skin allergies, incotinence, and weight gain =(

weim2mom · Last edited by weim2mom on Wed Jun 18, 2008 12:58 pm; edited 1 time in total

Chevy has had two summers with us, and both have been filled with skin allergies. Last summer, around end of May/ early June, she got these 'bumps
' all over her back, and a few on her head every now and again.

I am not too fond of my vet after her 'attempts' to make Chevy better. I know a few things, 1. they are seasonal, as they only happen during the summer months. 2. it isn't a type of insect, as Hemi has not one bump.

She said that Chevy was allergic to mosquito bites, newsflash!!, everyone is.
Sorry, it seems that this one vet can never get it right.

They start out as just a few, then spread quite quickly. We left for vacation a few weeks ago, and she had a few bumps, when we came back they were almost gone, and went away. Then, I noticed a few more. So, I have been giving her Benadryl 50mg twice a day as advised by the vet.

I also bathed her with a medicated shampoo that they gave us last summer. This was Sunday night, they seemed to get better on Monday. Now, they have spread all over her back, just her back though.

Some of them she has been picking at, as well as Hemi. They have scabbed over, as you can see. She doesn't seem to itch too often, but they are getting worse. I am going to ask for prednisone tomorrow for the inflammation.

I have been noticing that she likes to lay on her back and roll in the grass, legs in the air. Could this be it?

Has anyone had these problems, or known someone who has?

Thanks!

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kamfam · Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 6:25 pm Post subject:

ok, first of all, in that last picture she looks absolutely ENORMOUS Shocked

!!!

What about flea meds, or perhaps an allergy to fleas? I know that sounds strange, but my sister's dog has a flea allergy. One flea bite turns her into a mess. Could she have an allergy to flea medication (if it's topical)? I don't know, I'm just guessing here (kinda like your vet, HA!).

weim2mom · Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 6:27 pm Post subject:

I give her flea meds year round, with no problems. It's just in the summer... at a loss here!

Can she get fleas even if she is on frontline?

I am not looking forward to the vet bill....

kamfam · Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 6:31 pm Post subject:

weim2mom · Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 6:45 pm Post subject:

... I am a worry wart, I know. But, they have doubled in size since yesterday. With the reaction that she had with her routine shots, I know that she is very sensitive. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

weimdogmom · Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:18 pm Post subject:

Our terrier mix, Jazz, has really bad allergies...

Have you talked with your vet about testing to see what Chevy is allergic to? There is a blood test and also skin scratch testing. The skin test, I think, tests for more possible allergens. Either would be geared to test for common and regional causes of the itching.

As an example, some of the things Jazz is allergic to: feathers, cat dander, grasses, weeds, wool, dust mites, moths, human dander (yes, our dog is allergic to us). Also yeast.. which is common in ear problems and skin issues and just makes the itch worse.

I wonder about the rolling in the grass -- does Chevy roll because his back itches... or is there something in the grass that is causing the itch?

You might try giving Chevy a rinse when he comes in from outside. This can sometimes help as much as a bath (which Jazz loves now because she knows she feels better after). What shampoo are you using? Our vet had recommended Relief, but the dermatologist has us using Malaseb (which is prescription only -- but be sure and check online prices before getting it from your vet if this is what you use). Bathing frequently in addition to a rinse helps the itching a lot.

Jazz has not needed prednisone this year, thank goodness. In the past, though, it helped more than anything. Benadryl never did seem to work for her, now she is on a human prescription antihistamine (the bottle is downstairs, but if you'd like to know what it is, I'll check) and this does help her out.

I don't remember what you are feeding Chevy, but supplementing with EFAs -- Omega 3 and 6 -- may be of help to Chevy. Fish oil caps or Grizzly (or another brand) Salmon Oil. Keeping his skin and coat as healthy as possible also helps with controling the itch.

What happened with Jazz in the past -- she would be fine one day and seem to 'blow up' the next. Either her skin was pretty and pink and then suddenly covered with red spots, or her ears were clean and the next day looked like they had never been cleaned.

