Fruuuuuuuustrating itchy dog skin problem

[TheOldSchool]

Alright everyone I have a tricky one for you. It's never occurred to me to post this problem until now.

I adopted my dog from the shelter 2 years ago. She had been returned 3 times already because of medical expenses but I thought what the hell if you leave your dog at the shelter you were probably just lazy about it so it'll be no problem.

My dog is a 25 pound Manchester Terrier mix named Batgirl. She has itchy skin to the point of bloodying up her paws and snout from scratching and biting.

She has been to the Vet countless times to no avail. She's been treated for scabies several times (with lots of extra expensive tests involved to identify if she had scabies) without ever showing signs of it. The medicine did nothing. She's been tested for allergies with no sign, had allergy shots with no results, tried several hypoallergenic diets and shampoos, and all for no results.

When I leave I have to put a cone on her so she won't hurt herself and that sucks for me and for her.

Does anyone know of any miracle supplements or anything?

If anyone gives me advice that works I might buy them something from Amazon as a reward.

Note: Vets have been absolutely NO help.

 

[syrenn]

i am NOT a vet...

i have heard good things about dusting them with gold bond medicated powder....

have you asked your vet if benadryl would be helpful?

 

[HUGGY]

Alright everyone I have a tricky one for you. It's never occurred to me to post this problem until now.

I adopted my dog from the shelter 2 years ago. She had been returned 3 times already because of medical expenses but I thought what the hell if you leave your dog at the shelter you were probably just lazy about it so it'll be no problem.

My dog is a 25 pound Manchester Terrier mix named Batgirl. She has itchy skin to the point of bloodying up her paws and snout from scratching and biting.

She has been to the Vet countless times to no avail. She's been treated for scabies several times (with lots of extra expensive tests involved to identify if she had scabies) without ever showing signs of it. The medicine did nothing. She's been tested for allergies with no sign, had allergy shots with no results, tried several hypoallergenic diets and shampoos, and all for no results.

When I leave I have to put a cone on her so she won't hurt herself and that sucks for me and for her.

Does anyone know of any miracle supplements or anything?

If anyone gives me advice that works I might buy them something from Amazon as a reward.

Note: Vets have been absolutely NO help.

She has been traumatized by the rejection she suffered earlier on. Much of the scratching is nervous acting out. I recommend lots of attention..exercise and a diet of some of their favorite meat and pasta dishes cooked in olive oil...and LOTS of it.

My female Pit Bull is a rescue and when I got her she had little sores and scabs all over her back and places she would scratch that were sore and bleeding just like you described. This was 18 months ago. She is 3 years 8 months old right now. At this time she has a gleaming coat with no sores or over scratched areas anywhere on her body. It will take time and love until she is sure she will not be rejected and abandoned again.

Diet is important. Treats as much as you can afford. I feed my 70 lb blue female and 125 lb male red nose Pit Bull lots of double cooked chicken including bones...Benefil original ... the large compressed bone treats .. rawhide chew bones ..and comfort food every day..todays dinner was hamburger stroganov. I also bake them muffins which they especially love. They also get pork chops and whole cooked chickens as I can find them on sale.

It may sound like I overdo it but the results are startling. When I take my dogs out with me people take pictures of them every time. It happened today a few times.

My method is to present more food than the dogs can eat. I always have at least four selections laid out for them to pick when they are hungry. They have learned that there will always be more than they can eat so they don't wolf down their food. Believe it or not they are not over weight either. They feel safe and secure. They are comfortable and have no doubt they belong. They repay me with unreserved loyalty and never touch ANYTHING of mine or act out by chewing or disturbing any of my belongings even when I have to go out for an hour or two. I leave my door wide open when I leave but keep the chain link fenced area surrounding the property locked. These dogs are NEVER put on a chain. I rarely have them on a leash. They both heal perfectly with or without a leash and obey the few commands I have taught them immediately.

Rescue dogs can be turned into champions but it takes a lot of commitment.

 

[waltky]

Rub room temperature bacon grease on the affected area...

... the bacon grease shuts off air to the mites...

