Another itch-licking question
Anyways, most of the time when we tell him to stop licking/scratching, he does. He might start again in a few minutes, but he listens. But he has this weird, almost manic lick that he does with his front paws. He rocks back and forth when he licks/bites and it is much more intense than just his regular licking or scratching. When he gets like this he doesn't listen at all. We can make loud noises, ring the doorbell (which ALWAYS gets him normally), do anything and he won't stop until he's done. A few times we've gone to physically take his paw and move it (either with our foot or a hand) but he'll growl. Not a low, quiet growl either. It's a loud growl/snarl. How do we handle this? We can't have him continue the scratching, but we can't take his paw away (it's almost like resource guarding)... |
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Quote: But he has this weird, almost manic lick that he does with his front paws. He rocks back and forth when he licks/bites and it is much more intense than just his regular licking or scratching. When he gets like this he doesn't listen at all. We can make loud noises, ring the doorbell (which ALWAYS gets him normally), do anything and he won't stop until he's done. A few times we've gone to physically take his paw and move it (either with our foot or a hand) but he'll growl. Not a low, quiet growl either. It's a loud growl/snarl.
It sounds like he's doing this because the itch hasn't yet been controlled and he's being prevented from soothing it... but this is just a guess. What you described is exactly what Panda did when she had yeast but was being treated instead for allergies. Her feet were stained with brown and she would lick her feet furiously and actually moan. It just seems it could drive a dog insane if they had a constant itch but were blocked by using a collar or corrected each time the dog tried to sooth it... it seems the dog would eventually lash out in simple frustration. Just a guess... itchy dogs are not easy to deal with. Though Panda's yeast has been controlled, the allergies still cause some problems. Yeast has been totally ruled out through testing? |
| You know, I don't know if they tested for yeast or not. My husband has taken him to the vet the past couple of times, so I'm not 100% sure what all went on. I know they said they thought it was allergies and an infection caused by the constant licking/itching. His skin was red and inflamed. So they gave up antibiotics and a cortisone shot and that really seemed to help (although I don't know if it was that, or the fact that we started putting the cone on at the same time and he just couldn't reach to aggravate it any further).
Since it seemed to be getting better, I thought we had it solved, but now it doesn't seem that way, so I guess I'll have to go look into the yeast issue. Do they just scrape the paw and test it? |
| They generally swab the area to test it for yeast... maybe apply the collected "stuff" to a slide, stain it and look for it under a microscope? My girls went undiagnosed and we had to look for self-help measures to treat it. I asked if we should test for yeast and was told no. Darby was tested when her seasonal allergies again appeared (yeast and allergies often come together) but the holistic vet left the room with the swab so I didn't get to see what they do.
You know what I would do? I'd pick up the phone and ask your vet if there is any harm in you doing a trial of Malaseb shampoo for 3-4 weeks ... just the shampoo for now... just to see if it gives him any relief at all. You don't need a prescription for the stuff and you can get it online. http://www.vetamerica.com/index.asp?Pag ... &ProdID=75 At around $10 for a small 8oz bottle (would probably need a few bottles)... it might be less expensive than an office call and test. 
Wash his feet religiously every 3-5 days, leave it on for 10-15 minutes, then rinse it off thoroughly. Blow dry them because yeast likes moist areas. Shave the fur between his pads short... if he's also got problems between his toes, remove some of the hair there too. It allows the feet to dry quicker and there's better air flow. Panda's feet before/after- http://oesusa.com/PandasFeetComparison.jpg Darby's feet before/after- http://oesusa.com/DarbysFeetCompared.jpg You know I'm NOT a vet... but MIGHT be a possible solution. IF you find the shampoo helps and yeast is actually the problem, there are some other things you'll need to do. Some foods are said to help to promote yeast and should be avoided. There's a list of dog foods that are best for dogs with yeast issues- (scroll up and you'll find the list of foods) http://nzymes.com/Articles/Instructions ... uggestions But that's getting the cart WAY before the horse.  I hope you can find a good solution for Barney's itch. |
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