Allergy
I decided to start a new topic here in the correct section because I am hoping our coversation regarding my new pup will shift to her medical condition. Kalua, the name of my new baby is a lucky little girl. From what I learned so far, I can tell you her family loves her very much and are very devoted to her. Here below is a "copy and paste" from the email I got from her current owner (with her permission). So here is the history with her skin problems.. It all started when she was about 6-7 months and started as just a small (scratch) here and there...than it progressively got worse. We have not taken the allergy test which we should have because we put more money into trying different things rather than spending only 300 in allergy tests. We have taken her in numerous amount of times and the vets given her corozone and a few other ones, they only help for hours sometimes up to a day than she starts scratching again, we have also tried about 5 different foods, right now shes eating frozen all meat patty's. My mom and I have completely two different thought processes about all this. She (as well as the vet) believes she can live off shots or medication and trying different foods. I say that's just a way to whirl you back in the vet so they can get more money. I believe to try different things and figure what works best for her WITHOUT destroying her kidneys. What I come to realize whats in her best benefit is bathing 1-2 times a week socializing with other animals walking (spoiling) petting and lots of attention something to distract her from wanting to scratch, benedryl when she gets out of hand and baby powder to the infected areas. Usually that's when she is at her best. I also would like to try feeding her as a vegetarian just to see if that may work, I know before I became a vegetarian I was always sick with several health issues. I know shes a dog but it wouldn't hurt to try  So I'm going to tell you what two different vets have said. (by the way we have all records of what she's had an all) Both veterinarians said it all started from a really small allergy *that's could be anything* and when she started scratching we thought she was a typical dog scratching for any reason, fleas, collar, something in the air. So we ignored the minor scratching but through the night and while we were gone she would scratch profusely and that's when it broke through to an entirely different level. So once it gets out of hand its called stage two. They said before it got to stage two we could have easily cured it with a simple medication but now its in her bloodstream and in order to get it in control she will have to stop scratching and for her to stop scratching she needs medication to calm her. I relate this to like a cold or any human like symptoms a doctor will give you medicine and you take it, but if you stop taking it because you feel better it does not completely clear out of your symptom. So far that's whats happened to her. We cant afford to be consistent with her medication and everything else so she doesn't have %100 percent attention to get her back to normal. But they say she will never be clear of this, she will always have the allergy so the scratching wont go away until you find out what it is exactly and it could be several things and you have to keep her away from those things. Sorry for another long message I just want you to know for sure what she has so you can maybe post questions on that website. She's also bored in a small house with no friends so that also could be apart of it I think. And I cant wait to see all of you drive over! ********************************************** Well, I will have NO problem at all to provide Kalua attention and my 3 fur babies will also keep her entertained...but apart from that, my initial plan is to give her an allergy test to find out exactly what she is allergic of...and we will go from there. I don't mind a bit giving her a bath twice a week but I also know that taking a bath too frequently might also have an adverse effect making her skin dry and become more itchy... I have been using A1 System shampoo on Clayden, the little guy in my avator. Any suggestions on the shampoo I should use for her? I welcome all suggestions and advices. Thank you, in advance  |
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| Keep her nails trimmed to the proper length... then file them with a cardboard emery board so they're smooth. It will be a little less damaging to the skin if she does happen to scratch. When the scratching/chewing is intense, put clothing on her to cover the areas she scratching/licking unless there is a medical reason not to. This too will help prevent her from damaging her skin which could possibly leave her open for a staph infection. If the neck, armpits, side area are the areas that itch, try a lightweight COTTON turtleneck. They work great for this area. Ask your vet whether gold color Listerine can be used topically. Mine said yes and it soothes the itch. Note however it does contain alcohol so it might sting. Dawn (GotSheep) recommended an Emu oil spray. It only has a small percentage of emu oil but it does indeed help soothe the skin. It can be used daily. http://www.jefferspet.com/kalaya-emu-oi ... /cp/G7-K3/ Frequent baths DO often help. Just be sure you dry her well. Use a medicated shampoo if it's required... if not, use a good natural shampoo. You may need to try some different shampoos before you find one that works best for her. The makers of the Emu oil spray also make a shampoo- http://www.jefferspet.com/kalaya-emu-oi ... T/cp/1217/ . I use it on Bumble unless his pyoderma gets bad. If it's bad, I usually go for the Vet Solutions Universal Medicated Shampoo or Virbac Hexidine shampoo. Medicated shampoos often need to stay in contact with the skin for 5-10 minutes in order to achieve the full benefit. Allergy tests are GREAT... as long as the test actually includes the allergen the dog is allergic to.  