JustAnswer > Dog
Ask A Question|Register|Login|Help
JustAnswer

Dog

Ask a Dog Question, Get an Answer ASAP!

Have your own Dog question?

16 Vets and Dog Experts are Online Now
characters left:
Not a Dog Question?

Related Dog Topics:

  • Dog
  • ,
  • May
  • ,
  • Vet
  • ,
  • Acid
  • ,
  • Back
  • ,
  • Burn
  • ,
  • Bath
  • ,
  • Dogs
  • ,
  • Duck
  • ,
  • Diet
Bookmark and Share

Question

I have a large dog -- normally in the 95 pound range -- who has a horrible case of hair loss on her stomach and around her vulva. It is apparently very itchy and she chews almost non-stop. We have tryed hydrocortazone sprays but she whines and flinches when they are applyed as they burn on contact. The vet has also sold me a specialty shampoo, but it irritates the rest of her skin. She developed a skin infection in the area that she had been chewing and the last vet we saw perscribed antibiotics (which almost cleared all of the dogs problems) and an all natural shampoo, with the instructions to bath her every other day until the irritation cleared and then weekly to keep it under control. During the antibiotic treatment and the every other day bathing my dogs "rash" almost completely cleared, but as soon as the antibiotics were gone the itching has slowly returned. Now the dog itches all over. What is causing this and how can I help her?

Submitted: 52 days and 14 hours ago.
Category: Dog
Value: $15
Status: CLOSED
+
Read More

Optional Information

Pet's Gender: Female
Pet's Age: 3

Already Tried:
Antibiotics Shampoos (two kinds) Hydrocortazone sprays Bennadril Vagasil (for itching around the vulva and safe to digest)

Posted by Drew 52 days and 14 hours ago.

Info Request

Hi, thanks for your question. I'm sorry to hear about your dog's skin issues. How old was she when all of this started?

52 days and 14 hours ago.

Reply

She had a very mild case in the spring of 2008 but after antibiotics it was gone. This year it has been going on all summer and not seeming to be clearing like it did in the past. So to answer your quetsion she was at least 2 the fist time she had an issue.

Posted by Drew 52 days and 14 hours ago.

Info Request

OK, thanks for the reply. Have you used steroids such as prednisone for her?

52 days and 14 hours ago.

Reply

We did get some kind of shot earlier this year and it calmed the itch for about a month but they wouldn't give her a second shot.......... and did nothing else for her. Then I got a different vet at the same office who gave us the antibiotics and natural shampoo.

Posted by Drew 52 days and 14 hours ago.

Answer

There are a few options for this girl at this point... My first step would be to change the diet to a low-allergen diet, such as one based on Salmon, Duck, or Venison (assuming he's never had those ingredients before). If that seems to help (and it could take a few months to know for sure), then this may all be due to food allergies. Prednisone may be needed intermittently until a few months of a strict diet have passed.

If no improvement is seen, I'd recommend trying antihistamines+fatty acid supplementation. Many different antihistamines exist -- both prescription and non.

If no antihistamines work, my next step would be the medication Atopica, which is safer than prednisone but often as effective for controlling allergies.

Your veterinarian should also perform a "tape prep" to look at skin samples in order to rule out yeast growth on the skin, which could require an oral medication such as Ketoconazole. Yeast is very very itchy, and shampoo alone won't eliminate it.
Also, a course of Revolution might be helpful just to rule out Sarcoptic Mange, which can be very itchy and will not respond to antibiotics and steroids.

52 days and 13 hours ago.

Reply

Thank you for your responses! I will take them with me to the vet when I take her back in. I would like her coat to be full again before the snow flys this winter.

 

I had thought about mange in the past as we do have coyotes in our yard many years ago that definately had mange and endangered our last dog.

 

I just wanted to thank you for your time and to let you know how much I appreciate the searvice you provide here.

Accepted Answer

I am glad to be able to provide some help - I hope some of the information gets you a little closer to having this problem under control :)

Picture
Expert: Drew
Pos. Feedback: 100.0 %
Accepts: 
Answered: 10/1/2009

Veterinarian

Canine Medicine and Surgery

+
Read More

Related Dog Questions

  • over the weekend i bought a 12 week old cocker spaniel.
  • My dalmation is 6 and has developed swolen bumps
  • i was told my puppie had a heart murmur
  • I have a 13 wk. miniature poodle,I bought him on ...
  • Is salty foods bad for dogs?
  • How long does a pit-bull pregnacy last
  • My 9 year old lasa keeps licking the air. She will just sit ...
  • Mydogs got quilled by a porcupine and my large male will ...



Disclaimer: Information in questions, answers, and other posts on this site ("Posts") comes from individual users, not JustAnswer; JustAnswer is not responsible for Posts. Posts are for general information, are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (medical, legal, veterinary, financial, etc.), or to establish a professional-client relationship. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty or representations by JustAnswer regarding the qualifications of Experts. To see what credentials have been verified by a third-party service, please click on the "Verified" symbol in some Experts' profiles. JustAnswer is not intended or designed for EMERGENCY questions which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals.
Question List | Become an Expert | Terms of Service | Security & Privacy | About Us
© 2003-2009 JustAnswer Corp.