calliecritturs
Posted : 10/26/2010 10:59:31 PM
No this does NOT sound like food allergy. Particularly NOT at this age.
This sounds more to me like contact allergy. Are his lips red-rimmed? Does he lick himself a LOT where it's red and sore?
Can you tell me where abouts you live??
Do you know if you have any of the following:
1. St. Augustine sod
2. Poison oak or poison ivy
3. Night blooming jasmine
4. Wandering jew (there are a TON of varieities -- from hanging baskets common in Northern climates to wild "creepers" in the south -- to big red/purplish plants used as ground cover -- it's virtually everywhere)
Did the weather change last week? What in his environment changed last week when he started looking pink.
Pumpkin would likely not usually be a food allergen -- HOWEVER -- realize that a bit of pumpkin may firm up the stool but even a smidge over that can give them flaming diarreha even WORSE. It is really good for them but it's quite individual "how much" is good vs. bad.
It's not "human" shampoo that's the problem. You likely need to bathe him in something that will cut the oil of whatever the contact allergen is sticking to his skin. My instant suggestion would be OxyDex or Benzoyl Plus -- some veterinary shampoo with benzoyl peroxide in it (that is NOT hydrogen peroxide -- very very different). That will help cut the oil and it will also help heal.
However -- at the same time, once you get him bathed you want to let the shampoo stay on about 5 - 10 minutes (just massaging and keeping it wet and sudsy) -- THEN rinse TONS.
WARM WATER is critical. Not hose water outside -- benzoyl peroxide opens the pores -- if you use cool water it will trap soap in the pores and it will make him uber sore.
RINSE A LONG TIME -- way longer than you'd think.
THEN -- in the final rinse take a couple of gallons of warm water and add about 25 drops of tea tree oil (the essential oil - -NOT a shampoo or conditioner with tea tree in it -- you want the actual essential oil here). Shake it and pour it over him massaging it into his skin and coat. It will help close the pores clean and it will condition the coat while fighting staph infection. Tea tree is awesome stuff - don't use a lot of it directly on the skin. Do a light final rinse.
IN short do this in the tub or shower with a hand-held shower thingy -- getting him rinsed is huge. (and I'm not just saying "huge" because he's a dane).
You will have to try to find what the contact allergen is -- it's likely either something seasonal or something you've brought in on your shoes/slacks. Think back to when this all first started and see if you can find a commonality in something within the last couple of weeks.
"contact" allergy doesn't necessarily mean it's something the dog got into himself. It *can* be -- OR it can be something you humans brought home on your own shoes. If you went hiking and then tossed your boots on the floor and then he laid down nearby? It got on his belly and then he rubbed himself all over to scratch?? That then transferred the oil elsewhere?
If you have St. Augustine sod outside -- you can track it in on your shoes - the dog doesn't even have to lay ON the allergen itself -- it's spread by 2d or even 3rd or 4th contact.