Monday, August 23, 2010

My pit bull terrier has had terrible skin problems since birth?

She's itchy all over, has hair loss %26amp; rednes,s on belly,neck,legs,even head that even will bleed if she scratches enough. We've had every test known to man done-full allergy bloodwork, testing for mites, fleas, any type of parasite, changed food, food bowls,beds,blankets, shampoo- need I go on?We've literally spent thousands of dollars with no results. I'm not sorry we spent the money because at least things got ruled out but does anyone have any ideas that the vet %26amp; I haven't thought of? Or has someone experienced something similar? We're desparate, I love her but there's no way she can be happy always taking different pills or getting poked or worse being itchy %26amp; uncomfortable for the rest of her life.

My pit bull terrier has had terrible skin problems since birth?
How old is your dog? My male Pit Bull has so many different skin allergies but they were much worse when he was younger. The first allergy our vet told us about is a common one...food. He is extremely allergic to chicken and so we changed his food. I had to start checking the labels cause I noticed that even some of the lamb and rice formulas have a little bit of chicken-by-product in them. I even check the labels on on his treats. I can always tell when he has gotten into something he shouldn't have...he breaks out instantly! After we changed his food things got a little better but he was still very itchy. We did more tests and found out he has pollen/outside allergies. When he was young (about 10mths to 3yrs) we had to do seasonal shots. They helped a great deal with the itching and the sores and as he got older (he'll be 5 this DEC.), he seemed to grow out of his outside allergies. We don't do the shots anymore and he hasn't had a breakout in over a year.





It seems like you've tried everything...maybe you need a second opinion?....Try another vet and see what they come up with. There is hope...I know...its awful to go through and to see your dog like this. Hopefully you will find a solution soon....good luck!
Reply:Wow! I am assuming you have ruled out food allergies etc with the testing done. What about mange? Did they ever test for that? You did blood testing what about skin testing for allergies? How about scrapings? etc?
Reply:Are you using anything in the house she may have allergies to.. Like carpet sprinkles, candles, and sprays.... Things like that effect dogs just like humans. Solid gold has alot of good food for allergies, maybe try a venison/rice, or fish and potato, ask your vet about some benadryll, just ask your vet cause it will go by her weight.. Either way i don't foresee no pills, maybe try a steroid like prednisone, or something for inflammation.. But think if there is anything you use in the house it could be affecting her.
Reply:We had a similar problem, but it was mostly solved by feeding them lamb and rice dog food. Someone advised me to use Yeast and Garlic powder. You can get it at the health food store. I bought PetGuard. It is specifically made for pets. The lady that suggested it swears by it. She had a similar situation. It will take some time for this to start working. She said at least a month. I hope this helps. It's frustrating having an itchy dog. Did they ever give her steroid shots or pills? or antibiotics? It could be an infection and it just needs to be cleared up. There's something causing this. I would get another opinion. At this point, it couldn't hurt.
Reply:Change her food.





Corn, wheat, milk, soy, beef (it's rare, but note worthy) and chicken all cause this reaction.





Look into Innova EVO (it's doing WONDERFUL things for dogs like yours), Wellness, Canidae, and Artemis (the best of these, but it's pretty expensive.)


All are great, all have websites.





California Natural Skin and Coat Supplement works like a charm. You will be amazed! www.naturapet.com for more information.





Ark Naturals is a line of herbal, all natural supplements that help a lot too. www.arknaturals.com for more information.





NEVER feed Purina, Iams, Science Diet or Eukanuba. It's harmful to your dog's health.


Read "Food Pets Die For" by Ann N. Martin for all the gruesome details.





Good luck
Reply:We had this problem (not quite as bad) with our lab and we switched her diet to the B.A.R.F diet. Similiar to the human train of thought healing from the inside. Her coat is beautiful, teeth are white and she is a older dog and a added benefit is that her poop is small. Weird I know but it is smalller because of less filler and waste since commercial dog food is mostly corn and it doesnt smell. I included a website for you. Good Luck
Reply:Do you have her on Revolution or any other type of flea or tick medication? Some of those combinations are too strong for some dogs.





Have you tried a strict elimination diet with her? If so, what kind of proteins and grains did you try?





Have you tried benadryl and has that worked to alleviate her itching for awhile?
Reply:LMAO. Is being utterly hilarious a side effect of this so called skin disorder?
Reply:That sounds terrible! I feel sorry for your poor pup. Since you've had all these tests done, you've probably ruled out anything common. And I don't think it's allergies because allergies aren't present from birth. I would try taking her to another vet. I'm sure your vet is good, but sometimes it helps to get a fresh perspective on the situation. Also, I noticed some vets are more dependent on diagnosing diseases by identifying them under microscope, which might help with your dog. Also, have you tried giving your dog steriods or anithistamines for the itching? Steroids stopped my dog's allergy itching. It has to be given with a vet's supervision because it's powerful, but if your dog is in pain, it might help her, even if you don't know what the problem is yet.
Reply:The other posters have very good suggestions regarding food changes, benadryl, etc. Have you been taking her to your regular vet or a dermatology specialist? A dermatology specialist may have some ideas that the regular vet hasn't thought of, so you may want to try that. I don't know where you are, but I could give you a number to the local dermatologist in my area and maybe he would know how to find one in your area... If you would like his #, e-mail me tbjumper0514@yahoo.com


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