Skin advice please!

[parsonsmum]

Hi everyone! I’ve been away for a while but I’m desperately hoping someone can give me some pointers as to how to deal with Dougs (Parson Russell Terrier) skin problem.
After walking in the woods last weekend Doug started scratching his belly and had what looked like nettle rash ??? By the following day, that seemed to clear up but his rear end is now raw from him scratching and nibbling.
I gave Piriton twice….sick both times.
I’ve applied a topical cream that I made up with aqueous cream, teatree oil, lavender oil and some thornits, and that did stop him scratching for a while and the skin looked less inflamed.
I’ve checked for fleas……nothing
I’ve checked his anal glands……all O.K.
I thought maybe some kind of mite ??? but if that was the case surely my other Parson would be affected too? And he has no problems at all.
He’s fed raw lamb ribs in the morning and his evening meal is 1/3 brown rice, 1/3 boiled chicken and 1/3 vegetables…..he also has a raw egg once a week and pilchards or sardines once a week to replace the chicken.
I’ve been told that at Dougs age…5 years…I should lessen the amount of protein and up the veg. that he’s fed. Also been told stop the boiled chicken as lots of terriers with skin problems have been found to have an allergy to chicken? Told to put him on Chappie, and that spinach is about the best veg to feed. I’m going to do this tonight but should I introduce the Chappie gradually and still feed the boiled chicken for a few days?
Doug has had this problem in the past ….always a week or so after using Frontline :-\ So I stopped using that 18 months ago and now use Vals Spray and one Garlic and Fenugreek pearl 5 times a week.

I have’nt used any new cleaning products and although we have recently moved house, we now have all laminate floors apart from one rug.
This “itch”seems to be progressing and today if you just touch his back, you can feel his skin “squirming”.
It’s so distressing to see him so uncomfortable and I’m worried I’ll end up with a bald dog at this rate.

Please could you give me some ideas about the quantity of the food I should give?
Should I still feed brown rice?
Once I get him onto Chappie, should I feed a mixer biscuit with it? or just Chappie and veg?
Is Chappie a “good enough” food for him to stay on long-term? I’ve always been under the impression that it’s the cheapo rubbish of tinned food. I’m also not entirely happy about giving him any tinned food, but I just want the best that suits him.
Sorry this is so long winded but I really am at a loss this time 🙁
One last question….would it help to use a coal tar soap to bath him?
Thanks for taking the time to read this post. I’ve taken a few pics of the problem…..
[img width=468 height=351]http://i37.tinypic.com/2mxmjqo.jpg[/img]

[img width=468 height=351]http://i37.tinypic.com/16hm5u9.jpg[/img]

[img width=468 height=351]http://i35.tinypic.com/wvtwnq.jpg[/img]

[SuzAndTheDiva]

I wouldnt put him on chappie i really wouldnt.

how long has he been on that diet with no rpoblems – assuming its a while i dont think food is the problem……..you need to get some antihistamine in him and keep it down…………..

Val and Bev can advise the most – suggest you keep bumping this till they see it – i will too x

[Anonymous]

If he’s been fit and well on his diet for eighteen mths I would leave him on it Chappie is a good food even though it is canned very plain dogs love it and it has less in it for a dog to react too.
I would think he’s been Honeyed  :agree: (read what a weekend)as in bitten or stung by stinging nettles.
In an ideal world the antihistamines would hep but as he can’t keep them down then topical it has to be I would bath him in a dog shampoo that contains either camomile or Aloe Vera you could also make a spray of just Aloe Vera oil with lavenda 10drops each in 50 mls water and spay on his skin to cool and calm it
Val

[parsonsmum]

Thank you for your responses. I’ve got a soothing shampoo today and am continuing with the cream and have sprayed his back with Aloe Vera and Lavender in water. He gets some relief but only for an hour or so before the scratching starts again 🙁
I did read about Honeys camping trip and am now wondering whether I should take Doug for an anti-histamine jab ??? Hope Honey has recovered now….poor thing!
Don’t really want to visit the vet, but how long should I let this go on? It’s been a week now and he’s still itchy :'(

Going off topic from the “itch” can you tell me if I have got the protein/carb/veg. ratio right for a 5 year old dog please?
I did try Chappie with them last night…..replaced 1/2 their chicken with it and also added spinach. Doug ate it all….took a bit longer than usual mind you 😉 and Jack ate 3/4 of his, he was’nt too impressed really!

