Skin problems BAD!!! Need Help

I need help. Will a moderator or someone who knows how to use this forum help share these photos of my 4 year old dog Diesel. His skin problems have blown up this year. His hair is falling out, his nipples are huge. His skin is really ruff and irritated. His skin has a bad odor and he is always itching and licking. His paws are fine. Benadryl does nothing for him. I live in the country, he is inside most of the time. We take him out when he needs to go. The other day I left him outside for 4 hours in our fenced in yard. When I got home, The top of his head was bleeding and around his ears from itching. My vet is bleeding me for money with office visits and tests. Steroids do nothing for my dog. Please I know there has to be someone in here that has seen this before.

My E-mail is jason_4670@sbcglobal.net

 

Different members here will have different opinions. Since you have been going to the vet without apparent progress, you can try to figure out what is happening yourself, although you might not succeed.

Skin itching seems to break down into one or more of at least three causes: 1: Food; 2) Environment (airborne); 3) Direct attack by insects like fleas, etc.

Food may be the easiest variable to control. Try feeding your dog a home-cooked or raw diet. Avoid commercial dog food for a while. You can make simple meals of cooked chicken and cooked sweet potatoes or canned pumpkin (one of many simple recipes). Avoid cooked bones. Chicken (or other meat) and sweet potato or pumpkin is simple, yet pretty nutritious, and will keep the dog's stools solid. Avoid supplements for a few weeks. You can feed fresh raw chicken with bones, which some people swear by. Some people just put 2-3 raw chicken wings in the dog's bowl. There is some debate about safety here, as some dogs just swallow it whole. I grind raw chicken with bones for my dogs, but lots of people just let the dog chew through the bones. If the dog starts doing better, you can then start adding things to the food, such as fish oil for omega 3 fatty acid, and eggs for nutrient profile. But if you add too much too soon, and the dog has problems, you won't be able to figure out the cause. Since your dog is an adult, a simple diet, even if it isn't 100% complete, will be fine for a while

The dog may also be allergic to something outside. That is harder to determine usually, unless you see fleas, etc.

Your poor dog looks like he is really itchy.

 

That dogs skin looks infected either bacterial or fungal did the vet scrape the skin to determine either or? I'm a little surprised no antibiotics or fungal meds were given in conjunction with the steriods, I would switch the dog to a raw diet and have the dogs skin evaluated for either bacterial or fungal secondary to the allergies which are mist likely caused by diet, environment, or contact allergy.

 

The bad odor usually suggests yeast or bacteria I can tell you what to use to treat both however without knowing if the dog has a fungal infection or bacteria infection or both it would just be costly to start treating without knowing what your dealing with a simple skin scrape should be able to tell what type of fungus or bacteria is present on the skin.

 

sadieblues brought up an important point. The original cause may be an allergy, but bacteria and/or fungus can become established as a result, and then lead to even more itching. While you wait for a vet appointment, give your dog a bath, which can help somewhat.

 

What food ya feeding?

 

I agree with what everyone else says but I'd also consider seeing a different vet as well if it doesn't improve with the other remedies.

 

this x10 definitely make an appointment with a new Vet, if there is a derm specialist in your area try that since you've already invested time and money into a regular vet.

 

does she break out after being outside? my partners dogs breaks out like that from grass so after being outside he baths her real good with dawn dish soap!!

 

had a buddy with the same problem his dog was allergic to the ink on the news paper he would put in his dogs crate.

 

RAW diet.

NEW vet.

Do it NOW.

Buy the biggest bag of bone-in chicken thighs/breasts you can. Feed him 2-3% of his ideal bodyweight in chicken every day. Don't be cheap and give him super bony cuts like necks or wings. Thighs and breats have a good ratio of meat to bone. You're looking for 8:1 meat to bone ratio. After a few weeks start giving him a quarter-half dollar size piece of liver or offal with his food.

This alone could fix this, but you may have a fungal or bacterial issue that may need modern medicine as well.

If you're using any other kinds of product, stop them now and go raw immediately. He doesn't need pulverized veggies, don't go BARF is you read about it somewhere. You want predator style.

Good luck, I'm happy to help more if that didn't click.

 

^^^^ wings are actually prob the highest part of chicken besides the breast. Around here you can get leg quarters, drumsticks or thighs for around 69-89¢ when on sale

Sincerely Yours, Cajun

 

How is your dog doing?
I agree with those that you need to see a dermatologist, not a general practitioner.

The breed is riddled with skin problems. I have known of dogs that had such chronic problems that couldn't be helped that they had to be put down. Dogs with bad skin problems shouldn't be bred.

 

Its either allergies (from food, chemicals, and environment) or mange.

 

has he had a skin scraping? looks a little like demodex.....

 

The dog could be allergic to chicken. Don't see any lesions yet usually that's when staph kicks in .there not sure if staff is naturally occurring in dogs skin or not. Most of the time with allergies you see the yeast in the ears, nails, and smell it. Then the skin problems kick in with hair falling out then lesions with staph infection. I could be wrong I'm not a vet.

 

And when you think it's food allergies you don't give a bunch of ingredients you start with one and add to it. Does your current dog food have chicken in it if so I would try something other than chicken. Some people feed kangaroo and what not.

 

Alot of times vets treat the symptoms but it seems that's not working for you. Hope the vet gets back to you on the test and your dog gets better.