Help: itchy eyes, ears, bum, mouth & eye boogs

[Sportyj]

Seems my dog has a myriad of issues lately, and I am beginning to think - SEASONAL ALLERGIES. Have taken her to the vet for skin scraping, tear tests, worm tests, etc. Here are her symtoms:

Eyes: Boogers and crust, the skin around her eyes is pink and actually starts to lose hair. She itches her eyes a lot. (Vet ran multiple tests all was well with eyes)

Mouth: I apologize if I do not know what dog parts are called but the top parts of her lips have little scabs from her itching, especially along the corners of her mouth.

Ears: She shakes her head a lot and I noticed a sore in her ear today for the first time. I check her ears daily. They are clean as a whistle! She itches them too, but shakes them more often.

Bum: NO WORMS or parasites but she has been scooting lately on the carpet

Tail: She has slight thinning of the hair about two inches from the base of her tail.

Diet - She grew up on regular Innova and we switched to EVO about 3 months ago AFTER all of this started. We tried out Canidae, California Natural, etc and nothing made a difference. So we stayed with the EVO because she likes it the most and food didn't seem to help.

PS - I DO NOT bathe here but ONCE in a blue moon.

Could someone please help, this dog means the world to me and I feel like she is suffering. I take wonderful care of her and am willing to do anything to make this better.

[groupieindenial]

Does sounds like seasonal allergies, poor thing. Mark on a calendar the symptoms, date and whats in full bloom. You might want to see if you can avoid this next year by preparing her system for it.

For now, try and boost her immune system. Its more effective to boost to "prevent" so before the symptoms appear, but better late then never, and it can still help.

Go to your nutrition store and get the following if you don't have it.

Capsule form of Ester-C (AKA Buffered Vitamin C). SLowly build the dosage to about 2000 mg day, but start day 1&2 with about 500-600 mg/day slplit in 2 (300 mg in the am meal, 300 mg in the pm meal). On day 3 give a whole capsule in the am, and a whole one in the pm. (That should be about 1200 mg/day) By day 5 give 1 capsule 3x day (1800 mg/day). (And maybe even try to push it to 2 capsules in the am and 2 capsules in the pm by day 7.)
What you want to do with buffered vitamin c is give as much as can be tolerated. Too much will give diarhea, but you want to give an amount just below that threshold.

Omega 3 from fish is also an immune booster. Give around 1500mg - 2000mg of combined EPA/DHA content/day.

Astragolus extract added to her water dish every time you fill it.

Zinc Citrate supplements - just one capsule (25-30mg) /day (split in half and give 2x if possible)

2 weeks before this allergy season next year, if that is what you end up as the prognosis, do all this again to boost and prevent.

FYI - many will tell you to use Banadryl for the symptoms, but I never have tried it and only heard it works with limited success. Your only treating the symptoms with it. I prefer to get to the root of it and prevent.

[moondog]

Before you start introducing a myriad of stuff to a dog that is very obviously in distress, have a RAST test done to find out if this is an airborne or contact type allergy, and if so, what the allergy is to. The RAST test won't help diagnose food allergies, the only way to determine that is by putting her on an elimination diet (essentially a process of elimination to determine sensitivities).

The absolute WORST thing you can do is introduce MORE before you have some clue the cause of her distress. Further, if and when you do decide to introduce supplements, etc., don't take anyone's advice blindly.....DO YOUR RESEARCH so you understand the why's and wherefore's of adding anything and make darn sure you are learning from a trusted source.

[2rotties2luv]

Moondog's advice is right on. I had a rottie with similar symptoms that started around the age of 3. I tried for two years to treat him symptomatically under the vet's care and things would clear up for a short time but always came back. Finally I asked for a RAST test which showed him to be highly allergic to dust mites. He was started on allergy shots and most of the symptoms went away. The remaining occaisional minor discomforts were treated mainly with supplements.

Listen to Moondog, it is much better to diagnose the cause of the symptoms with a RAST test first and then plan your treatment from there. If you try this and that without first finding out what the cause is, your dog will just be uncomfortable for a longer time, and may develop complications such as infection from the irritations.

[Sportyj]

Will a regular vet be able to do a RAST? What is approx cost? (FYI I do not care, just curious) Thanks SOOO much for advice. This is exactly what I was looking for!

[2rotties2luv]

My vet had to send out the blood sample to a private lab that does the testing. I believe the lab's name was Heska. This lab also prepared the material for the allergy shots.

The RAST test was done 6 or 7 yeats ago and cost about $200. The material for the allergy shots cost $100 per vial and I had to order one vial per year. My vet gave me the syringes for free and showed me how to give the shots so I didn't have to pay for an office visit.