Here are a couple of things you may be interested in reading:
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/70301.htm

http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/health/pyoderma.htm

weim2mom · Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:51 pm Post subject:

weim2mom · Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:51 pm Post subject:

weimdogmom · Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:08 pm Post subject:

Oh, I meant to ask if you have chiggers in your area? They don't bother our dogs that I have seen... but they can cause itchy, swollen welts on some people.

For the testing... I know what you mean about worry about costs. The blood test (Jazz had this done about 3 years ago) was less expensive than the skin test. But her usual vet practice drew the blood and sent it to a lab in Colorado for the testing. The antigen is not inexpensive either -- and you buy it for a year at a time.

Sometimes we also just swab Jazz with a cool damp cloth and that seems to help...

Have you ever asked Chevy not to scratch? We did that to Jazz, so she knew we didn't like her to scratch so much (poor dog...). So now, every now and then she will go into another room and scratch so we don't hear her... Could Chevy be sneaking off to itch?

Well... most of what Jazz is allergic to would not seem to be seasonal -- but still she is most itchy during the warm, humid months.

I hope your appointment tomorrow goes well... please do let us know.

weim2mom · Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:10 pm Post subject:

We live in a one bedroom apt, so there aren't too many places for her to hide, and they are typically attached at my hip unless they are in our backyard playing. She knows that she isn't supposed to scratch at the area, but she will test me. Just like a weim... Rolling Eyes

I never thought of chiggers. I am going to write all this down and bring in to the vet.

Thanks again so much!

Banshee13 · Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:22 pm Post subject:

If the benedryl isn't helping with the itching, I would ask the vet for something stronger (or try increasing the doseage. I give Banshee 75 milligrams per dose). Rolling around on her back is mostly likely her way of SCRATCHING her ITCHES! I don't like the looks of the open wounds. I would put a little antibiotic cream on them to try to help them heal. Once the wounds heal, I highly recommend getting Vitamin E oil from the health food store and rubbing them on the affected area. I am pretty sure that's what ultimately helped heal Banshee's unidentified neck "rash". In the meantime, you might try switching to a grain-free kibble to see if that helps any. Grains are the culprit of many a food allergy (but would not explain why it's "seasonal" ). Good luck!

Peri

Schatze · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 9:46 am Post subject:

I'm having the same problem with Schatze right now. She does not appear to be itchy but her skin is dry and flaky. She is on Canadae and gets salmon oil daily. She also has small red bumps on her belly and was having hair loss which seems to have stopped. She was shedding her old coat and getting the new one so thats better too.

I did a lot of research on the net and this appears to be normal puppy stuff. Anyway- I have a vet appointment Friday as I tend to be a worry wart as well.

Well see what she says...

Idaviruma · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 9:55 am Post subject:

I posted this before, but I've tried a number of shampoos, antibiotics, creams for Unos allergies and one thing that I found that works is this:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=15232
I usually stock up for spring/summer months because thats when allergies are the worst, always gets rid of hives, bumps, ear infections, etc.
I use 2 tabs a day, plus add 2 fish oils to his kibble (he spits out the capsule, so I puncture it with a needle and squeeze it out)[/url]

Schatze · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 9:59 am Post subject:

I'm ordering some right now- THANKS!!! I'll try anything...

peppernaei · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:07 am Post subject:

I am sorry to hear about Chevy's allergies. My little guy has seasonal allergies and I know how frustrating they can be. He would gnaw off is own leg without the benadryl and baths.

I just wanted to caution the use of prednisone especially long-term. It works wonders, I agree, but it has many undesirable side effects. I personally just suffered through a rough battle with my asthma losing weeks of work and having to visit my doctor every second day to try to stay off the prednisone. In dogs, it can cause excess urine production, hair loss and skin infections, loss of muscle and pot-bellying and other infections due to suppressed immune system. Just make sure if it is used you limit the dosage and frequency as much as possible and the length of treatment. A friends dog is on cyclosporine for allergies but being another immunosuppressant it has it's own set of side effects.

Best of luck finding a cause and a treatment.