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Bella T
Puppy
Joined: 09 Jun 2008
Posts: 11
Location: Florida, USA
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 Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 12:07 pm Post subject: allergies |
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| I have a 3 and a half month old female that has terrible skin allergies. Her belly turns really red and she scratches herself constantly and also licks her feet a lot. Can anyone suggest a solution? We've started having her tested for food allergies but this hasn't helped yet. It breaks my heart to see her so uncomfortable. |
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shadyblueamstaffs
Alpha Dog
Joined: 15 Dec 2007
Posts: 1111
Location: Missouri USA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 1:30 pm Post subject: |
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Allergy testing is expensive, did your vet do a skin scraping for mange first? Also what kind of food are you feeding her? What color is she?
For now you can get a good shampoo, Nu Sal T is what I would recommend. You can find it online or from most vets. Bathe her at least twice a week with it.
Depending on what food you are feeding I may be able to recommend a good food. |
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Bella T
Puppy
Joined: 09 Jun 2008
Posts: 11
Location: Florida, USA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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| We did have her tested for mange and mites. She is blue with a white face and we've been feeding her California Natural dog food. We also have an oatmeal shampoo which is soap and detergent free. Our vet said it's most likely a food allergy or something in her environment but we haven't been able to narrow it down yet. I know Amstaffs are prone to skin allergies but Bella is the first one we've had so I wanted to seek help from people who may know better than me. |
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shadyblueamstaffs
Alpha Dog
Joined: 15 Dec 2007
Posts: 1111
Location: Missouri USA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 2:52 pm Post subject: |
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It looks like most of the California Natural Food is corn free, doesn't have by-products, what kinds have you tried, and what kind is she on now. I don't think it's the food.
I feed Canidae all life stages food. Also I have had good results with the Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul. No food allergies with either one.
It would help to contact the breeder you got your pup from and ask them what kind of allergies the parents had. Of if any dogs in the pedigree had allergies and what they were allergic too.
Is she loosing fur in any spots, or is there any thinning of the coat? |
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Bella T
Puppy
Joined: 09 Jun 2008
Posts: 11
Location: Florida, USA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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| She does have thinning of the coat and we have contacted the breeder. Our breeder told us the only problem she had was one dog with mites. We've had our puppy tested twice for mites and it was negative both times. The redness seems to come and go so my husband and I are starting to document times she has the breakouts and what we did that day. I'm currently trying to find a vet in our area that maybe specializes in Am Staffs so we can get some better help. I really appreciate any and all info I can get from you as well. |
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shadyblueamstaffs
Alpha Dog
Joined: 15 Dec 2007
Posts: 1111
Location: Missouri USA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 4:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Bella T wrote: |
| She does have thinning of the coat and we have contacted the breeder. Our breeder told us the only problem she had was one dog with mites. We've had our puppy tested twice for mites and it was negative both times. The redness seems to come and go so my husband and I are starting to document times she has the breakouts and what we did that day. I'm currently trying to find a vet in our area that maybe specializes in Am Staffs so we can get some better help. I really appreciate any and all info I can get from you as well. |
You might look up some info on mange/mites, alot of times you can do several skin scrapings and never find anything. If the breeder had one dog with mange, you can almost guarantee more dogs will have it.
If your pup does have some kind of mange, cortisone and anti itch stuff will make it worse. By what you are describing I would guess the pup is suffering from some kind of mange.
When vets can't find the mange mites on scrapings they get real quick to saying the dog has allergies. When in fact when dogs have a light case of sarcoptic mange, you will rarely ever find any mites when scrapings are done. |
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Meadowbrooks
Alpha Dog
Joined: 12 Dec 2007
Posts: 1480
Location: va
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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Licking feet is a good sign of allergies.. Most dogs with them will like the side of the feet and get sores.. Most of the time with mites they don't.. IMO
I am have them lick their feet with our dog food.. Switching to chicken soup as we speak.. |
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shadyblueamstaffs
Alpha Dog
Joined: 15 Dec 2007
Posts: 1111
Location: Missouri USA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Meadowbrooks wrote: |
Licking feet is a good sign of allergies.. Most dogs with them will like the side of the feet and get sores.. Most of the time with mites they don't.. IMO
I am have them lick their feet with our dog food.. Switching to chicken soup as we speak.. |
I had a dog licking it's feet, I thought it was allergies too, gave the dog antiobiotics to clear up the licking sores, tried to change the food, nothing worked, we did scrapings, no mites were found. I finally just treated the dog like it had mange and now the dog is fine. I'm glad that when I bring a new dog on my property that I keep it away from all the other dogs for a while. |
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Meadowbrooks
Alpha Dog
Joined: 12 Dec 2007
Posts: 1480
Location: va
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:45 am Post subject: |
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Not saying it couldn't be mange... Just with any allergies that I have ever had, they would lick ther feet.. I would also ck into mange aswell.. The age of the dog bothers me aswell.. I think I would lean more towards Mange at this time...
Just don't let the vet tell you it is NOT one thing.. You would be in shock how many times the vets are wrong.. If you treat for allergies and it gets worse. Then most likely it is mange.. JMO |
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Bella T
Puppy
Joined: 09 Jun 2008
Posts: 11
Location: Florida, USA
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:25 am Post subject: |
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| Thank you all so much for your help. This is the first Am Staff that my husband and I have had. We love her to death and hate seeing her uncomfortable. We've decided to have her treated for mange/mites and if that doesn't work we'll have her tested for allergies next. I'll keep you posted on what happens. Thanks again..... |
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shadyblueamstaffs
Alpha Dog
Joined: 15 Dec 2007
Posts: 1111
Location: Missouri USA
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:52 am Post subject: |
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Also wanted to add that there are two types of mange that dogs can get.
Demodex which is transfered from mother to offspring and is usually caused by poor immune systems. This usually goes away with age.
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1589&articleid=729
Sarcoptic which is transfered from dog to dog. This mite causes alot of itching.
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1589&articleid=764
Read this link on sarcoptic, it even goes into detail about how some dogs are allergic to this scabies mite, so it will appear like the dog has allergies, when indeed it does but the allergy is too the mite itself. Also how the mites like the area of the body with the least fur, ie the belly etc. I think if this is the case, only if your vet agrees that the pup may have sarcoptic mange then I would suggest liquid ivomec treatments with topical frontline plus and a good shampoo like I recommended the Nu Sal-T which is an antiseborrheic shampoo.
Try and stay away from the dips that the vets will recommend, there are better alternatives that aren't so much of a hassle. |
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Bella T
Puppy
Joined: 09 Jun 2008
Posts: 11
Location: Florida, USA
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 9:57 am Post subject: |
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| Will the vet dip her or is it something I can buy and dip her myself? Also will she have to have shots as well? |
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shadyblueamstaffs
Alpha Dog
Joined: 15 Dec 2007
Posts: 1111
Location: Missouri USA
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 10:06 am Post subject: |
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The dips are something the vet does, yucky and no fun I've heard.
Are you using anything at the moment for flea and tick protection?
The liquid ivomec is an injectable liquid, but can be given on a dogs food. |
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Bella T
Puppy
Joined: 09 Jun 2008
Posts: 11
Location: Florida, USA
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 10:08 am Post subject: |
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| We use Revolution for her tick and flea medication. I've been reading the links you sent me and our breeder recommended the same thing. We're definitely taking her in asap to get treated. |
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shadyblueamstaffs
Alpha Dog
Joined: 15 Dec 2007
Posts: 1111
Location: Missouri USA
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 11:57 am Post subject: |
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| Well good luck and keep us updated. |
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