A year after both dermal and RAST testing and we still don't know what Bumble's problem is. We bought $300 worth of interlocking vinyl squares for the shop thinking it would be a great choice but his skin got worse so we're left wondering if he has a vinyl allergy. And Darby had RAST testing then RAST and dermal testing 2+ years later. I had tracked the pollens in the area and then requested she be tested for those too. She had never been tested specifically for Ragweed so I told them I wanted that included when they did the dermal test. She's allergic to Ragweed but is so sensitive, we can't do shots. So again, the allergy tests are wonderful if they actually test for what your dog is really allergic to.A food trial might also be beneficial. Either prescription or home cooked. One protein source and one starch for 10 weeks is what we did... if it's a food allergy, you would likely begin to see improvement sooner. We have been able to avoid steroids so far but there are times when a dog is truly suffering and it's kindest to use them. They can be lifesavers when used responsibly. I have a list from Heska (the allergy shot company) of other antihistamines and dosages that can be tried. You would need to discuss it with your vet before trying a new one. Let me know if you'd like a copy. Just some ideas... I'm sure I've missed some things. Dust mites and mold can also be a trigger... that takes a little different approach. Yeast or bacteria may require yet another. If you can identify and eliminate the trigger, there is a chance of a "cure" of the symptoms... otherwise, our goal for our allergy dogs is to control the symptoms. I am SO happy for you.  I've got to run. Let me know if I can be of any help. |
| Gigi, Congrats on your Saint Sheepdog! Jaci, thanks for chiming in on this, as I know you have way too much experience in this area! Both of my dogs have struggled with allergies. Quincy had what we always called the "itchy twitchies", constantly scratching and biting at himself. He also had a low grade staph infection on his rear end. We did the RAST testing also, and Quincy was highly allergic to dust, and some pollens. I did the allergy shots (Heska) for three years with no noticeable difference in Quincy's health, so we started him on Benadryl, which he took for the rest of his life. I also bathed him every 10 - 14 days in a medicated shampoo containing Chlorhexidine. It was gentle enough to use every day if necessary, if he was having a particularly tough time. (Sadly, this wonderful liquid gold, called Chlorhexiderm Shampoo, is no longer on the market  ) What I discovered with Quincy is that frequent bathing helped to keep the pollen off his fur, as well as the bacteria from getting a foothold on his skin. We never had an issue with dry skin.Oscar's skin allergies are on a whole different level. His are a part of a systemic immune disorder called Immune Mediated Disease. Basically his immune system has gone haywire, and likes to treat his own tissue as a foreign invader, which in turn makes him open to a hostile takeover by actual foreign invaders. Oscar has just come off over three months of antibiotics, four different kinds to fight six different types of bacteria, two of which were drug resistant. This is why I only have one dog, people!  Oscar is bathed every 7 - 10 days in an antimicrobial shampoo (Chlorihexidine), and takes Benadryl and Prednisone to help control his autoimmune issues. We tried for three years to get him off the steroids, with the help of a holistic vet, internist and chiropractor, to no avail. Every time he comes off the pred, he ends up with IBD or pancreatitis. We have finally come to terms with it. Though it may shorten his life span, he is a happier dog on the pred.Best of luck with Kalua, and if you have any questions, you know where to find us. Laurie and Oscar |
| Thank you Jaci and Laurie for such imformative post. Oscar's Mom wrote: Gigi, Congrats on your Saint Sheepdog! I LOVE this name...Saint Sheepdog I will go ahead and order the emu oil spray and shampoo. I will also look into feeding them (well, can't be feeding just Kalua the yummy stuff, the rest of my 3 babies will be jealous, can't have that  ) Raw Food Diet. And go with lamb or duck.One of the very few good things living here in the desert is the non-exist humidity! We are too dry for the flea. We don't have flea or mold here. We have wrinkles, dry skin and cracked lips  I was told that Kalua enjoys bath! That's good. My shaggy one, Clayden does not really care for getting wet but he will stand there and wait till I finish...pouting the whole time  Thank you again, Jaci and Laurie  |
| It's just sad we have had to learn so much about something like this. Quote: Sadly, this wonderful liquid gold, called Chlorhexiderm Shampoo, is no longer on the market I miss DVM products. That's what we were using too. I don't know what was in that magic stuff but it worked well. Quote: One of the very few good things living here in the desert is the non-exist humidity! We are too dry for the flea. We don't have flea or mold here. We have wrinkles, dry skin and cracked lips Sorry... that made me laugh. Run it all past your vet first. It will really depend on what's causing her problem. Hopefully you'll get a clear cut diagnosis. If not, you'll likely be trying things to see what's effective for Kalua. If trying a new shampoo, buy a bottle that enough for only 1-3 washings so you can test it on her. Just an example of why you need to determine what you're dealing with (maybe her current family already has a good idea). We've all heard that a dogs skin often improves with a raw diet. Not in Bumble's case because he has Pyoderma probably caused by an unidentified allergy (the latest theory we're trying to disprove is vinyl flooring and scatter rugs). We did a raw diet with him for about a week and he got worse. I honestly thought it would be the answer. I later found info online that seemed to explain why this happened. The article pertained specifically to Pyoderma and was on the Idexx VetConnect website but it has since been removed... I think it was intended for professionals only.  