Dog Health Problems: How To Treat Skin Allergies?

IdeaMan21 | May 3rd, 2009

Hi I was wondering if any one has had a situation such as this with their dog. I am a small breeder of registered Boston Terriers. In 9 years I have never had an issue until now.

Boston Terrier Puppy

One of our pups that we have sold has run into some type of skin issue. The vet has done a skin scraping found nothing but treated the pup for demodex mange just in case and there has been no improvement.

Here is how the owner has described it

“the rash that Wilson has is more bright pink with small blisters. In the center of the blisters it looks black, like a in-grown hair.There is also a fluid filled sac to the corner of his left eye that didn’t go away, even with the antibiotics. He never seems to be itchy, so doesn’t scratch at himself (doesn’t seem to bother him at all). Even where it is red on his chest there is the very small pus filled blisters???”

He has lost most of his hair on his face around the eyes, top of the head, neck and hind quarters. I suspect an allergy of some sort I have suggested that she switch his food to a none grain formula and start with that.

Though my research on the internet I have come across another idea besides an allergy called a systematic yeast infection. I was wondering if any one has had any issues as described above and if there was any treatment that was successful. At this point they have spent a lot of money and cannot afford to do an allergy panel. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

*****************************************************************
Can I ask what exactly you used to wash him? and how you treated the ears? My terrier has what sounds like the same thing. It starts in the fall and lasts all winter. The vet could not find anything from the skin scraps either. Her left ear is bad and it has an odor like maybe yeast?

Did you put the corn starch inside the ear? I have used so much in her ears that she won’t let me near them anymore! I have had her on lamb & rice dog food for a year now and it has helped some.

Just two days ago I switched to a dog food that claims to be grain free so we will try that for a while to see if it helps. It must be a terrier thing! Is your dog mostly white? It seems the white dogs have skin issues. My dog sunburns if in the sun to long and has to wear a coat outside in the winter! She also sleeps under a blanket in the winter.
*************************************************************

I have a Bernese Mountain dog, he’s 2.5, his first winter last years winter he broke out each November and he’d have his backside raw from chewing and his front left paw, along with that his heck would be raw, red and goopy and same with his ears.

THE SOLUTION

I took him to the vet they’d give me a load of antibiotics, steroids and creams this would happen every 3-4 week from Nov- Feb when he’d finally clear up. But last spring I was talking to the groomer in our area about she said to try washing the area with a baby wash cloth (they are more gentle than adults) and a non-scented baby wash with aloe, patting the skin dry, waiting 30 minutes and then sprinkling corn starch on the areas. Well we did that this November and IT WORKED!

We haven’t been to the vets once this winter (knock on wood) we had to repeated the process twice a day for 3-4 days and then he cleared up. We do this usually about once a week to his ears, neck & backside.

Share and Enjoy: