Help my dog has rhino skin

    • Puppy

    Help my dog has rhino skin

     My dog Rico is a Greatdane/Pit mix he is 6 years old and just about the most loving dog ever. He has suffered from skin problems for most of his life. Vets have just said he has allergies, he has been on steroids to Atopica which has been really hard on his system. He has a fawn and white coat, but on his elbows and his belly he has dark gray sagging skin. Looks just like rhino skin. I know he is misserable and even thought the Atopica gives him relief it is just temporary no to metion it alters his immune system. Does anybody have any suggestions... please all I want is some relief for him. He constantly is licking his paws, so they are raw, his eyes are always goopy, he is always really hot, I just can imagine what he must be feeling.I have decided to stop the atopica and try a holistic approach. I know he is going to get worse before he gets better and that hurts my heart. I am spraying him down with water and baking soda for smell and itch relief(baking soda kills the yeast) and I started him on a product called N'zymes. Please help me help my big dog...my best friend!!!

    • Gold Top Dog

     Are you working with a holistic vet? Coming off of long term steroids, even slowly, can be VERY hard on his system!

    • Gold Top Dog

    Questions:

    1.  Need to know *where* you are (need to know the climate, city/country, and if you'll email me your zip code I'll help you find a good holistic vet)

    2.  DON'T stop Atopica abruptly -- it will rebound and cause a worsening

    3. Don't use baking soda -- it will over-dry the skin (it's a de-greaser -- it will severely dry the skin and make it crack).  However, both tea tree oil and lavender essential oils ARE good anti-fungals.  Use VERY sparingly -- like after a bath put maybe 10 - 20 drops in 2 gallons of water and pour over and over and over the skin as a *final* rinse. 

    Several shampoos are good anti-fungals (and this DOES sound like a fungal thing) -- one of the best is Selsun Blue (yeah the tary dandruff shampoo - use the one with the red cap -- WARM bath, TONS of water and rinse copiously).

     If you can find a neem shampoo at a health store -- that too is a good anti-fungal. use the rinse described above.

    4.  Again, I can't help much until I know where you are -- this time of year it can be fall allergies and beyond to big time contact allergy.

    Is there -- particularly on the belly/groin area -- tiny little blister-like bumps?  maybe wet, maybe not. 

    5.  Has the vet tried an antihistamine?  By "tried" I mean with the full dose for dog allergies given at least 3 weeks? 

    I've seen TCVM (Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine) and homeopathy both work very well on allergies (my Billy is the poster child for MEGA horrible allergies and his skin looks darned good now!)

    • Puppy
    Thank you for responding!!! He has been my million dollar dog. I rescued him when he was a baby and is the love of my life. I am weaning him off of Atopica which has lowered his immune system anyway :( As for the baking soda.. I put 2 table spoons into a large water bottle with a spray nozzle. It has helped with the smell and redness. He actually has a yeast over growth because of all the steroids and medicine. He eats taste of the wild dogfood with brown rice and has great stools as a result. He has been on antihistamines from the vet but it did not help him. He has tried every prescription shampoo from the vet but I will try Selsun Blue for sure. I just found a holistic vet...it is just a matter of $$. I am a single mom so funds are tight. I live in Oceanside, Calif 92054. I love him sooooo much and want him to feel better. I will keep you posted.