LoveToKnow Dogs:Custom Skin Rash Questions

It's very possible that your dog has a yeast infection on his feet. This causes them to feel itchy and irritated, and this is what causes him to lick and bite them. That red staining you see is caused by your dog's saliva, as well as any bacteria that are thriving in the moist and humid environment on your dog's paws.

The best thing you can do is take your dog to the vet for an exam. The vet will most likely prescribe medicine to rid your dog of the fungal infection, and perhaps a steroid to calm the irritation so your dog stops licking. I'm sure that once you visit the vet your dog will begin to recover very soon.

Thanks for your question, and best wishes. - posted by:Kelly

Are these spots a recent development? If so, we might be talking about a fungal infection called ringworm. Rigworm causes circular patches of hair loss. It's possible that what you are perceiving as "white" spots may actually be thin spots where the hair is beginning to fall out, allowing more of the pale scalp to show through. If this is truly ringworm, you should be advised that it is contagious to both you and your other Rotty, so please don't delay calling your vet. Treatment frequently involves putting a dog on antifungal medication, as well as shaving the dog to eliminate fungus living in the hair shafts. Once treatment is completed, the coat usually grows back in quite nicely.

Thanks for your question, and I hope everything will soon be alright. - posted by:Kelly

I think it might do more harm than good to remove the fur covered scab. Unless you can see pus oozing out from around the edges, it might be better to leave it alone. Bathing will trap moisture beneath the scab and spur new bacterial growth. If you pull at it, it may begin to bleed again.

Depending on just how bad it looks, you can do a couple things. As an at home treatment, you could soak the scab with Sulfadene. This is an antiseptic used to treat hot spots and stop itching. The Sulfadene will soften the scab, and in a few days you should see it begin to pull away from the wound on its own as healing takes place. On the other hand, if the wound looks ugly enough to be frightening, your vet should really examine it.

Thanks for your question, and I hope your dog heals quickly. - posted by:Kelly

Can you tell me what type of blood disorder your dog has, and whether your vet is doing anything to treat it? I'm not a vet, and I haven't heard of this before.

Many dogs do blow their coat after being under anesthesia, so that could account for the first round of hair loss. However, the fact that the hair grew back and is now falling out again is cause for concern.

Tell me, do you notice your dog scratching a lot? The darkened skin could indicate a mite infestation. At the very least, I think your vet should take a skin scraping just in case the fur loss isn't related to the blood disorder.

Thanks for your question. I wish I had more help to offer. - posted by:Kelly

If this is truly just a hot spot, you may be able to clean and treat it at home with a product called Sulfadene. It's an antiseptic, anti-itch formula that does a good job of clearing up the infection. You can find it at most pet supply stores.

Since your dog was recently quite ill and had been on medication, it might still be a good idea to ask your vet to take a look and make sure an opportunistic infection hasn't set in. I would almost hazard a guess that this could be the beginning of a case of ringworm due to the circular shape of the spot, but you wouldn't typically see any hair in the center of the circle. Still, I think it bears looking at by your vet.

Thanks for your question, and I hope it's nothing serious. - posted by:Kelly

I don't believe the type of shampoo you used would cause this type of hair loss. I use people shampoo on my dogs all the time, and it never causes a problem.

I'm not a vet, but I suspect your puppy might have a mite problem. It could be demodectic mange which comes in two basic types. First there is localized hair loss, such as what you're seeing along your puppy's spine. If the hair loss begins to spread out, then you might have a case of generalized demodectic mange.

Your vet will need to see the puppy right away to take a skin scraping for diagnosis. If this is mange, the flacky spot you see now will soon grow irritated and crusty. I would have your puppy checked as soon as possible.

Best wishes. - posted by:Kelly

Each protein source is different, so if your dog was allergic to chicken, he wouldn't necessarily be allergic to duck.

Food allergies are tricky to deal with because they take time to develop once a new food source has been introduced. That is probably why it took your dog six months to show signs of an allergic reaction to the fish and potato diet.

Rather than try various formulas, I think it would be better to ask your vet to test your dog for specific food allergies. This will reveal exactly which food or foods your dog is allergic to, and then you'll know exactly what to avoid. It may even turn out that you'll need to cook for your dog instead of feeding commercial kibble in order to avoid a particular substance, but honestly, I think this is the best way to go. It may cost a little, but it will save you time trying out other foods that may or may not be the solution.

