Question by K: Can someone please help me figure out what’s wrong with my dog?
My family and I have been puzzled about the condition of one of our dogs. He is a shih tzu and poodle mix. It all started a few years ago when a lady moved into a house down the street with 60 cats, all of which were flea infested. Since the lady let the cats run free around the neighborhood, everyone began having severe flea problems. At the time, we owned four small dogs. And they were covered in fleas within a matter of days. And the battle was brutal. Our dog, Bubba, became so overwhelmed with fleas, he began to bit himself until he bled. It got so bad, he was even pulling his own hair out.

When winter finally arrived, we were relieved. The fleas had gone away. But poor Bubba continued to pull his hair out and bit or scratch himself until he was bleeding. We also began to notice a crust forming over his skin. Not scabs, mind you. But a nasty yellowish brown crust. We have a hard time getting it off because he cries in pain when we try to wipe it off. My mother pours olive oil on his skin to loosen the crusties and wipes them off with a warm towel. We tried everything from oatmeal bathes to allergy pills. We’ve taken him to the vet several times and had him tested for allergies and even mange. But they say there is nothing with him. We have even considered the possibility of doggie OCD.

For the past year we have done the following:
-Oatmeal bath. (helped the dry skin)
-Borax bath. (helped a little bit)
-Shaved him. (helped a little bit)
-Given him allergy pills daily. (helps him stop being so itchy, but he still goes into fits)
-Put a cone around his head to prevent biting. (but he still scratches)
-Treated him for ear mites. (didn’t work at all)

For a time, the skin treatment bathes and the allergy pills along with the cone were doing a good job. Before I left for my vacation, I even noticed his hair was growing back. But after coming back, I see horrible scabs on his ribs from the constant scratching. But at least he isn’t pulling his own hair out anymore. Something is seriously bothering this dog.

As I have said before, the vets tested him for all kinds of allergies. We know he doesn’t have mange, either, since all of our other dogs are perfectly healthy and fine. Can someone please help me figure out what is wrong with our dog? We are tired of seeing him miserable and in constant pain.

If you have any questions you would like to ask, please email me at misskayrae@gmail.com.
Thank you for any information or help.
-K

Best answer:

Answer by candii
i think you should change vets

What do you think? Answer below!

Question by jimmy dean’s uncle: Can someone please help me on info about allergies/reactions?
over the last 2 weeks i have been having reactions, its happened at home, at work, even 100 miles away in an apartment and in an amusement park

I’ve tried to isolate it but i cant figure it out

i tried switching soaps, detergents, no fabric softeners thinking it was my clothes, even went as far as just using water to shower with

basically i’ve thought it was the following things

food
water
rubber
fabric softener
detergent
soap
dyes
perfumes
animal hair
wool

i have no clue

its happened at work (produce dept, vinyl gloves powdered, food , water, clothes)

home (dog, food, water, clothes)

100 miles away (clothes, food, water, )

i basically have no idea

i am allergic to medical adhesve tape
it appears I’m breaking out on my back as i type this, and i ant wearing a shirt (I’m a guy)
symptoms are

hives/redness on hands, arms, back, that itch,

sometimes on the face(redness, and breakouts around lips

sometimes on the feet (redness and hives)

i ate food at 2pm today (cheese burgers fries, soda)

walked around fine until 5pm then it started to break out on my arms

then i ate a chocolate ice cream cone with nuts on it at 5:30pm

and got home at 9pm after driving 2 hours,

the rest of the symtoms accurred when i was driving and got into house, i took my shirt off just in case.

and i drank luquid benarly to help it

Best answer:

Answer by COUNTRY–GIRL
The best thing to do is see your doctor and have him/her run test for allergies to determine what you are allergic to sounds like the best solution could be whats in the air right now???JUST a GUESS!!!!

What do you think? Answer below!

Question by .: Can someone tell me about fleas please? EW?
First my apologies this will be a little lengthy.

OK…
Well my boyfriend and I sleep in the same bed. Like 3 days ago my boyfriend came up with these slightly itchy pimple like things all over his body. I’ve had hives before thought maybe it was allergies to the new body wash or it could have been some food. Told him to try some benedryl, it may or may not have helped it just made him sleep so we don’t know.

