poor Staffy!!
I hope I can fix it- it sucks to see her so sad! I'm going to go to the health food store this afternoon and see what they say- someone once told me about wheatgerm oil...I might try that. Will let you know how it goes!


I use a flea/heartworm treatment ( frontline plus) on my Goldie which settles her skin down, her ichness dematitis/ exmexa flares up when bitten by mites. I thinkshes allergic to the bites. Also I tryto keep her indoors.

We Frontline and alternate it with Advantage religiously. Nothing works...and there is not a flea on her. I am just lost.
Oh, inside is not an option- 4 kids AND an unruly dog- uh uh, house is crazy enough :laughing:

[RoarsomeMum]

Was not a flea on Our Bear either and she still suffered from "flea allergy" (which means one bloody bite creates an unstopable itch.. She still got it.. despite rigorous and intensive treatment.)

We used "quit-itch" to bath her with regularly when she was itchy and some sort of cream the vet gave to heal the itched and irritated spots.

It's apparently pretty common. (the flea allergy I mean!)

[Miss_N]

Have you tried Maleseb (sp?) baths? It's a shampoo for skin conditions. VERY good or so I have heard. Maybe ask your vet if it would help!

:hugs:

[Izy]

my mum used a horsewash for fifi at her worst. Can't remember what it's called but it's a fungal wash.

[giveitago]

Your dry food could be making it worse too. Have you dried the sensitive skin dog food?
Our dog has had a skin reaction to her $120 vet prescribed kibble (prescribed for pancreatitis not skin issues)!!! We threw half of it out – what a waste.

Our dog now eats a mix of boiled white rice, chicken breast (no fat), and mixed vegies (no onion).
We make it all in one go once a fortnight and I put it in chinese containers and freeze them.
We got her skin irritation under control and started to reintroduce a new kibble, same reaction L
So we are back to just the rice/chicken/vegie mix.

How dog has pancreatitis also so we have to have low fat and a certain amount of protein. This diet covers both.
Its about $50 a fortnight and takes a couple hours each fortnight of fiddling around.
But its worth it to see her confortable and not so irritated (and we get sleep now).

Perhaps use calamine lotion to give some relief while you’re trying to find a permanent solution. Just make sure you wait for it to dry before you let the dog up. Or you’ll have very colourful floors J

Goodluck, i know how horrible it is to watch them lick and chew and be obviously uncomfortable.

Your dog sounds like my dog and needs to get a job to help cover some costs!!!

ETA. We also use an oatmeal shampoo and conditioner once a week / fortnight depending on how bad she is.

[RolzBubz]

Roopee i too have a lab if you cant already tell by the pic but he too suffers from hot spots and sensitive skin..i too have spent alot of $$ on vet bills for creams and the sort..
I wash mine in malesab,and have also got a neocort cream from the vet for a tub which cost me $50 but also get a cream for bacteria which is called fungafite which doesnt have cortisone in it as like any meds the body gets used to it so i tend to swap this was also recommened by the vet but paying 36 for a tube wasnt the best bet so i searched it and found it on the website vetnpetdirect.com.au and only pay 12.40 a tube...i have also resorted to metholated spirts dialuted of course to wash and dry out the area.
it is a never ending process to which my dog now hears the word cream and rolls over and spreads his legs.:)

[CazHazKidz]

It sounds (to me) like it's coming from the inside, so is probably her diet. I see that you have tried adding egg and sardine to her diet, but what do you actually feed her?

I would start elmiminating things and see if that helps.

I had a lot of clients who's dogs had similar skin allergies, and they put their dogs on BARF patties (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food), and there dogs skin cleared up within a matter of weeks. There are a number of differnt flavours and in my experience the Roo ones are the best for allergis. In saying that though, don't go out and buy the packaged roo meat in the animal section at the supermarket as it is NASTY stuff full of preservatives. Try BARF if you can get your hands on it. I've heard many success stories.

[Leeee]

Have you tried Maleseb (sp?) baths? It's a shampoo for skin conditions. VERY good or so I have heard. Maybe ask your vet if it would help!

:hugs:

we use this on our staffy cross when she gets rashes. it works for her.

[Miss_N]

we use this on our staffy cross when she gets rashes. it works for her.

We use the sister shampoo, Aloeveen and it is lovely! Smells amazing too! haven't had a need to use Maleseb yet but I would def give it a try! :yes:

[CazHazKidz]

Aloeveen is heaps nicer than malaseb, and I find it works better too :thumbsup:

[DoneAndDusted]

I could have written your exact post at that exact time yesterday!! I was googling this morning and found your post. You poor pup, it sucks!

Do you think it could be mites (mange) there is a red mite that lives on chickens... is your dog near the chickens??

My dog (you will have to meet him next time I see you) is starting to suffer too atm... :( he is 5 and never had a problem until last Feb, and because we live in such a sandy area in summer time there is always fleas... I was convinced it was mites (mange) because I found some of the red ones one him and I was also covered in bites (they weren't fleas) We alternate between advantix and frontline, giving fish oil, change his diet so it is preservative free etc, wash with Malaseb and Aloveen and when it was at it's worst the vet gave something, I don't remember what it was though.

He has been fine though until the last couple weeks then yesterday I noticed how bad it has got again :( I'm really worried about summer coming.

