Worried about skin problem

    • Bronze

    Worried about skin problem

    I am very worried about my 13-month-old pit bull/pointer mix. He has nasty looking rashes and raw red spots on his belly and is very itchy. Vet gave him antihistimines, but this only helped somewhat. Other than the raw spots and itching, he seems health and happy. Any ideas on anything else I could try.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Aw, I'm sorry your pup is having problems. This sounds exactly like what happens with my pit bull mix. Since he was a few months old he's had recurrent staph infections of the skin. The staph infections are secondary to an allergy or other problem. In our case the vet thinks he's allergic to grass, among other things. Probably next spring we'll visit a vet dermatologist and get allergy testing done.

    I'm very surprised your vet didn't prescribe antibiotics, we've had to use them a few times now, also they'll usually give a steroid for the itching - but personally I try to avoid steroids whenever possible.

    Some things that help us are Benadryl 2-3 times per day every day at 1 mg per lb of body weight and wiping him down when he comes in and rinsing his feet and belly well. We also use a cream rinse after bathing that jessies_mom, another member here, recommended - it's OxyMed by Tropiclean, and it has been really good for his skin.

    I'm still fairly new to this, so I'm not much help, but we have some members that are very knowledgeable that have been through a lot with their allergy dogs, they may be along with other ideas. Good luck!!
    • Gold Top Dog
    Did your vet do a culture to see if there's an infection going on?  If not, and the rash isn't going away, I'd go back and ask for one.  They should actually do a culture and sensitivity so that they treat it with the right antibiotics.  My lab had a pretty nasty infection on her tummy and it took a few months of pretty strong antibiotics to clear it up.
     
    I'd definitely continue to use some type of antihistamine.  It's super important that you use it daily and at the right dose.  I give my 73 lb lab 75mg of benadryl in the AM and PM.  On the weekends I may even give it again mid-day.  It's not a cure-all, but I really think it helps.
    • Gold Top Dog
    We also use a cream rinse after bathing that jessies_mom, another member here, recommended - it's OxyMed by Tropiclean, and it has been really good for his skin.


    Terrierlover ( Kim) was the person who originally recommended OxyMed; I'm glad it's helping Boomer. I would try it but our PetsMart doesn't carry it. The stuff I get at the vet (ResiCort) is pretty good though.
    • Gold Top Dog
    assuming the diagnostice procedures are being done, to give temporary releif a few days of steroids would be usefull..if for nother reason the to stop any self mutilation and give releif till the tests are comnpleted.
    • Gold Top Dog
    You don't say where you are located (and often that is SOOOOOO helpful because different things happen/occur in different parts of the country) -- but this sounds like contact allergy to me.
     
    If you are in the South - St. Augustine sod, night blooming jasmine, wandering jew (any and all varieties) and even poison oak are very common. 
     
    It doesn't mean that the dog has necessarily laid IN the plant -- but if you have St. Augustine "out front" and you walk across the lawn on your own two feet, just what you walk inside with on your shoes will transfer to the carpet and CONTACT is made.  Literally it's when you bruise the grass by walking on it and the oils transferred are what transfer the allergen. 
     
    Aloe can be a good help -- fresh from the plant is best (and don't use a cream with aloe in it -- often the other ingredients are just irritants). 
     
    Try bathing the dog in a soap that will degrease (even add a bit of baking soda to the lather -- that will cut any contact allergen oil that may stick to the skin).
     
    Patting on chammomile tea will often reduce the inflammation.
     
    But whoever said above - if this is infected, it's NOT gonna heal.