Question by magy: Demodex and skin scrapings?
After assuming my pug’s itchiness was due to a food allergy, our vet had us switch food and give her prednizone and oral antibiotics. A week later, no change, brought her back, saw other vet who was -sure- it was Demodex until the skin scrapings came back negative (again). We are treating as such for now, too early to tell if she’s improving or not….how easy is it to find demodex in a skin scraping? I have read usually easy, except in some breeds like shar peis. The first vet we saw in the practice told us she was looking for 2 types in the skin scraping- one easy to find and very contagious, one hard to find and not contagious. Our other dogs have none of what’s going on with our pug. The second vet wanted me to just try benadryl 3xs a day and bring her back in a week- done that, didn’t work, opted to threat with the ivermectin instead. So- what do you all know about the accuracy of diagnosing demodex in pugs with skin scrapings? Red raw skin on back, legs, armpits
Not fleas, rarely bathed (until now with soothing shampoo, 2xs a week as vet orders)

Best answer:

Answer by iluvjdeere
Could be flea bites or too many baths.

Sounds like you are doing the right thing. Be persistant until you find an answer.

Good luck.

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Question by Justin B: How can I keep my dog from licking and scratching her skin raw?
My dog, a gordon setter mix, is constantly scratching and licking. Recently she’s been doing it so bad that her back over her hind legs is completely raw and bald. It seems that I’ve tried everything. The vet has given her steroid pills and steroid shots, the shots seemed to work well, but they would eventually ware off, and the vet said constantly giving her the shots would cause organ failure. We’ve tried lamb and rice food, even bought some of that expensive food they sell in the vet’s office, but it didn’t seem to work. I can’t afford getting her an allergy test, and I don’t know what else to do. Anyone have any suggestions?

Best answer:

Answer by Natalie
You need to get an allergy test for your dog as it is obviously itchy/in pain.

Try working out a payment plan with your vet or go to a local shelter/rescue centre and see if they can help you.

I am not sure where you are but in the UK, they have places that will give medical assistance to dogs belonging to people who can’t afford to pay.

In the mean time, buy her a plastic cone to put on so that she can’t get to her back legs to scratch/lick them.

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Question by TraceyA: Lab – black with serious skin problems ono hind quarters and tail – please serious answers only !?
I havanswers that may help — please no ” go to the vet ! they don;t know what to do either apparently- they just keep giving shots ! – and meds that do not stop this either.e done everything that I can think of I am hoping that someone else may have a new thing that I can try to get this fixed, have taken her to the Vet they say its allergies – they give her a shot and anti- biotic – it will be okay for about a month then comes rite back and they cannot tell me anything else but to bring her in every month for the shot and meds ?
So needless to say I know there is something else that can be done !
This is what I have done to clear this –
Bath in Head n Shoulders Shampoo, and T- Gel shampoo also, then I put Tripe anti-biotic cream on her back end and it will heal it for about a month or two sometimes then I add mineral oil to the skin which helps for short term – used Benadryl (allergies) does not help, and some other pills , creams etc but none keep it gone for any length of time either.
This is what she has – from about mid back to the tail area, she has very dry skin that flakes, gets very dry, irritated skin, she will scratch at it a lot, it does not have any lacerations or cuts at all, just very red, scaly, dry. When you touch the area it is warm to the touch (hot spots) – have used many Hot Spot creams, lotions etc – they do not help either.
Any advise will be greatly appreciated to help my dog- she is about 8 yrs old.
Also when I was in my apartment not near an Orange Grove she cleared up really well – then I moved in with my mom and am very close to an Orange Grove and she gets this back again. I had a house that I had 3 Orange trees in the back yard (my neighbors trees) and her skin stayed irritated then as well ! I think it has something to do with this but am not sure.
Please any advise for this ? What I can use to help her ? Thank you for all your help

Best answer:

Answer by Chitown Angel
My lab mix goes through this too. It ended up being a combination of things. She has food allergies and needed to be switched to Wellness or Nutro food. In addition, she need to periodically go on antibiotics when the skin issues flare up, which is now about once or twice a year.

In between the skin breakouts, I’ve found that Flax Seed Oil poured on her food helps keep the skin issues to a minimum and makes her coat shine like crazy. I would also stick to oatmeal-based shampoos for sensitive skin.

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Question by Pug?Bug: My dog suffers really bad with his skin. People have told me to give him benadryl?
I have taken him to the vet and he gave him a course of antibiotics and an antifungal shampoo to wash him in. The antibiotics worked for a while but the condition had not cleared up so all in total he had antibiotics for a full month. The little spots he had cleared up but now they are back and he is constantly licking at himself. I have been advised to wash him with cold tar shampoo and to give him benadryl but as this is for humans wont it hurt my dog? He is due back at the vets in a couple of days for an allergy test but I wonderd if there was anything I could give him to help with the itchiness in the mean time
I have spoke to the vet about his diet and he seems to think that it is unlikely that it is a food allergy. He is fed Burns mini bites which are gluten and wheat free mixed with boiled chicken breast so the vet says it is unlikely this is the cause, although he is not ruling it out.
I am getting frustrated because this problems is not getting any better once his medication stops and I feel sorry for my poor dog!

Best answer:

Answer by Bozema
Benadryl will only help if the problem is an allergy. It won’t help other skin conditions. Ask your vet if it will help and what the appropriate dose is for your dog.

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Question by 9lives: What is this disease I had, My skin had maps of palpable elevated pink rash, I think the Doc gave me steroid.?

it involved my whole body, even the skin aroound my eyes got swollen.

the thing is I had palpable MAPS of rash for days!

Because the doctor is just a house away he injected me a shot without telling me what it was but I kinda heard him say it’s Steroid, or was it Corticosteroid? But in minutes I was cured.

It happened when I was 16, I am 20 now. What is the Diagnosis of that skin disease?

In addition: I eat can goods, eggs, chicken, meat, play with dogs,cat, etc… I dont think I have any allergy at all even to antibiotcs or iodine.
Just say what you think, it was 4 years ago anyway. If you are unsure of the Dx it’s alright

I just wanna have an idea what it was???

okay.. my skin lession has no scales, vesicles, pustules, it just had a raised palpable maps of pink skin.

Best answer:

Answer by R. Gaspari
Without physical examination, it would be remiss to offer you a diagnosis, my apologies.

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