Skin Problems

[pointer28 1]

Hi all,

 

My 3 year old border x fell has a very bad skin problem for the past year and I just can't get it shifted. As well as the skin problems, he is also not thriving and will not put on any weight. He is fed plenty, a good quality dry food topped up with mince, chicken wings, turkey legs etc.

 

He has been treated for mange and fleas and it's neither, which I knew anyway. He has had numerous skin scrapes and they are coming up blank every time.

 

The vet has come to the conclusion that it's an allergy to something but we don't know what. I have tried changing his food to different brands, and I have also tried lamb based instead of beef based dry foods and have also tried feeding him raw flesh, none of which made any difference at all. There are blood tests available but the vet told me that they will probably come back with a list of 600 things that it might be, but won't actually pinpoint anything.

 

The only thing that relieves the scratching and puts weight back on him is steroids. They work and do a great job, but the problem is that long-term steroid usage causes liver problems, incontinence etc. and are not a good thing in the long run. The vet is convinced that if I feed him an expensive hypoallergenic dog food (€51.50 for 7kg) that they just happen to sell that all his problems will be solved. I refused this and said I that I didn't want to try it just yet. It's not so much the cost as he's a small dog and it would last, but I just think it's a con.

 

My question, can anyone recommend any natural remedy that might help or recommend anything that I haven't already thought of.

[thebolt 4]

iv got the same prob mate with the same brbut mine is a bitch, a lad from this site told me to use dorwest herbs keepers mix, iv had her on it for about a week now and she seem's a better dog in her self already. fingers crossed her cote will start cuming back as well

[FJager 0]

Hi Pointer28, I had this type of problem many years ago with a Bully, still not sure what caused it but his skin was terrible, cost a bleedin fortune at the vets with all their potions and nothing worked. A mate seen him and gave me a tin of 'Nucidol' which cost about $12.00 Aust and the problem was fixed within a fortnight and it never came back. He almost looked like a Mexican Hairless beforehand.

 

'Nucidol' is not on the Aust market any more but its worth a try in your country.

 

Mutton is definitely a know go for skin problems in dogs as is venison.

 

Hope you get something sorted.

 

P.S. If you cannot get 'Nucidol' try 'Pinetarsel' oil which you can get from a chemist. Good luck.

[terriermaid 3]

how long did you keep him on just raw flesh ?it can take up to 6 weeks to get dry food out of there system ,ive been down a lot of routes with 1 of mine ,the last time she had a bad food allergy ,i fed her chicken wings for 6 weeks ,shes now on james wellbeloved which she tollerates ,have a look at the barf diet on the net ,it might be worth trying ,if he improves at least you will know it is a food allergy

[bill88 6]

One 500mg Evening Primrose Oil capsule every other day.

[Guest MOLLY]

Have you had the dog tested for what it is allergic too yet? The vets will be able to identify it and give the dog a resistance to it. I am in the process of having one of my dogs tested at present.

Moll.

 

PS...Bill i havent forgotten about you, when i know you will know

 

PPS....Terriermaid it can take up to 12wks for it to leave their system, or so i was told by the vets?

[towzer 3]

as bill says i give 1 evening primrose capsule every day and it puts a lovely shine on there coats

ps i also use dorwest herbs keepers mix

[sandymere 8,263]

Many ezcema/alergy type skin problems can be related to or made worse by stress so if the animal is a little hyper or nervy it may make things worse. There is also a familial relationship with eczema, ie if a parent has it it will increase the incidence in the next generation, so maybe worth thinking twice before breeding. Steroids calm the imflammation and also have an effect on mood i,e antidepressant that will calm the stress in stress related eczema but long term cause lots of problems including weakening bones and thining skin, hardly good for a working dog. Cause is found by a process of elimination so maybe an idea to try a low allergy diet to prove or exclude a dietry cause, if that doesn't work then reduce stress, then supplyments etc etc.

Good luck can be a long job.

[pointer28 1]

Hi all and thanks for taking the time to reply.

 

Regarding the Keepers Mix, Primrose Oil etc. are they not just feed supplements which improve the coat? What I'm after is something to cure the underlying cause which we think (90% sure) is an allergy.

 

Molly, we have considered the allergy test but the vet is of the opinion that it will come back with a list of 600 things that it MIGHT be, but almost certainly won't tell us what it actually is. He thinks it may just be a waste of money and doesn't want to bother just yet.

 

He has been on the steriods now since Wednesday and the scratching has stopped completely and he's starting to keep some weight on so they seem to be working. What I basically need is something to replace the steroids.

 

Terriermaid, I had him on BARF for about 3 weeks, I never realised it took so long to clear the system of the other stuff. Incidentally, I'm feeding him one of the more expensive dry dog foods that supposed to be made from "meat from the bone" and not "animal derived products". I also changed my Springer to this and she looks better and they both love it and empty their bowls in minutes not like the stuff they used to be on.

 

Sandymere, I don't think it's stress related. He lives in the house and comes to work with me every day and potters about the yard while I'm working. If I have a long drive he comes with me and when I go to horse shows at weekends he also comes along. He's well travelled and loves people.

[DevoidOvTalent 0]

You need to try a home made elimination diet. One novel protein, one novel carb, for a minimum of twelve weeks. Novel means something the dog has not eaten before, and therefore should not have an allergy to it. Avoid any multivitamins, etc, formulated for dogs; these tend to have flavorings that can cause problems. Treats are also out, you must keep the dog only on the chosen diet. Digestive symptoms such as poor weight gain are not uncommon with a food allergy or intolerance. The problem with just switching kibbles, even to a veterinary food, is that most of them have a ton of different ingredients and you can't really be sure what the dog is actually reacting to. A home made elimination diet is a better bet for finding something your dog can eat safely. Once you have found something the dog tolerates, you can look for a kibble based on those ingredients if you are so inclined. One thing you definitely want to avoid is feeding a bunch of different items; highly reactive dogs tend to become allergic to things at a the drop of a hat and if you keep throwing different foods at the problem you will end up with a great deal of difficulty trying to find novel foods that the dog hasn't been exposed to before.

 

If you are going to try the elimination diet you will need to get the dog off the steroids, they will mask symptoms. It can be a very long process; I have a dog that is allergic to almost all grains and even on a grain-free diet it took most of year for all his symptoms to go away.

[bill88 6]

Pointer,Evening Primrose Oil is a very good natural remedy for Hormone problems.Over the last ten years even GP's have recommended it to women suffering with PMT,and painfull periods.It has been used to treat many conditions over the years,don't under estimate its potency because its a "supplement".

My terrier bitch was constantly losing hair around her back end.A bold patch about 2 to 3 inches long would appear,slowly grow back then reappear the other side.Vets said it could be Flea's,hormone's,allergy,etc etc. I wasn't happy about giving her the steroids they'd prescribed,so tried to find an alternative (preferably natural) a couple of people suggested Evening Primrose Oil,so i gave it a go.That was last summer,and fingers crossed she has had no problems since.