... also use the funnel collar...

... this also works for mange...

... give it about 3 weeks to kill off any nits...

... that may be laid under the skin.

 

[TheOldSchool]

i am NOT a vet...

i have heard good things about dusting them with gold bond medicated powder....

have you asked your vet if benadryl would be helpful?

Benadryl had no effect. She's had prescription allergy medication before and even had allergy shots. I'm on to supplements now as a last ditch effort but I don't know much about them.

I'm saving up to get her to a different specialist soon. The allergy specialist didn't help at all.

I don't really expect anyone to have an answer for me here but I figured it's worth a shot.

Has anyone used Dinovite, NuVet, or Nupro?

 

[syrenn]

Rub room temperature bacon grease on the affected area...

... the bacon grease shuts off air to the mites...

... also use the funnel collar...

... this also works for mange...

... give it about 3 weeks to kill off any nits...

... that may be laid under the skin.

It does not sound like mites to me....more fungal and stress in my opinion.

but you would think that the vet would have tested for all of this!!!! I agree... a collar is necessary.

 

[syrenn]

i am NOT a vet...

i have heard good things about dusting them with gold bond medicated powder....

have you asked your vet if benadryl would be helpful?

Benadryl had no effect. She's had prescription allergy medication before and even had allergy shots. I'm on to supplements now as a last ditch effort but I don't know much about them.

I'm saving up to get her to a different specialist soon. The allergy specialist didn't help at all.

I don't really expect anyone to have an answer for me here but I figured it's worth a shot.

Has anyone used Dinovite, NuVet, or Nupro?

hhmmm....... i tell ya, try it again along with the gold bond medicated powder. It cant hurt at this point, and its not to expensive.

Have they tested for ringworm?

 

[MeBelle]

I concur with Syrenn and Huggy about stress.

I can't believe I'm actually going to suggest this and when I first saw it advertised many years ago I lmao...therapy?

 

[TheOldSchool]

I'll try out all of your guys' comments. Thanks for all the input!

She has been tested for ringworm and has her vaccinations up to date.

A lot of these are new ideas I've never tried before and I'll post about how they fare.

 

[HUGGY]

I concur with Syrenn and Huggy about stress.

I can't believe I'm actually going to suggest this and when I first saw it advertised many years ago I lmao...therapy?

Tons of love and patience..a great and abundant high oil (olive oil) diet will cure the dog of stress and appearance.

The dog naturely wants to please you and belong to your "pack".

 

[syrenn]

I concur with Syrenn and Huggy about stress.

I can't believe I'm actually going to suggest this and when I first saw it advertised many years ago I lmao...therapy?

Tons of love and patience..a great and abundant high oil diet will cure the dog of stress and appearance.

The dog naturely wants to please you and belong to your "pack".

I agree on the oil! A friend of mine would give his dog (husky) an omega 3 fish oil and flax seed oil pill.... and a table spoon of mayonnaise every day. Then again... he also took his dog in for massages too.

 

[TheOldSchool]

I concur with Syrenn and Huggy about stress.

I can't believe I'm actually going to suggest this and when I first saw it advertised many years ago I lmao...therapy?

Lol I can see where you're coming from. I'm part of a practice of behavior therapists and most of the same principles I use apply to her and I've tried them out. She's perfectly behaved but the itchiness gets to her to the point that I think it must be something medical. If it has to do with stress then it'll just take time I suppose. I've tried attacking this problem from just about every angle but now I'm not sure where to look.

 

[syrenn]

I concur with Syrenn and Huggy about stress.

I can't believe I'm actually going to suggest this and when I first saw it advertised many years ago I lmao...therapy?

Lol I can see where you're coming from. I'm part of a practice of behavior therapists and most of the same principles I use apply to her and I've tried them out. She's perfectly behaved but the itchiness gets to her to the point that I think it must be something medical. If it has to do with stress then it'll just take time I suppose. I've tried attacking this problem from just about every angle but now I'm not sure where to look.

it gets to be a vicious cycle...it itches so she bits and scratches... which make her itch more....round and round it goes.

i hate to say it... but she needs to keep that cone on until she heals.

