Things I Could Try To Help My Dog's Dermatitis? Looking For Suggestions Please!

[lindsay]

Hi there! Our beloved cocker spaniel has had skin problems (dermatitis) for many years - as well as ear infections. The skin problems are usually bacterial/yeast oriented and often go away after a good treatment with antibiotics, but as soon as the antibiotics are done, they come back almost immediately. I'm afraid his immune system is not great.

So we caved in and decided to try this Apoquel drug. It's amazing! Cleared his skin right up and his fur is healthy and growing back. BUT, it's a kind of immunosuppressant and I know those are not healthy long term. I'd like to stop the drug and start treating him myself and so I'm looking for suggestions from people? Dermatitis causes red skin flare-ups with scabbing and itching, so I thought maybe Methylene Blue might work to keep that from getting out of control. And of course, an anti-histamine and possibly thyroid. I'm just nervous dosing thyroid with him. But I know people who said that thyroid helped their pets greatly. I was going to try some TyroMax, but since it's topical, Elliot might try to lick it off.

Anyhow, if any of you have had good success with your pets and RP's ideas, I'd love to hear! I started cooking his food again and he loves liver, which is a good start :) Many thanks for any suggestions!

 

[ecstatichamster]

we feed our dog raw meaty bones, veggies, etc. Not really Peaty. We had to cut out certain foods she's allergic to. She can tolerate pork fine, but not chicken, for instance.

I recommend raw diets for dogs and finding the diet that works for your dog. As for meds, first gen antihistamines sometimes work. Benedryl. I'd try cypro.

 

[Giraffe]

I was going to try some TyroMax, but since it's topical, Elliot might try to lick it off.

If it's not already absorbed by the time the dog starts to lick, this would mean that it will get absorbed through the tongue instead of the skin. Anything wrong with it?

 

[lindsay]

we feed our dog raw meaty bones, veggies, etc. Not really Peaty. We had to cut out certain foods she's allergic to. She can tolerate pork fine, but not chicken, for instance.

I recommend raw diets for dogs and finding the diet that works for your dog. As for meds, first gen antihistamines sometimes work. Benedryl. I'd try cypro.

Yes - we had our dog on a raw food diet, and while he liked the food, his skin did not improve on it. I think he's more allergic to things in the environment, as we live in the NorthEast. I do give him benedryl, but maybe I will see if the vet can prescribe him cypro. I really think his thyroid is off - he's a very lethargic dog, but his thyroid panel came back fine. The biggest thing is I'm trying to avoid steroids - he has to go on those often when his skin and ear flares up.

We just got some local meat, so maybe I will try feeding him that. I stopped the raw meat because I have no idea what quality they make dog food. If it's like conventional meat, that's not a great long term solution in comparison to grass-fed beef. He also really loves sugary foods - LOVES oranges and mangos and pears and watermelon :) He's quite the Peaty dog actually :) If he was a child, we'd have no troubles feeding him - LOL.

 

[lindsay]

If it's not already absorbed by the time the dog starts to lick, this would mean that it will get absorbed through the tongue instead of the skin. Anything wrong with it?

I suppose not, except for the DMSO taste. I haven't taken it orally yet, so I don't like to experiment on my dog unless I've tried it. But the DMSO might deter him from trying to lick it :) I did think about giving him some of my leftover Thiroyd. He's 1/4 of my weight, so I can give him a daily dosage equivalent to what I would take. I wish I could just find him a desiccated thyroid powder without additives to put in his food.

 

[AmishMechanic]

Skin allergies with ear infections (and butts and paws) especially are almost always ( I never say never and always ) due to a food irritant. The skin is a reflection of the gut. If the skin looks bad, the gut on necropsy looks worse. Dr. Peat's ideas on diet are very helpful and you may find that your dog will not need any medication once the diet is sorted out.