[SuzAndTheDiva]

Honeys fine now – but she was red and sore looking for a few days, i have no doubt shed have chewed herself raw without the jab/antihistamines.

[parsonsmum]

I think I’ll see how it goes over the weekend and maybe get an anti-histamine jab for him if he’s no better by Monday.

[parsonsmum]

I’m afraid Dougs itch has returned with a vengeance :'(
He seemed to be getting better, stopped nibbling and the hair was growing back on his rear end. Then last weekend he started again….I went through the whole check for fleas, anal glands etc……I found no evidence of fleas on Doug but found 3 fleas on my other Parson, Jack…..was has’nt been scratching at all!
I’m afraid I panicked and Frontlined them both 🙁 I really did’nt want to use Frontline but seeing they actually did have fleas I did’nt think there was any other option ??? I’ve also washed all their bedding and sprayed the house.
All calmed down again until 2 days ago when Doug started itching again…..squirming on his back on the rug and rubbing himself on the furniture. He’s also developed a new raw patch near his tail 🙁
Piriton sypup made him sick but he’s had half a Piriton tablet twice a day for the last2 days and kept them down.
He’s also had 2 baths in the last 3 weeks using a coaltar and sulphur shampoo.

I’m really at a loss as to my next course of action and would appreciate if someone could point me in the right direction. Is a trip to the vet in order? If so what can I expect there? I don’t want Doug stuffed with ABs/ steroids/jabs….so forwarned is forarmed, so that I can argue my case if neccessary.
Thanks in advance 🙂

[TobyTeaCosy and Angela]

Sorry, I can’t help but I know how frustrating it can be, we have had this on and off with Toby’s nose, will do a post this afternoon as I need some advice myself but it might well be worth looking at diet and allergys, am sure Bev and Val can help you though, poor lad, it looks really sore  :-*

[parsonsmum]

Thanks for your response…..I’ve read your posts about Tobys snout and ears, poor boy!
Dougs tail is much improved from the photos now, the hair is growing back and the skin is’nt red any more.
It’s a new raw patch now on his bum :(…just hope it does’nt spread ‘cos he’s at it all the time!
This is worse that when the kids are ill…..at least they can tell you what the problem is!

[Aly12]

When I had Molly at the vet recently to have a tic removed from her paw the vet advised me to use Advantix instead of Frontline.  Advantix is a repellent to tics and fleas and she told me she would be using it on her dogs the following week.  It is a capsule you put on the back of the neck once a month during tic season.  Molly had to get antibiotics after the tic as she has Addisons Disease and the vet didn’t want to risk any infections for her.  She now has cream to put on her paw as it has a large lump on it which may have to be cut if it doesn’t go down.  It is starting to go down now and is not as hard as it was – it was as hard as a pea. 

[parsonsmum]

I’ve heard that a lot of vets are now advising Advantix instead of Frontline, saying Frontline is no longer as effective against fleas as it was. Cynical, maybe, but it makes me think this is because Frontline can now be bought cheaper than at the vets…..while Advantix can only be bought on presciption, from a vet :-\

[Aly12]

I have just googled Advantix and I think it can be bought online :-\

[parsonsmum]

oops! Sorry my mistake……you do need a Vet Prescription though for Advantix.

[Anonymous]

You should try and keep a dog with AD away from chemicals as they affect the immune system, as for the tick bite her reaction was nothing to do with AD if the tick draws blood then the dog is left with a lump under the skin it goes down in time some dogs can take as long as six weeks for the swelling to go down
Val

[quote author=Aly12 link=topic=12485.msg244753#msg244753 date=1223740638]
When I had Molly at the vet recently to have a tic removed from her paw the vet advised me to use Advantix instead of Frontline.  Advantix is a repellent to tics and fleas and she told me she would be using it on her dogs the following week.  It is a capsule you put on the back of the neck once a month during tic season.  Molly had to get antibiotics after the tic as she has Addisons Disease and the vet didn’t want to risk any infections for her.  She now has cream to put on her paw as it has a large lump on it which may have to be cut if it doesn’t go down.  It is starting to go down now and is not as hard as it was – it was as hard as a pea. 
[/quote]

[SuzAndTheDiva]

sounds like hes sensitive to fleas – do you spray him regular with vals spray – nothing else is going to STOP the fleas going on him – and thats the problem, one bite and hes chewing like mad……….. fleas are rife right now  :'(

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