If your vet doesn't know where to get this test done, perhaps he could contact the nearest school of veterinary medicine for more information.

[groupieindenial]

Those are all NATURAL supplements that the body needs to improve immune system. They are vitamins, NOT DRUGS, and aren't even fat soluble vitamins.

Do your research. Your all so quick to suggest such invasive (and costly) things, when simply just improve the body to DEAL with stress and toxins, and maintain GOOD HEALTH. Get to the root of the problem, instead of treating the symptoms only.

[Marcino]

Hi Sportyj,

I just went through the EXACT same thing with my boy. Took him to the vet, got all the tests done just to be 100% sure. It's allergies. The vet had me pick up Benadryl at the drug store for treatment... has really helped!
It took a good few days before the benefits kicked in.

Cheers -

Vanessa & Marcino

[Rubyhead]

For the scooting, check to see if she has a clogged anal duct. My Lilybird has seasonal and food allergies. She gets a clogged duct every spring, April to be exact. Every year in January I begin and try a new program with her in the hopes of something working. I've finally found a food, Timberwolf Organic (Elk/Salmon) which works well with the itchie eyes and eye buggies.
With something like allergies, it's a process of baby steps, but keep at it, pay close attention, and you'll put together something that works for your dog.
Good luck!
Niki

[spidey]

Those are all NATURAL supplements that the body needs to improve immune system. They are vitamins, NOT DRUGS, and aren't even fat soluble vitamins.

I'm sorry, but this is just silly, allergic reactions can occur to almost ANYTHING, it has nothing to do with being "natural" (pure and natural, like cobra venom, or pollen, one of the most common allergens) or "drugs" (as if there's any real difference - chemicals are chemicals, whether they occur naturally or in a lab).

I definitely agree with moondog, you need to avoid "trying to hit a moving target" by changing things before you know what the problem is.

[moondog]

Originally Posted by groupieindenial

Those are all NATURAL supplements that the body needs to improve immune system. They are vitamins, NOT DRUGS, and aren't even fat soluble vitamins.

There are plenty of "all natural" supplements that, when given in excess, can wreak havoc on a system already in chaos. Just because a little is good, it does NOT necessarily follow that more is better, and since you have ZERO clue what this dog is getting to begin with, you have ZERO clue what this dog needs, if any. You "prescribe" without asking a single question about what the dog is already being provided. Maybe the dog could benefit, maybe not....the fact is, YOU DON'T KNOW.

Originally Posted by groupieindenial

Do your research. Your all so quick to suggest such invasive (and costly) things, when simply just improve the body to DEAL with stress and toxins, and maintain GOOD HEALTH.

A RAST test is a simple matter of drawing blood - that is hardly invasive, and with a dog this miserable, I certainly don't consider the cost excessive to find out what the trigger is or isn't - heck, you could spend more than that keeping the dog "boosted" til next allergy season with a bunch of stuff that provides no relief at all because it isn't needed and could possibly even make things worse for the dog - now that's expensive.

Originally Posted by groupieindenial

Get to the root of the problem, instead of treating the symptoms only.

Throwing Vitamin C and Fish Oil, etc. is your idea of "getting to the root of the problem"? You have no CLUE what the "root of the problem is" - getting to it IS the purpose of the RAST test.

You have made a "pseudo-diagnosis" and advised a "treatment plan" with VERY little information, with nothing to support your "theory" or explain your "instructions" other than "immune booster", repeated over and over again. THAT'S what I consider irresponsible. Then you get miffed because your "advice" is questioned?

[observer]

And how much did that list of stuff the OP went out and bought on your advice cost? It makes a LOT more sense to do a simple blood test that will answer a lot of questions than for you to go diagnosing a dog you haven't seen. You have NO idea whether your "immune boosters" will help or hurt this particular dog.

Perhaps the OP does need a better vet, but that's a whole separate issue.

[spidey]

They are vitamins,

Since when are EFAs vitamins? Since when are astragolus and zinc vitamins (astragolus is a herb and zinc is a mineral)?

And what moondog and observer said.

[Sportyj]

You know I tend to really like dog people they don't participate in this catty BS but EVERY SINGLE TIME I post on this thread THIS happens. You all argue back and forth. WHY can you not post your IDEAS and advice and let the OP figure it out rather than cutting eachother down.

Please just let me know your ideas. I appreciate EVERYONES experience okay? THANK YOU!!!!

[Sportyj]

Timberwolf Organic (Elk/Salmon) which works well with the itchie eyes and eye buggies.
With something like allergies, it's a process of baby steps, but keep at it, pay close attention, and you'll put together something that works for your dog.
Good luck!

I eat organic myself and tried the Dick Van Pattens and she would not eat it. Maybe she will like this. You are right I realize baby steps - I am willing to do what it takes...