Its only getting worse, I dismissed bed bugs/fleas immediately as I was getting even one little bump or bite.

Then I got all ‘bugged out’ thinking about well maybe it might be…

The websites say some people just don’t get bites or don’t react to them. They say the dog might scratch/itch/bite his butt more if he has them. Sometimes when hes walking he like drops/turns really fast because his butt itches.

Tell me what you think please. We don’t have insurance so we want to figure as much as we can out before going to the doctor.
Oh my. Thanks guys. I’m at my moms using the computer so I cant check the dog right now. Argh.
I appreciate all the help I will try to post back soon with an update.

Best answer:

Answer by Reece Braveheart Aussies
If your dog has fleas you can see them. Check his skin and look for flea dirt or fleas. Comfortis is a great tablet to give your dog to kill fleas for a month. You can get little red spots from flea bites, it’s not a big deal.

Give your answer to this question below!

Question by wiredandready: someone with knowledge of senior dogs….help with itching/rubbing PLEASE?
Sigh. The whole family has been trying to figure out what is wrong with our dog, Bruiser, he is 12 year old half lab/half pitbull mix. Very strong still and a good boy. Anyways he have been to his 4th vet (last in our local area) b/c it hard to find good service in this small town. His most recent vet is the best one so far but they cannot seem correctly treat this problem. Bruiser goes along day and night rubbing his ear, pressing it along the carpets as if trying to itch vigorously. He can’t go from one room to the next w/o this behavior. We even put that white helmet around his head but it did not stop him, I mean he does this DAY and NIGHT. He shake his head side to side sometimes too. Also he lick and bite tops of his feet now they are red and the fur is sort of missing in patches. Lastly, his eyes. poor thing has lost most hair around his eyes, they are irritated with white gooky around them etc.

We were told he being treated for mange/mites. OK. well all the medicine they give have NOT stopped this problem. Then they tell us he have allergies — benedryl (they tell us to give have NOT stop this problem). He eats good and drinks good, no appetite change but is really annoyed with this itching (as he should be). He eats Wellness for Seniors dog food.

What on earth is going on???? Thank you to all that read and try.
*** ALSO: my mother give him bites of table food everything from chinese food to italian sausage to mcdonald’s…she wont stop I tell her. Could that be causing his problem??
This is probably one of the rudest section on Y! answers. We actually do have FOUR vets and he have been to all of them in the area we live in a state called New Jersey not on an isolated island. No reason to be rude. WE give benedryl b/c that’s what they tell us to do. We have spend hundreds of dollars on his problems and care. No reason to be so rude here, people post and are not animal EXPERTS we are seeking help. if you are going to judge then don’t post jerk.
If you read more carefully you can see I said “in the local area” meaning other towns nearby — not just this town. LOL. Ridiculous.
our vet has just called me back and is going to put on prednisone and keep on antibiotic, may want to switch his Wellness food to something else. ty all that answer and are trying.

Best answer:

Answer by UHave2BeKiddingMe
So why isn’t he on prednisone for his severe allergies.

If you gave him benadryl it sounds like you guys just did not want to spend the money on the proper medication.

Your dog has severe allergies, which have also probably given him an ear infection.

Sounds like he is lacking in veterinary care.

There is no vet around that could graduate from veterinary school without knowing how to treat allergies. I really doubt your town has four of them.

What do you think? Answer below!

First my apologies this will be a little lengthy.

OK…
Well my boyfriend and I sleep in the same bed. Like 3 days ago my boyfriend came up with these slightly itchy pimple like things all over his body. I’ve had hives before thought maybe it was allergies to the new body wash or it could have been some food. Told him to try some benedryl, it may or may not have helped it just made him sleep so we don’t know.

Its only getting worse, I dismissed bed bugs/fleas immediately as I was getting even one little bump or bite.

Then I got all ‘bugged out’ thinking about well maybe it might be…

The websites say some people just don’t get bites or don’t react to them. They say the dog might scratch/itch/bite his butt more if he has them. Sometimes when hes walking he like drops/turns really fast because his butt itches.

Tell me what you think please. We don’t have insurance so we want to figure as much as we can out before going to the doctor.
Oh my. Thanks guys. I’m at my moms using the computer so I cant check the dog right now. Argh.
I appreciate all the help I will try to post back soon with an update.