No artificial crap.
No more PUFA.
No/little starch.
Some liver, can add shrimp and some safe shellfish if you wish. Eggs as well.
Cottage cheese is well tolerated.
flesh meats occasionally and with added gelatin sources often.
Plenty of calcium.
Raw carrot.
fruit and potato maaaaaybeeee rice only if needed for energy and with added butter / coconut oil.
I find the addition of some organic frozen green beans is well tolerated and enjoyed almost always. And, nothing ever got fat off of green beans. They stop eating grass then too = bonus.
Skin will start to clear in about three days in my experience.
Sunlight, exercise, love and some sense of control in their life.

I am not a huge fan of raw. Certainly it can be an improvement over what the dog was on before, but I have rescued many a "raw dog" from ADR, aint' doin' right, after being on raw for years by making the diet easier to digest by cooking. There is not much "natural" left in most dogs. And a dog past the age of 8, in most breeds/cases is no longer normal in that it is past it's "wild" age. Sure, tossing in some raw liver and such will be fine once in awhile but I find that with all of the industrial stresses on their systems, making the diet easier to digest helps.

I have never had to resort to antibiotics or steroids for skin issues, unless maggots were involved. That kind of train wreck walked through my doors twice....

 

[Elize]

I just use 2% lugols iodine and dab the infected area with it and leave. Also works wonders for skin growths that looks like tags on pets.

You can repeat the iodine every two days about 3 times and then just leave it.
I make my own dog food and also add a drop of Lugols to my mini pins batch of food before I shape them into balls and bake it in the oven. She is a very healthy 15 year old and only goes to the vet for annual check ups.

I use iodine for any skin problems, for any bladder infections I mix equal amounts of peanut butter, honey and apple cider vinegar. it works well for both dogs and cats. My mini pin weighs 8 pounds and I use a tablespoon of each ingredients mix it and she just laps it up.

 

[flyingm1o]

I have this problem with my little pug right now! We went to the vet and he gave us a special soap, spray, and tablets that he needs to take daily. He also needs to take a shot once every week for 7 weeks now and said this problem will be lifetime care and I would have to return every time it comes back since skin problems is really common in my breed. We have to wash twice a week and spray every other day, but I concentrate mostly on his paws because that's where he has red spots. We also do epsom salt baths for his paws on some days and rotate with an apple cider-hydrogen peroxide soak and leave it on his feet for an hour before washing with the special soap. Some days it gets better, some days not much. We also massage his little feet with coconut oil before he sleeps. I think so far the soaks work more than the medicine the vet has given us, though it's still frustrating to see when the scabs come back

 

[ecstatichamster]

Thyroid

Progesterone

Pregnenolone

No pufa

You will find it gets better fast. Dose of t4 is vey high. We give our 30 pound dog 140mcg twice a day of t4 and 40 MCG t3 twice a day. Works like a champ.

 

[EIRE24]

I just use 2% lugols iodine and dab the infected area with it and leave. Also works wonders for skin growths that looks like tags on pets.

You can repeat the iodine every two days about 3 times and then just leave it.
I make my own dog food and also add a drop of Lugols to my mini pins batch of food before I shape them into balls and bake it in the oven. She is a very healthy 15 year old and only goes to the vet for annual check ups.

I use iodine for any skin problems, for any bladder infections I mix equal amounts of peanut butter, honey and apple cider vinegar. it works well for both dogs and cats. My mini pin weighs 8 pounds and I use a tablespoon of each ingredients mix it and she just laps it up.

I wonder if iodine would help with acne?

 

[EIRE24]

Skin allergies with ear infections (and butts and paws) especially are almost always ( I never say never and always ) due to a food irritant. The skin is a reflection of the gut. If the skin looks bad, the gut on necropsy looks worse. Dr. Peat's ideas on diet are very helpful and you may find that your dog will not need any medication once the diet is sorted out.

No artificial crap.
No more PUFA.
No/little starch.
Some liver, can add shrimp and some safe shellfish if you wish. Eggs as well.
Cottage cheese is well tolerated.
flesh meats occasionally and with added gelatin sources often.
Plenty of calcium.
Raw carrot.
fruit and potato maaaaaybeeee rice only if needed for energy and with added butter / coconut oil.
I find the addition of some organic frozen green beans is well tolerated and enjoyed almost always. And, nothing ever got fat off of green beans. They stop eating grass then too = bonus.
Skin will start to clear in about three days in my experience.
Sunlight, exercise, love and some sense of control in their life.

