Allergies/Rash?

[montecarlogirl87]

help!

Shota has developed some sort of rash that I could use some tips for

only thing I can think is maybe she's allergic to something in the yard? it's not fleas, I've been really lucky and haven't seen any fleas on my property/pets in a few years now

her belly started out with just a couple spots, I thought they might be ant or mosquito bites, but it just keeps getting worse...and today I noticed the toes on one of her front paws are much pinker than they were





I put some coconut oil on both her paw and her belly today, but of course she just wants to lick it off

my friend has a golden that has allergies, she said she uses a Burts Bees calming salve and that her vet told her to give him Benedryl, I'm not against that, but I'd rather cure it than just start feeding her a long-term diet of pills

she had a pretty nasty ear infection when I adopted her from the shelter, they gave me EasOtic to put in her ear, it seemed to help, but as soon as I ran out her ears turned into a nasty mess again. I bought some Zymox Otic online cus it seemed to have good reviews. It's working so far, but the true test will be when that runs out as well.

[Raven]

While he didn't have the raised bumps, it looks somewhat similar to what my guy had earlier this year. I used coconut oil to help keep the skin soft/keep from drying out and itching more, than scabbing...and while my guy loves coconut, he wouldn't lick it when I said not to (I'm fortunate).

While it helped, it didn't "go away" fast enough, though it didn't look or reach the point that your dog has. (It must be very uncomfortable for her.) I ended up applying an OTC 1% cortisone cream. Didn't want to do it, but it broke the cycle of him wanting to lick and bite the affected areas, which resulted in the skin returning to normal. That said....

I don't know what he had nor what your dog has. Also, I don't know about applying 1% cortisone to a dog who licks when you don't want him to, short of a cone around their head.

Whatever you do, don't apply tea tree oil. Many tote its value on the web, and while it is good for some things, it is drying to the skin.

Has anything new been added to the diet? Has she been around any new plants? With skin, it could be most anything. Thor suddenly developed a reaction to something that he'd been eating for a couple years, and I only discovered what was causing the reaction by process of elimination. (His diet's pretty clean, which helped the process.)

Sorry I don't have more to offer, other than taking her to a vet. (You may have no choice...it look pretty advanced, and you say, getting worse.)

[montecarlogirl87]

the coconut oil has already helped, only a few hours and it's not near as red as it appears in that pic

I do have a cone somewhere, I'll have to find it

no diet change, since I've had her at least, I feed a mix of Purina One and Blue...lord knows what she was eating at the shelter, I saw they posted on their Facebook about a donation they received and it was a hodge podge mix of cheap foods (Kibbles N Bits, Pedigree...)

[Raven]

Glad the redness isn't as angry-looking. Just don't let up on keeping the coconut oil applied to/around the affected areas if it's helping.

I'd also think about clipping her nails. Long nails can eventually cause a few different problems. One of the possible problems is that if they are bothersome, the dog will naturally lick or chew the nails and/or the toes, and then the licking/gnawing can extend to surrounding areas in an attempt to alleviate the discomfort.

Luckily as owners, we can feed our animals the best we can afford, at least based on our knowledge. Not so much with shelters. I used to help at a dog/cat food pantry and any type of donation was doled out to owners who came needing food. Another friend of mine with whom I work has a contract with a big chain store to pick up all their discarded dog/cat food. The store dumps it all into big barrels, dog food mixed with cat food. Far from ideal, and likely causes problems for some of the animals, but it's that or they don't eat.

[montecarlogirl87]

oh I don't blame the shelter at all, unfortunately they're never the ideal conditions, and at least at this one you could tell (some) of the people actually cared, they were just limited in what they could do

but I knew she didn't have the best diet, I watched her poop probably 3-4 times just the first day I had her...waste food = more waste

I know there's better food out there than Purina One, but it's in my price range :/ that's why I mix it with Blue too

[Owned-By-Hendrix]

My guy just had a long battle with environmental allergies. Our prescribed routine was - wipe down with damp cloth EVERY time he came inside from out doors. Every. Single. Time. Benadryl once a day/once every two days/twice a day depending on severity (only way I could get him to temporarily stop eating himself), full in wash of the house, bedding, couches, floors, anything and everything he could have gotten into. Zymox washes once a week (I would try to keep his skin from drying out with coconut oil/salmon oil while doing this). The zymox is amazing. Turns out it was a weird pseudo allergy to the bleach I had used on his bed. So once I rewashed everything with vinegar it was fine.

