Doig Advice Needed

[THE POACHER 13]

got a english bull terrier bitch here who constantly scratching her face raw ...anyone got any ideas wat it could be any ifo would be much appreciated.....thanks

Edited January 20, 2013 by THE POACHER

[oxo 558]

Skin allergy?, ebts are prone to them, try piriton to see if the scratching stops.

[Attack Fell Terrier 864]

What you feeding her on mate?

[hutch6 550]

What you feeding her on mate?

 

I second that.

 

If it's a food that contains a decent level of grain and cereal fillers chances are it's a gluten allergy.

[Westy76 546]

My Stafford does the same with high protein feeds

[THE POACHER 13]

at the moment shes on bakers and harringtons .....wat would you suggest i feed her with

[sandymere 8,263]

Likely atopc dematitis, usually set off by something like dust mites.

[Sirius 1,391]

The skin can be effected by many things as its the largest organ of the body and comes into contact with many things.

The best place to start if the dog is clear for the obvious such as Sarcoptic Mange (fox mange commonly seen around the face and muzzle) would be to knock out any cereals and give it a good 3 weeks to see if that helps, its an easy step and a good starting point.

 

Good luck Sirius

[hutch6 550]

HArringtons list maize (cereal) as their first ingredient so that is what the food will be mainly made up of.

 

Rich in Turkey and Veg:

Maize, Turkey Meat Meal (15%), Porridge Oats, Meat Meal, Rice, Peas (4%), Beet Pulp, Poultry Fat, Digest, Linseed, Minerals, Kelp (0.2%), Yeast (0.1%), Citrus Extract (0.04%) & Yucca Extract (0.01%).

 

Salmon & Potato

Maize, Salmon Meal (14%), Potato (14%), Meat Meal, Barley, Rice, Poultry Fat, Digest, Linseed, Beet Pulp, Minerals, Kelp (0.2%), Yeast (0.1%), Citrus Extract (0.04%), Yucca Extract (0.01%).

 

Lamb & Rice

Maize, Lamb Meat Meal (14%), Barley, Rice (14%) Meat Meal, Beet Pulp, Poultry Fat, Digest, Linseed, Minerals, Kelp (0.2%), Yeast (0.1%), Citrus Extract (0.04%) & Yucca Extract (0.01%).

 

Bakers, well, I wouldn't advise anyone to feed that.

 

A lot of what folk feed their dog comes down to two factors - price & convenience.

 

What is your monthly budget for dog food? There are loads of stuff out there if complete it your choice which will be better than the stuff you are feeding now.

 

To rule out mange get yourself some decent shampoo, get rid of the current bedding and if you have any other dogs that use the same bedding etc make sure they are not suffering as well. If they aren't it's more likely a food allergy.

[THE POACHER 13]

the dog is kept on her own in the house as its my mrs pet,wev,e tried midicated shampoos lotions and treated her for mites ect but she still scratching mainly around the head neck area,so i think now it must be a food alergy so wat you reckon is the best cos im willing to try anything ......ps i appreciate all your replys please keep them coming ....

Edited January 25, 2013 by THE POACHER

[Attack Fell Terrier 864]

Try a well balanced barf diet mate.

 

I was feeding some dry crap to my dogs and they both come out in puss filled spots. I got them on a raw diet and not only did the spots go, but their coats were better, they had more energy, they shit less, didn't bloat, didn't drink gallons of water, and all round seem healthier happier dogs!

[sandymere 8,263]

ATOPIC DERMATITIS

 

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an increasingly common and often misunderstood problem and as such one I thought might be worth a closer look. This is based on the fact that there have been a number of posts recently with eczema type symptoms being the central theme, in the majority of post the dogs would seem to be suffering AD type problems, indeed some had already had a veterinary diagnosis made.

 

AD is an allergic reaction; basically the body has an exaggerated immune response due to an imbalance in the system which leads it to respond excessively to the allergen. It is thought that around 10% of dogs suffer with this and some breeds more predisposed than others. There is a genetic link in around 50% of cases with some breeds like the West Highland white terrier being very predisposed, some bull breeds are also beginning to show an increasing prevalence. So the first bad news, with such a high genetic link it would I would be hard to justify any dog having a diagnosis of AD being used for breeding.

 

The disease first presents as just itching but this is usually followed by inflammation, and as the dog continues to scratch it begins to cause self harm. This can become infected with bacteria or fungal spores and a negative cycle begins. Commonly the ears and muzzle are sites of first presentation though occasionally other area such as armpits/forelegs or groin can start, these areas often start to show symptoms as the disease progresses. Most dog present from 6 months to 3 years although most are around a year old when the first trips to the vets are made

 

There has been work on causative allergens and this is one area that is often misunderstood with the common cry of everyones favorite scapegoat gluten being blamed. Occasionally there is a food allergy that will cause the problem but in the majority of cases it is an environmental allergen that is the culprit with house dust mites being the commonest or and pollen for seasonal sufferers, fleas are now a less common factor. Now the second bad news, as the causative factor is usually environmental it can be difficult to avoid constant exposure, this means treatment is problematic with ongoing itching, skin damage and a poor long term prognosis.