 

[Sarah G]

Alright everyone I have a tricky one for you. It's never occurred to me to post this problem until now.

I adopted my dog from the shelter 2 years ago. She had been returned 3 times already because of medical expenses but I thought what the hell if you leave your dog at the shelter you were probably just lazy about it so it'll be no problem.

My dog is a 25 pound Manchester Terrier mix named Batgirl. She has itchy skin to the point of bloodying up her paws and snout from scratching and biting.

She has been to the Vet countless times to no avail. She's been treated for scabies several times (with lots of extra expensive tests involved to identify if she had scabies) without ever showing signs of it. The medicine did nothing. She's been tested for allergies with no sign, had allergy shots with no results, tried several hypoallergenic diets and shampoos, and all for no results.

When I leave I have to put a cone on her so she won't hurt herself and that sucks for me and for her.

Does anyone know of any miracle supplements or anything?

If anyone gives me advice that works I might buy them something from Amazon as a reward.

Note: Vets have been absolutely NO help.

Yes, try coconut oil. Put some in her food, about a tablespoon. It tastes good, I eat it, it isn't a fat that will hurt her, its a medium-chain triglyceride.

Dr. Joseph Mercola: Coconut Oil Benefits: When Fat Is Good For You

Get the unrefined, virgin coconut oil. It comes in like a wax form but it melts right away if you put it on your hand. You can just dig out a tablespoon and throw it in her food or melt it for a second in the microwave.

It should work. It works on my dry skin. I hear it raises your metabolism and also could be the next big cure for Alzheimers.

 

[Katzndogz]

I've seen this before. It was a Golden Retriever. Nothing helped. The dog died of old age and still had the same condition. Keep the cone collar on the dog to prevent further damage. Wash it with an oatmeal shampoo and conditioner. Use a good flea control. Even if nothing helps, you don't want to make it worse. This most likely has nothing to do with her skin, but is a neurological conditon.

 

[peach174]

Alright everyone I have a tricky one for you. It's never occurred to me to post this problem until now.

I adopted my dog from the shelter 2 years ago. She had been returned 3 times already because of medical expenses but I thought what the hell if you leave your dog at the shelter you were probably just lazy about it so it'll be no problem.

My dog is a 25 pound Manchester Terrier mix named Batgirl. She has itchy skin to the point of bloodying up her paws and snout from scratching and biting.

She has been to the Vet countless times to no avail. She's been treated for scabies several times (with lots of extra expensive tests involved to identify if she had scabies) without ever showing signs of it. The medicine did nothing. She's been tested for allergies with no sign, had allergy shots with no results, tried several hypoallergenic diets and shampoos, and all for no results.

When I leave I have to put a cone on her so she won't hurt herself and that sucks for me and for her.

Does anyone know of any miracle supplements or anything?

If anyone gives me advice that works I might buy them something from Amazon as a reward.

Note: Vets have been absolutely NO help.

One of my little dogs had the same problem.
Nothing helped and I had plenty of advise.
I found two places where the products actually work.
Warren London - Itchy Skin Solutions for All Dog Coats | Warren London
I used the hot spot soothing spray.
Then I gave her these tablets.
Skin-eze Testimonials From AllergicPet.com

It stopped completely, she was given the tablets for the rest of her life and she lived for 20 years.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

I don't agree with keeping the cone collar on all the time. Seems to me that'll just make the dog go crazy.

I have a manchester terrier/min pin mix that also had a terrible skin condition. She was saved from death row at Animal Control by a rescue organization in town and I adopted her from them. Her skin condition was so bad that one of her ears has a split in it.

Anyway, she was a lot better by the time I adopted her. Can't remember exactly what the main problem was, some sort of fungus I believe. The lady at the rescue place told me to rub some Cortisone 10 (the kind for people) on her itchiest spots and that really seemed to help.

When I got her she had a strange odor and did scratch and itch and chew her feet a lot. Seems like she was especially itchy under armpits and on her belly. I would rub Cortisone 10 there and it really helped ease the itching. I never put a cone on her! Dogs HATE that. Wouldn't you?