As he has so much hair yesterday I gave him a hair cut (hack) washed him in Malaseb then a conditioning rinse of Aloveen Conditioning treatment. He is not scratching but that doesn't necessarily clear up the dry patches just soothes them... I'm at a loss also so very interested in this thread!

[RipperRita]

My DH's dog used to get such bad skin he would go to the vet and get special injections... they were pretty expensive. Maybe its grass? I had a ginuea pig once that was allergic to grass.... Poor thing couldnt walk in the grass without breaking out

[BornToBe]

I have read that there are links between the yearly heartworm vaccines, and skin irritations also. If your pup does get the yearly jab, maybe have a google of side effects associated with the vaccine?

As many other posters have said, I would be looking for the internal, underlying cause moreso than looking for a drug or cure that works, IYKWIM. Most surely could be connected to diet.

[mrse]

I feel your pain...my dog was allergic to grass and everything else under the sun as he got older

We used Malaseb on him and it worked a treat.

[Roopee]

Thanks everyone! I have LOTS of new things to try now so thank you so much!!

happymumwith2boys-yep- the dog and the chickens play together all day. That might be the issue there. And you're not the only one scared about summer....:no:

Thanks again everyone xxx

[Hooves]

I don't really have a positive story.

My bull terrior, had a reaction to anaesthetic, and her liver was unable to process protein in meat.

Which we only discovered after months and months of dealing with an eczema type allergy rash.

We had to put her on a vegie diet. And if she did have meat it had to be cooked to death. I used to feed her lots of home made stews.

And we had to have cortisone and creams. The vet gave us this Dark Green cream, which worked, but as our dog was white, and this cream was messy. She left everything she came in contact with greasy and green.

She looked awful.

The treatments would work for a while, then we would have to re assess her diet, and treatment. This went on for 2 years.

She would often, ruin all of our hard work, by getting out, and going for a wander to the winery across the road. Where the guests often took pity on her, and fed her cheese, and sausage or steak sandwiches. Grrr!!

Eventually, we made the decision to have her PTS. I just couldn't watch her ripping her skin to pieces any more, and looking so miserable. :crying:

[giveitago]

Oh Hooves :( poor puppy.

Our problems started when our girl got into the bin one day and ate a wjoe lot of god knows what. The extreme fat consumption sent her pancreas into a bit of shock. We're really hoping we can find a way to stay on top of it.

So sad so many others have gone through similar things too.

[SpecialPatrolGroup]

Does your dog eat the chook food? Apparently corn can cause skin problems so try limiting her access to chook food and check that the food that you feed her doesn't have corn (and wheat I think). I have just tried my lab x border collie on a mature dog food and his skin has gone crazy so have to change back to see it that helps.

[mummykitty]

Oh, inside is not an option- 4 kids AND an unruly dog- uh uh, house is crazy enough :laughing:

LOL! we have 4 dogs and 2 kiddies.. only one of our dogs is inside at the moment though (puppies not housetrained yet and rescue dog too smelly/ dirty yet)

diet- dogs like humans can have triggers in their foods try putting her onto chicken necks.. MANY breeders i know have this as staple diet for their dogs and pups great for teeth and nothing they should react to.. then much like you do with a baby add in foods one at a time and watch for reaction..

lotions/ barrier creams- there are a few out there though i havent found any OMG brilliant ones that work for us, try and keep pup from scratching though as it wont help as im sure you know and keep applications to a minimal, natural oils etc are important so we want to encourage those where possible

plants- are there any plants flowers etc in your garden pup may be reacting to? labs have short coat so contact on skin would probably get very irritating..

bath products- its actually not recommended you wash a dog too often, skin oils etc.. avoid soap washs more than once a month and try for something natural. oatmeal i hear works well for dogs as well as humans and is soothing (plus they think its tasty :P)


if its an all over reaction id be looking at what she ingests first.. then look at definite full body contact like wash products :) im so sorry to hear you are having nasty comments made for the state of your pooch :( thats just cruel really, honestly if you are out walking her that to me is really not a sign of neglect its the dogs i hear but never see that i worry about lols.. i now have two labs so im hoping that we dont have any troubles.. let us know how you do :) xo

[Roopee]

Eventually, we made the decision to have her PTS. I just couldn't watch her ripping her skin to pieces any more, and looking so miserable. :crying:

I know exactly what you mean. DH and I have talked about it- it's so sad and the kids, god they would be devastated. I just dont know how much longer I can watch her rip herself to pieces. If the diet thing and new creams dont work then it's something we'll have to consider I think.:(


Does your dog eat the chook food? Apparently corn can cause skin problems so try limiting her access to chook food and check that the food that you feed her doesn't have corn (and wheat I think). I have just tried my lab x border collie on a mature dog food and his skin has gone crazy so have to change back to see it that helps.

Nah she doesn't eat the chook food but she does interact with them all day long so will be checking her for mites. Though we have had the chooks for 12mths and she has had this skin condition for 3 years so i doubt that's it.

Poor thing, after a hot day, followed by a cold windy one she is driving herself crazy, ripping the skin off her back and tail.:(

[Mum2Tyla]

as a human who suffers from a skin condition, I really feel for dogs with skin issues and as a vet nurse it is the most frustrating thing we have to try and treat, my parent had a dog when i was younger they tried everything and finally had her put down because she was in constant pain. I hope you get on top of it.