Question by raidergirl1965: Golden retriever losing hair on his back and tail?
We have an 8 year old Golden that has lost hair on his back and tail and gets goopy eyes. We have tried frontline, advantage, and advantix. He has been to 4 different vets over the last 2 years and nothing they prescribe has helped him he has been given eye ointment, eye drops, several different prescriptions nothing seems to work for him. He is a wonderful dog very well behaved and loving. We just feel sorry for him because he always seems to be itchy and biting at himself. We have gotten “bitter tasting spray” to spray on him but when that wears off he is right back at it. He gets an oatmeal bath once a month (we were told bathing him too much will take away the oils in his skin) We give him benidryl but after a few days that doesn’t seem to help him much either. Please any sugestions out there are welcome. We love him and do not want him suffering. We have spent a few thousand dollars trying to help him and would be happy to spend more if it will help him. They just keep telling us he has very bad allergies.
Shelby: he has been to 4 different vets in the last 2 years. We have tried every food that has been recomended to us by vets and pet food stores including all natural and organic foods.
All the vets we have been to have private practice small vets. I would not take my pet to the large chain. He has had injections they lasted maybe a day or 2.

Father of 2: thank you. I’m going to start trying olive oil tomorrow. He has already eaten tonight or I would start now.
Freezin: I’m going to start looking for that shampoo tomorrow thanks.
Jimbs: What do I do with the liserene? feed it to him or put it on his fur?

Best answer:

Answer by Shelby G
could be products ur using, food. . .we cant tell though we cant see or help ur dog so take him to a vet.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AkAEin7wKYzJPBD3FtL2If3sy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20081212203341AAusoGh

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Question by apfennie: My 2 Golden Retrievers are itching like crazy… what can it be?
I have checked my dogs frequently and they do not have any fleas or flea residue. My one dog is 6 months and the other is 2 years. I have bathed them with 3 types of shampoo and then just with water. 1 of the shampoos had oatmeal to it. They really have never itched until last weekend. They got into poison ivy b/c my fiance and I got it from them. They also where swimming in a small lake and again at the Lake of the Ozarks. We went swimming with them at the Lake of the Ozarks and did not have any problems on our own skin but at the smaller lake they went in without us. It slowly has gotten worse and of course it is a weekend and the best times to go to the vet around here is during the week or vet er on weekends. What can I do in the meantime to relieve or stop the itching? What can it be? Can they get poison ivy themselves? Also they have been eating the same food for a long time now so i don’t thinks its a food allergy unless they just developed it… I feed them all natural nutro.
First off thanks for all the quick replies. I will say I have a degree in biology and environmental science and have worked at a vets office before. So I understand the importance for a vet to check them out & I plan to take them Monday when the vet office around here opens (closed for weekend). Unless someone thinks it is vital to take them to a Pet ER ASAP. When it comes to my goldens money is not a problem. So I do know the basics of animal care. I know how to detect fleas or past flea inhabitants. And like I said there is none. The dog food is lamb and rice. I really appreciate the comment regarding the blue algea… I remember reading about that in college in it could be possible what happened… so thanks. Also alergies may be a posibility. I have a house of pets and only the goldens are having problems… not the 2 cats & 1 ferret I have. I don’t think I gave them anything from my body since I do shower frequently ! There is no odors from them. Thanks to the serious answers!

Best answer:

Answer by Hi
fleas?

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Question by Ashley: Which is the healthier dog; a golden retriever, or a jack russel terrier?
which one is less prone to that breeds “known health conditions”?

Golden retriever: from http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/goldenretriever.htm :
“Prone to cancer, hip dysplasia, Von Willebrand’s disease, heart problems and congenital eye defects. Skin allergies are common in Golden Retrievers and often require veterinary attention. Gains weight easily, do not overfeed.”

Jack Russel Terrier: from http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/jackrussellterrier.htm

Some are prone to dislocation of the kneecaps, inherited eye diseases, deafness, Legg Perthes-a disease of the hip joints of small breeds of dogs.

i need to choose which to get (as a puppy), but i want the one that is less prone to health problems, or has “cheap-ish” medication, because i dont want to end up with a puppy that can get sick or hurt easily.

Best answer:

Answer by Aduial
That depends on the individual dog and the quality of breeding.

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Question by LuvMyCody: My golden retriever had an allergy skin test 2 weeks ago?
and his blood was sent to Heska labs in CO for additional testing. It came back just 5 days later and the vet is being very vague about the results. He now wants to try a food allergy test because he feels allergy shots won’t help. I asked to see the results from the lab and fortunately that particular vet was not there, so they gave me the results (his tech gave them to be with great hesitation). I am curious. Has anyone had their dog tested with just the blood test and how many allergens they actually test for. I have been doing some research and see where others have been tested for foods, grains, environmental, but it appears my dog was just tested for a few things (no foods at all). Is this vet just looking for a sucker to pay off his new beach house (that would be me) or do they only test for a few things? Please advise ASAP… I love my golden more than anything and don’t like being taken by someone who knows I would do anything for my baby.

Best answer:

Answer by galloping . greys
I would definatly go to another Vet.

Allergies are serious business, and if your Vet is just going to not decide to tell your results, then there is something wrong.

Especially if your dog isn’t allergic and they decide to make you pay for expensive allergy treatment, they could just be wanting money.

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Question by christy_7148: Please help, I think my vet might be wrong, what’s wrong with my Golden Retriever? Please read.?
Vet says its allergies. She scratches herself and then it turns into a staph infection on her skin. Sometimes it seems that she gets little skin infections without even over-scratching. She doesnt have fleas.

Last night we took her to the vet because the entire left side of her face from under her ear down to her chin was wet, and through her fur I could see that the skin was just raw. Bright pink/red and draining. The doc said something about a “hot spot” and that its still allergies, and gave her antibiotics. It was so bad that they had to shave the fur and now she just sits with her head tilted because it hurts for even her ear to touch it. She also had some eye drainage, wont play or eat a lot.

Theres another dog in the house (my sister’s dog), and they play-fight very rough. Its a yellow lab puppy (almost the size of my golden) thats out of control, and they bite and scratch. The vet said no, but is it possible that she got this from playing so rough?
She never did any testing… she just looks at it and says “yeah thats what it looks like”. Im not saying that shes definitely wrong, but I just want some reassurance before I get her in for a 2nd opinion.

Best answer:

Answer by lexie <3
im not sure. maybe you should take her to a better vet/ search the local vet clinics. you might have to travel a little ways but it would be worth it to get your dog the proper medical attention. this sounds nothing like allergies to me…

-alexis <3

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