If it's in the yard it could be anything from bug bites to something blown in on the wind. You could try spraying Shota with cedar spray just before she goes outside, just to see if that helps. Or sprinkling diametius earth (food grade so it won't hurt the dogs) over the yard to see if that helps. I'm not a gardener and have no idea if that will help.

[montecarlogirl87]

it's just frustrating, and I'm sure annoying for her

slathered her up with coconut oil again just now, put the cone on her (I have a fabric one that the vet who spayed Shylah gave us)....not 10mins later I look out the back door to see Shylah pulling it off for her >.> this is gonna be battle

I had her 3 weeks before whatever this is started, and nothing has been changed....unless of course like you said, something changed in the yard unbeknownst to me :/

I'm lucky to have a pretty big backyard, we actually have a double-lot in our neighborhood, and as long as the weather is decent enough to have the porch door open a foot (without murdering the AC electric bill), they pretty much have free run in and out all day

I think I need to find a company to come clear up the yard, we've got ferns and vines we've been talking about getting taken out for a long time anyways

[johninny]

have you just recently applied a flea/tick med or dosed a pill that deals with fleas? i have had pups - including Tracer - who got rashes exactly like that after topical application of flea/tick med [ frontline plus ].

[centrop67]

I didn't notice if you had gone to the Vet yet?

Radar had a similar breakout we thought might be allergies. We took him to the Vet, because he licks until he makes it worse for any little thing.

Turns out he had a skin infection that was only going to get better with antibiotics.

[montecarlogirl87]

I haven't been to the vet yet

and no flea meds, the only meds she's gotten were the Zymox Otic for her ears

I'm gonna try an epsom salt soak for her feet today and an oatmeal bath for her skin

it's confined to the bare skin on her belly too, I haven't seen any spots when I comb thru her fur

[Raven]

I'm not sure about Epsom salt since there's three schools of thought on effectiveness when using on humans. I believe I used it on Thor's foot to no avail when a toe swelled with no signs of a cut, a lodged pine needle, etc.

I don't know how you'll apply the oatmeal, but I always keep a supply of rolled oats that I pulverize (to powder form) in a jar. I mix whatever amount needed with water to preferred consistency and apply. It's nourishing, softening and soothing.

(I also use it nearly every day on my face, then rinse and apply coconut oil.)

Keep us posted on how she's coming along.

One more thing that touches on something Michael said: she may not have a skin infection but could develop one just by the nature of open wounds.

[montecarlogirl87]

ooo that's a good idea, I was thinking more of an oatmeal bath like I had as a kid when I had chicken pox...but maybe I can make some sort of a cream to apply, I never thought of grinding it

hell, maybe even oatmeal powder mixed with coconut oil...

luckily right now she doesn't have any open sores, they're not seeping or anything, just red and obviously itchy...I'll def keep an eye on it thou

[Raven]

The properties of oil and water being different, you may want to apply the oatmeal paste or "lotion" (depending on consistency) and coconut oil separately.

Obviously, the gelatinous consistency of a lotion spreads more easily than a pulverized rolled oat paste--and its film doesn't "clump off," though you can't avoid some tiny clumps here and there. You'll find a consistency that works for whatever purpose.

[LyonsFamily]

I am a huge fan of Zymox shampoo. I actually just got done giving Odin his bath with it. Odin's always been an itchy boy and has habitual itching from his back issues and his skin gets really raw. I bought him Zymox shampoo and did 2 baths and the results have been amazing. We've tried coconut products, aloe and oatmeal shampoo, Apple Cider Vinegar, high quality conditioners, etc and nothing worked to treat the symptoms. I did decrease them a bit by adding vitamin D to his diet, but there is always an occasional rough time for him whether it's allergies or his back acting up causing him to chew and irritate his skin.