Thanks for your question, and I hope your vet can isolate the allergens. - posted by:Kelly

It sounds like your vet might suspect a mite infestation and that's why he's using the Advokat. However, since that hasn't been truly effective, it's time to try something new. If the problem is really mite related, there are other meds your vet can prescribe.

The problem with skin conditions such as the one your dog has is that there are a multitude of causes, so diagnosis is difficult. This could be an allergic reaction to your dog's food or something else in the environment. The condition might also be related to a chronic skin disease known as sebasceous adenitis. This is another avenue for your vet to explore.

I recommend you go back to your vet, tell him the medication really isn't taking care of the problem, and ask him to start from scratch with the diagnosis. Steroids do help relieve the inflammation, but they do not affect the cause of the rash, so they are not a full solution.

I'm not sure why your vet wouldn't recommend bathing unless it was related to washing off the Advocat, but you should ask specifically if you can use an oatmeal shampoo on your pet to relieve the itching a bit. Just realize that if this is a mite infestation, the bath won't really help.

Thanks for your question, and I do hope your vet is able to roll up his sleeves and get to the bottom of this problem. - posted by:Kelly

You will find links to some natural remedies in the following articles.

• Herbal and Homeopathic Remedies for Canines
• How to Relieve Itching in Dogs

You might also want to speak with your vet about your dog's persistent itching. You should probably have him checked for parasites, as well as Dog Food Allergies. If one of these is the cause of the itching, the natural remedies won't really help.

Thanks for your question. - posted by:Kelly

I don't think you would be allergic to one dog and not the other. However, you could be allergic to whichever shampoos or products have been used on the new dog. I'm going to recommend that you have someone else bathe him, and perhaps even use a flea shampoo. Those small welts could be flea bites rather than hives.

I'm hoping this will solve your problem, but if you can eliminate fleas as a suspect, you may want to check in with your doctor to discuss a possible allergy.

Thanks for your question. - posted by:Kelly

I'm sorry to hear about the experience your dog has been going through. I am not a vet so I can only share my thoughts on this topic.

It would be helpful to know exactly what kind of tests were performed in order to get the original diagnosis. Do you know if the vet took skin scrapings to check for mites and fungal infections or performed skin tests to check for specific food allergies? It would seem that if your dog was properly diagnosed and treated, the skin condition would be cleared up and you would see fresh hair growth.

That said, there are two approaches you can take to address the dry skin, but this doesn't guarantee the hair will grow back.

• You can begin adding a 1/4 teaspoon of very fresh fish oil to your dog's dinner. This will supply Omega-3 fatty acids that are believed to be essential for cell repair.
• You can also mix some Avon Skin So Soft bath oil with water and massage it into your dog's skin.

I hope you find these suggestions useful for bringing your dog some relief, and I hope your vet can get to the bottom of why your dog's fur hasn't regrown.

Best wishes. - posted by:Kelly

I'm not a vet, but it truly sounds like your dog needs to see one. What you're describing sounds like hives, so there's a chance your dog had a severe allergic reaction to something she encountered and perhaps ate. Think back...was she fed a food she never had before on New Year's? Perhaps you had shrimp cocktail or something similar she might have had an opportunity to snatch off a low table. This might be the cause of the reaction.

Whatever is going on, the symptoms seem to be getting worse since she's begun to vomit. There is honestly nothing that can be done online, you need to take your dog to the vet.

Thanks for your question, and I hope you can resolve the situation quickly. - posted by:Kelly

I'm sorry your dogs are feeling so miserable. I'm not a vet, but it does sound as though you dogs have some sort of skin disease. It could be fungal in nature, or the result of a progressive parasitic infection, but you're going to have to take the dogs to the vet to find out for sure.

During the examination, the vet will likely take a series of skin punches for biopsy. This is perhaps the best way to diagnose the problem and get your dog's some relief from the intense itching.

Thank you for your question, and I hope you'll be able to get the problem under control quickly from this point. - posted by:Kelly

I would think the benefits of a vet visit would far outweigh the agony your dog is suffering right now, or any anxiety she may experience during the car ride. There must be quite a few vets in Philly, so you should be able to find one reasonably close to your home. Schedule the appointment, put her in the car and take her right away.

I hope it isn't to late to get the situation under control. - posted by:Kelly

There is some information in our article on Herbal and Homeopathic Remedies for Canines that you may find helpful. We've listed several websites that actually sell these products, and you will likely find something that will help clear up the condition.

Thanks for your question, and also for the caring work you do at the rescue. If you find a product you feel truly works, please come back and share what you've learned with us. I'm sure there are other dog lovers facing the same problem. - posted by:Kelly