Quote: DIET • Hypoallergenic diet if disease is secondary to food allergy; otherwise a high quality, well balanced dog food. • High protein, poor quality "bargain" diets and excessive supplementation should be avoided. I later found probably the source of the information- The 5-minute veterinary consult clinical companion: small animal dermatology By Karen Helton Rhodes http://books.google.com/books?id=x6cI0h ... 22&f=false Ok... that was just a long winded example of how one thing might work for some and not for others.  Dealing with allergies can drive a person nuts unless they've done everything possible and/or just accept it's something they have to live with. Hoping you can find exactly what Kalua is allergic to. |
| Gigi, do you still pick her up tomorrow? I can't wait to see lots of pictures!!!! It might be an idea to get her tested for demodex. I first started noticing Harvey itching when he was a few months old and he's been back and forth from the vets ever since (he's going through another bad phase now). The treatment for it in the US seems to be far better than over here and I think most dogs, especially if they are diagnosed quite young can overcome it quite quickly. Unfortunately, Harvey wasn't diagnosed until he was over a year old and he is still battling it. |
| Yes I am picking her up tomorrow!! I promise I will have lots of pictures and even videos Thanks Jaci...you were reading my mind...I did plan on getting a whole gallon thinking I need enough supply of shampoo to give her frequent bath...You are right. I should make sure the stuff works for her before buying it in bulk.I googled DMV Chlorhexiderm Shampoo and came up with this. http://www.pet-source.com/product/chlrh ... ap=CHLRH4G Is this the "Magical" golden liquid you and Laurie both like so much? Some websites said they have temporarily stopped selling this product because it is under FDA investigation. Wonder what the problem is  ?I can tell this can be a very long journey. And there are quite a few of us taking it... Let's hope all we will all able to find out the source of problem soon and cure our furry babies. IS IT FRIDAY YET???? |
| My Marley has allergies. He had colitis ,itchy skin and eye and ear infections. We tried the sesitive kibble,shampoos and loads of medicines with no change in his condition He lost a lot of weight so as a last resort we put him on a raw diet and within a fortnight his skin, eyes and ears all started to clear up and his poops started to have some shape We decided to have food allergy tests done and it turns out that my lad is allergic to beef  |
| I DID buy some by the gallon. If you lived closer, I'd give you the ones I already tried! We just dropped off a gallon each of conditioner and shampoo to the local humane society. Panda was the one who had an allergic reaction to that one. What works well for one dog, might not for another. Yeah, Teva Animal Health (they produced generics and the DVM Pharmaceuticals line) was closed down by the FDA last year due to alleged violations. I never heard whether the products were actually "dangerous" or if they just didn't abide by the rules. Malaseb shampoo, spray and pledgetts for yeast, Chlorhexiderm shampoo for skin conditions and wounds, Relief Shampoo for itching. 3V Caps too... an oil supplement. All of these products worked well for us and were available from veterinarians and online. http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/Ve ... ail/616142 You're going into this with lots of information from Kalua's family so you have an advantage and a place to start with controlling her problem. She's a lucky girl! Can you believe tomorrow is FRIDAY? |
According to my vet, Teva chose to stop making Chlorhexiderm Shampoo as well as the other products because they did not want to abide by sourcing rules for certain ingredients, not because there was something inherently wrong with their product.  I am still P-O'd!!!!!!!I still have a tiny bit of shampoo, which, like a fine wine, I am saving for a special occasion. Laurie and Oscar |
Thanks for the information, Laurie. I bet there were a lot of people who were upset they lost the ability to obtain these products. I was using the Chlorhexiderm shampoo on Bumble, Malaseb on Darby during the allergy season. I still have about 1/2 a gallon of the Malaseb... that was one time buying by the gallon was a really good thing!  Sigh... I miss their products.Quote: I still have a tiny bit of shampoo, which, like a fine wine, I am saving for a special occasion I can appreciate that! |
I have been trying to google online vet supplies store from other countries. I was thinking it is only banned here in US by the FDA. They could still be available in Canada, UK, Australia...etc  Found this from a Canada Pet Vet online store that carries Malaseb. Is this the one you are using? http://www.canadavet.com/Malaseb-Medica ... 45C54.aspx |
| That was a good thought. Thank you for checking, Gigi! The mfr. is Dermcare and they're located in Australia. http://www.dermcare.com.au/easyweb3/WEB ... e-products At the top of that bottle it looks like it says "Poison". Certain levels appear to be toxic to mice and rabbits but I don't know how those levels compare to the amount used on a dog for a bath. I looked at the MSDS and it says it's a skin irritant. I'll check it out with my vet. They also have one for pyoderma.Then too, read the MSDS for Heartgard Plus, Frontline Plus, etc. We sometimes need to balance the risk of treating with the risk of not treating. |
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