Last month, Elli had a reaction to our carpet cleaner and her feet were bald even after cleaning them, they were red and swollen constantly. After one bath she left them alone and the hair has completely grown back. I've actually convinced some of the staff at the clinic I work at to start carrying it in our grooming department for medicated baths. It's so much more gentle and easier to rinse off than regular prescription shampoo too.

[Stacy_R]

I stay away from oatmeal shampoos, lotions, etc...oat is a grain and grains can be allergens. Just my 2 cents.

A rash can be related to the immune system or the gut not functioning properly. Adding some vitamin D (like Stephanie suggested) can help. Also, things that are natural antifungals can be added into the diet (ex. apple cider vinegar mixed in with food, maybe some coconut oil with food). Spirulina is an excellent supplement for the immune system. Be careful not to over dry (or over oil) the skin. Both can have the opposite of the desired effect.

I always keep colloidal silver on hand for hot spots, injuries, rashes, etc.

I have not ever had to use Zymox, but the fact that is does not have detergents, steroids, or petroleum by-products is definitely a plus. I would give that a go and adjust the diet as well. You really need to try to treat the inside as well as the outside or you're just fighting a losing battle.

[Raven]

Bump...to find out how our girl is doing.

[montecarlogirl87]

aww

It got worse than the picture above but seems to have plateaued.

We picked up some Benedryl that seems to be helping the itching, and I've been giving her a few spoons of coconut oil with her food.

I just got the Zymox shampoo I ordered in the mail this morning, so hopefully that will help as well.

I *think* I figured out the culprit thou. We had a 3-4lb bag of cat food that was a flavor my cat didn't like. We mixed it in with dog food (Shylah's always considered the occasional bite of cat food on top of her own food as a treat). It's mixed in with about 25-30lbs of dog food, so it never even crossed my mind until it dawned on me one morning while I was making coffee. As soon as it hit me, which was only a couple days ago, I made sure to switch her food to strictly dog food. But I'm sure that will take some time to work thru her system.

Her nails have also been clipped and we had a company come out yesterday to give us an estimate to clear some scrub out of our yard, now that I remembered the cat food I doubt that's the issue, but it can't hurt.

[Stacy_R]

It could be something in the cat food or the way it is processed that caused the reaction. Especially if it wasn't a high-quality food.

[montecarlogirl87]

well today was dad's payday (he's on disability), so he took Shota to a local vet

they told him it was mange....and tried to sell him almost $800 worth of work...which is nowhere near what we can afford

I dunno, it seems strange to me that she (appeared) perfectly healthy when I adopted her (and had been checked by the shelter vet prior to adoption)...and we haven't taken her anywhere, so where would she get mange?

my dad's got it stuck in his head that he treated dogs when he was a kid with a mixture of sulfur and used motor oil (his family's from rural Mississippi)....I don't give a shit how much he swears it worked, I'm not putting used motor oil on my dog

I do remember buying a sulfur based shampoo many many years ago for a dog we had when I was a kid that had a skin issue (that wasn't mange)

I dunno, maybe I'm being stubborn and blind, just seems strange to me that it wouldn't present until weeks after we got her, and we haven't taken her anywhere, nor have we ever had an issue with that at our home the entire 34 yrs we've owned it, it's not like Shylah has any kind of skin irritation

I'm still giving her Benedryl to help calm the itch, and coconut oil in her food every few days, plus the Zymox shampoo

[Raven]

The only thing I know of mange--and I could be mistaken--is that there are different types of mange (though all are caused by parasites) and some can be transmitted by plants...and can be transmitted dog-to-dog.

I hope someone with more to offer steps in. Mange can be very serious. I can't see where your current plan, now that you know what it is, will help.

I don't know how long it takes to manifest. Anyone know? And would that depend on the type of mange?