I am not a huge fan of raw. Certainly it can be an improvement over what the dog was on before, but I have rescued many a "raw dog" from ADR, aint' doin' right, after being on raw for years by making the diet easier to digest by cooking. There is not much "natural" left in most dogs. And a dog past the age of 8, in most breeds/cases is no longer normal in that it is past it's "wild" age. Sure, tossing in some raw liver and such will be fine once in awhile but I find that with all of the industrial stresses on their systems, making the diet easier to digest helps.

I have never had to resort to antibiotics or steroids for skin issues, unless maggots were involved. That kind of train wreck walked through my doors twice....

What would you advise for someone with acne rather than dermatitis? I agree that it is all to do with the gut and I'm pretty sure mine must be messed up. I have simplified my diet down to easily digested foods but I am still plagued with bad skin and acne? Anything I try like more vitamin A and zinc is useless.

 

[skycop00]

Thyroid

Progesterone

Pregnenolone

No pufa

You will find it gets better fast. Dose of t4 is vey high. We give our 30 pound dog 140mcg twice a day of t4 and 40 MCG t3 twice a day. Works like a champ.

I actually just started my Male 13 year old Doxie on some Preg, Progesterone and American Biotics Dessicated Thyroid. He was on T4 only and 3mg Medrol daily as a protocol for SARDS....(Suddeen onset retinal blindness). The old school vet in California had worked with several of these dogs and calls it an ESTROGEN Cortisol Immune dysregualtion issue. Tanner was 100% blind for about 2 weeks when we started the protocol and within 4 weeks he had his distance vision returned. This after all the vet eye doctors said there was nothing that could be done. He did get some near vision back, but not more than maybe 20%. He was great for 8 months and then started to back slide so the Dr upped his medorol from 2mg to 3 and stayed in 0,2mg of T4. So with my changes I have since reduce d the medrol back to 2mg and added in the above to see if we can make some progress. I run labs on him every 3 months (Thyroid, IgA, IgM, IgE, cortisol and total estrogen). Starting the first protocol really brought his mood and energy back. The hair growth is very spotty and I a m hoping the dessicated thyroid improves that for him as he always had a REGAL coat!!! lol

 

[Richiebogie]

We give our border collie X jack russell various cuts of raw lamb, beef, kangaroo, camel, venison etc.

With raw mince we add grated carrot, coconut oil and occasionally cooked white rice. She also gets the odd piece of mango or pumpkin soup!

We avoid any oats, wheat or pufa-laden commercial dog food blends.

Her coat is soft and glossy!

She also gets the odd swim in the sea followed later by a freshwater rinse (no shampoo) which seems to reduce scratching!

 

[Xisca]

Low thyroid is increasing in dogs.... Especially short nose ones. It has to do partly with the selection, and is seen a lot in chow chow for example, or mastif type breeds, so pugs too. And happens to cockers too, when they selected more heavy type. It seems that this is linked to a tendency to be sluggish and heavy.
I can tell that there is some genetics and that some pedigrees are known for this tendency.
Same, diabetes is increasing.
Also the type of food with cereals had influence. they are not chicks!
Same problem as with humans, be careful to have the good ratio of calcium and phosphor = enough bones. Some people look for zoo food, frozen rats! A whole animal should be more balanced than beef, and I guess those rats have the skin, so the right amount of gelatine. Cereals also have phosphor.
Fruits are very good for dogs, they pick them in nature.
A raw carrot is a good bone.... You do not have to grate them!
Yes right, food alergy is common, because we do not vary. Should not vary during the week but over longer period, like with seasons.
Some react with chicken, others with beef... and if you find one that is ok, it can become less tolerated with time, if you do not make changes regularly.
Raw is good for most dogs but I agree that it is not essential is digestion is poor.
Topically, you can try lavender essential oil.