I also feed a very high quality food...Canine Caviar Lamb and Pearl Millet. They also get a homemade food at dinner, it contains brown rice, boiled hamburger, green beans, cottage cheese and scrambled egg, to which I add some diced chicken breast, juice that the hamburger was boiled in (with fat removed) and salmon oil. We are also fairly generous with the treats, try to keep the quality high but aren't obsessive about it.

Her coat is beautiful now, shiny and smooth. I believe that a high quality diet has made the difference, as well as a stable home environment. I don't bathe her much, don't even groom her that frequently, and yet her skin is now healthy. She does chew on her feet from time to time, but I think that's just a nervous thing, and no harm seems to be done.

Hope any of this can be of help. To summarize...Cortizone 10 to ease the itching, high quality diet. That's what worked for my girl.

 

[Vel]

Alright everyone I have a tricky one for you. It's never occurred to me to post this problem until now.

I adopted my dog from the shelter 2 years ago. She had been returned 3 times already because of medical expenses but I thought what the hell if you leave your dog at the shelter you were probably just lazy about it so it'll be no problem.

My dog is a 25 pound Manchester Terrier mix named Batgirl. She has itchy skin to the point of bloodying up her paws and snout from scratching and biting.

She has been to the Vet countless times to no avail. She's been treated for scabies several times (with lots of extra expensive tests involved to identify if she had scabies) without ever showing signs of it. The medicine did nothing. She's been tested for allergies with no sign, had allergy shots with no results, tried several hypoallergenic diets and shampoos, and all for no results.

When I leave I have to put a cone on her so she won't hurt herself and that sucks for me and for her.

Does anyone know of any miracle supplements or anything?

If anyone gives me advice that works I might buy them something from Amazon as a reward.

Note: Vets have been absolutely NO help.

I don't know of any miracle products, but I've had good luck with Zymox shampoo and conditioner as well as Kenic's Emu oil spray. Zymox works with natural enzymes and the conditioner can be left on as a longer term therapy if needed. The Emu oil is excellent for keeping the skin hydrated and is also soothes inflammation. I'd also recommend a single protein source, no grain food for awhile. California Natural makes a kangaroo based diet for those that have tried everything else.
I would also discontinue the use of any detergents other than a small amount of bleach for washing the dog's bedding.
Are the dog's symptom's consistent or do they range in severity as the seasons change?

 

[sergiocanello]

Sorry to hear this about your pup.

Itching can be often due to an intolerance caused by a chemical in your pet food. Have you tried eliminating certain foods from their diet? When doing so, monitor their recovery or if they even recover at all. There is a chemical in conventional pet foods, harbored in the factory farmed meats, called Oxytetracycline. It's the most commonly used antibiotic in pet food that can cause skin rashes, eye and ear problems/infections, dull coat, vomiting and more.

You can also try a holistic or organic approach and see if their skin starts to clear up. Types of ingredients you can include are well done brown rice, fish oil, sea-caught fish and foods high in omega3. If you need anymore help on what to feed your pet, please head over to our blog Forza10usa.

Sergio Canello

 

[Caroljo]

Wow...i feel your frustration!!!
My son has a Mini Schnauzer...wonderful dog! But he goes crazy with the itching~ they would give him regular allergy pills, changed his diet. The Vet thought he was allergic to beef so they switched him to food made with lamb. They just couldn't figure out what he was allergic to, or why he would scratch so much that he'd take his fur off! They were here last summer and i was talking to a guy at work about it. He said his dog was the same way, and his vet recommended bathing him with BLUE Dawn dish soap! He said he did that....plus his wife would rub (now get this~!_) Vaginal itch cream! They said it helped tremendously! If you google Blue Dawn Dish soup you'll see what all it's good for! Lol! So my son tries to bath him once a week in it (I don't know if he's still using the vaginal cream!) and he said Gus is doing pretty well! We were told he could have sand mites, and the dish soap will kill them. I don't know if you'll ever get your dog to stop itching all together, but this worked for my sons dog so it's worth a try!! Good luck!