 

This brings us to treatment, the international Force for Canine AD recommends a multiple pronged approach to flare ups with steroid cream/ tablets, immunosuppressant drugs, like ciclosporins, non irritant baths and antibiotics/antifungals. There is evidence that the addition of essential fatty acids to the diet can improve symptoms in the longer term and some dogs are helped with antihistamines but this is very individual. With dogs that are allergic to house dust mites kenneling outside helps reduce symptoms and with pollen sufferers exercising on beaches or when pollen is low might help a little.

 

For those that have a dietary cause then a strict change of diet to something like Skinners duck and rice, or a home made diet with a new protein with rice or suchlike, should show improvement. Avoid adding in herbal supplements as this just muddies the water, the diet most be very strict with absolutely no additions for at least six weeks. That means no supplements other than the fatty acids, not treats, table scraps, meat or bones or anything at all, basically just the food out of the bag. The easiest sensible fatty acids are from the local farm/horse suppliers who will sell Cod liver oil by the litre for around twenty pouinds which is a lot more sensible than a pot of pills costing a fiver that has about 10mls of actual oil. A teaspoon a day on the food should be enough if it is going to help. The last option is allergy testing followed with allergen specific immunotherapy, giving increasing doses of the allergen to build up acceptance from the immune system. This can be expensive and difficult for dogs continually exposed to environmental allergens.

 

So in conclusion treatment should be led by a vet in the first instance as misdiagnosis are common.. Treatment can be time consuming and expensive, many dogs are put down due to AD, so a sensible approach needs to be taken, exclusion diets and reducing exposure to house dust mites and fleas are a good start. Wooden floors, clean dog beds or outside kenneling for part if not all of the day are easily implemented and often effective to the point of reducing the need for medication to a minimum. Lastly don't breed from AD dogs or from litter mates of affected animals as severity of symptoms may not indicate genetic predisposition.

Edited February 1, 2013 by sandymere

[Sirius 1,391]

A few bits of good advice on this thread. From experience Its best to look at 2 areas and do some adjustment in each.

 

1) Diet. A plain diet no colourings, additives, or high cereal contents especially maize. I have found that dogs respond very well when fed Plain white meats, rice and pulverised green leaf vegetables, This sort of diet is the same as you will find used as a starting point by most vets who specialise in skin conditions. Occasionally you do get dogs which have reactions to the above diet, but in most cases its a good starting point.

 

2) Environment. Makes sure the dogs in kennelled or kept in a cool place which is free of dust (due to the likely hood of dust mites, Bedrooms are the worse places for these)

 

 

As far as oil supplements go, from practical experience I would avoid Cod Liver Oil as it can be quite heating especially to dogs which are showing Irritation also the same goes for many of the blended oil supplements around which contain omega 3 and 6 fatty acids along with other oils, best to keep it simple

 

If you use a supplement just go for a high quality Evening Primrose Oil or even better a licensed herbal medicines which is licensed to give relief from irritation and also to fight and prevent infection. Secondary infections can be quite common particularly with dogs who have scratched so hard they have broken the skin or have a symptom of pustules forming on the skin.

 

It is also important to be aware that when making a diet change or using any form of natural treatment that you give the dog around a months to see an improvement.

This is a very common problem in white dogs such as Bull Terriers WHW etc and many cases can be kept under control with easy adjustments as above. I would also be aware of shampoos and topic treatments, shampoos even medicated ones can have a negative effect, by stripping the skin of all important oils and making the dog more irritated so use sparingly if at all.

 

Good luck Sirius

[sandymere 8,263]

Cod liver oil heating? Nonsense, digested and utilized just the same as evening primrose oil but cheaper.

More real info here

 

http://www.ufaw.org.uk/canineatopicdermatitis.php

 

 

http://priory.com/vet/vetatop1.htm

 

http://www.dogchatforum.com/atopy-dogs.htm

[Sirius 1,391]

Cod liver oil heating? Nonsense, digested and utilized just the same as evening primrose oil but cheaper.

More real info here

 

 

 

I guess that's where practical experience comes into it, I don't just read and google links. Its not a great thing to give to a dog which is suffering from hot scratchy skin. Just a little tip that's all.

 

Thanks for the links, but I know what Atopic Dermatitis is only to well.

 

Regards Sirius

Edited February 1, 2013 by Sirius