My Dog Has Been Suffering From Severe Rashes, Itching, And Discomfort All Over Her Body. Any Help?
I’ve spent at least $1,500 on vet bills and medication, trying to solve these problems that are plaguing my poor 1y/o Pitbull, Clover. She’s the sweetest dog and absolutely loves everyone and everything. It hurts me so much to see her in such constant discomfort and annoyance.
She’s been on a hypoallergenic food diet for 2 months, steroids, gets bi-weekly anti-microbial baths w/ “itch-relieving” conditioner. She’s been through a trial of 3 antihistamines. She also had 3 applications of Revolution, 2 weeks apart, in the possible treatment of scabies, if that is what she had. She’s having Fish Oil, Antioxidants, Yucca, and just finished antibiotics for like the third round due to secondary infections. I’m also just starting to apply Tea Tree Oil to all the rash spots. I don’t have high hopes, but it’s something I haven’t tried yet, so I’ll keep doing it.
So far, there has been absolutely no light at the end of this tunnel. Even the steroids show absolutely no improvement. She has bald ears, arms, and eyes. She’s semi-bald on the top of her head and neck as well. This is all due to rubbing and kicking. Sometimes I literally have to tackle her to get her to stop. We can’t leave her alone, even for 10 minutes, because we’ll come home to a bloody mess, literally. We take shifts watching her so someone is home with her at all times.
She has red spots all along her abdomen, belly, back, forearms, all four armpits, back of the ears, I mean basically…everywhere except her back and tail. This led my skin specialist vet to believe that it’s most likely not a flea tick control allergy, but a food, contact, or inhaled allergy. Days after we stop the antibiotics, she develops pimples on her abdomen. She’s constantly licking her forearms, and chewing the knees on her hind legs. Constantly shaking her head, rubbing her face and body on carpets/beds/people. Constantly kicking her legs (as if being rubbed on a sweet spot.) I saw a video on the ‘Pinna-Pedal’ reflex, in which it usually means scabies, but she’s been treated for it, and definitely has that reflex. (When you rub her ears, she kicks her legs.)
She has been tested for mites, ringworm, and thyroid problems. Her bowel movements are normal consistency, but sometimes fairly frequent. She can have anywhere from 3-5 bowel movements a day. This is a clue that hinted my Skin Vet into thinking it is a Food Allergy. I can tell she’s very anxious, but then again, I assume its due to the constant agony she’s going through. I take her on daily walks, and long ones, to burn off that extra negative energy. Those seem to help a lot.
I guess the question is, could it be a food allergy even though she’s on a *strict* hypoallergenic diet of Rabbit and Potatoes? Has there ever been a case where these hypoallergenic foods don’t solve the problem, yet a food allergy still exists? Would anyone recommend a home-cooked diet with simple and/or raw ingredients?
Does anyone have any other ideas as to what it could possibly be? I’m desperat controle for any advice, I’ve been scouring the internet for months, researching what it could possibly be. I’m trying very hard to avoid the 700 dollar allergy test that apparently has false positives and only a 60-70% success rat controle, but if that’s the next step, then I guess I’ll find a way to pay for it. If you need any more information, please feel free to ask.
Thank you so much in advance for spending the time reading this. I appreciate it a lot, and so does my doggy, Clover. <333
- Charlie and Clover.
WOW!!! I’m going to try to break down what you wrote from each paragraph.
OK-First you are treating her sooo many ways for so many types of skin problems that you may be creating more problems before finding out what the original problem was. It sounds like she is being over dosed on everything. I would stop all the “treatments”. Leave her on the rabbit/potato and the fish oil won’t hurt but don’t over dose her with the oil. Reduce the bathing to once a week rinse!! well!! and with cool water..and NO!!! tea tree oil. This has caused the opposite reaction-some dogs can not tolerate tea tree oil.
Questions-you mention skin specialist vet, is this a canine dermatologist? if not this is the route you may need to go and it can be even more expensive and yes the tests.
You say she was treated for scabies but tests show no mites or parasites…was she check for Demodectic Mange? pitbulls are prone to this (and its not the same as the scabies mite) I don’t understand treating her for scabies with 3 doses of Revolution 2 wks apart! This product was to be used once a month-I never heard of it being prescribed this frequently. You mention food allergy here-what were you feeding her when this problem started? If she has been off that food for some time and the new food is not of the same ingredients she should be over that. Unless you are feeding her treats or chews that she was eating when this started. Strict diet means nothing but that diet!! NOTHING ELSE!
I would think back to when this started-what was she eating then-everything..food-treats-chews etc, what were the ingredients in these, grain based? she could have a celiac problem-if she is still getting any of these things stop. Since she has been treated for the usual parasites I don’t think its those, unless she hasn’t been check for Demodectic Mange-I would stop those treatments. What about your home-do you use rug deodorizers, room fresheners, carpet sprays or have you put new carpet down? I found Arm & Hammer carpet products to be the worst in causing allergies in dogs! Some dogs even react to dryer sheets. Sometimes new rugs are treated with stain inhibitors that can cause allergies. Stop any of these. If you have used them wash everything with a hypoallergenic soap and RINSE!! Once you eliminate all these things and she is back on just the diet-try giving it another 3-4 wks and see if there is any change if not I would try the raw diet. Before I would put her on that I might do allergy tests for foods.
I had a Scotty client that went through this..poor dog was allergic to grass, beef, and chicken as well as other things. She was put on the salmon potato diet which helped but she was never cured-allergy conditions can be extremely hard to narrow down and cure.
Good Luck
Haii..
I have a friend who’s dog (German Shepard) Has very similar problems…
Not relating to the dog.. they moved house.
Suddenly.. he seemed to get better.. and they wern’t spending over $200 a week on food alone.
It could be the dust mites. or the area you live in.. i mean we owned a horse who was allergic to our grass.. so she breathed heavily.. but we sold her and she started breathing fine.
i dk..
there are weird reasons…
so maybe you could move…
but.. thats a huge step..
so maybe you could have her stay at a friends place say a 20 minute drive away from where you are for a week.. see if there are any improvement…
I dnt know.
do you understand what i am trying to say? Because im in a hurry.. and cant quite write everything im trying to say.. hehe?
Hope i helped.
RatLove