Bodies all broken out AGAIN...Poor baby, wish I could find a cure-all

bullmama

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Jan 28, 2010
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Tucson, Arizona
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The Home of the Desert Sky Pack
Thanks everyone for the well wishes and all the info. This has been an ongoing struggle for close to 3-31/2 years. It's not demodectiic mange, tested regularly! He does have allergies, tested= grass(all kinds), dust and storage mites. We don't believe him to have any food allergies. He's on a grain free, no gluten, no by-products, no fillers diet. He eats Merrick duck and sweet potato. We live in eastern nc, he's been to NC State dermatologists twice, and seen many specialists many times. The sores on his body are from bacterial infections from allergies. We have a VERY close standing w/our vet, he's currently back on antibiotics, which after 5-6 weeks of, he usually clears up, but the amount of time he stays clear is varied and limited. Average is a month. Then all of a sudden, he'll break out overnight w/12-15 spots, then they just spread over his body. He is VERY itchy, currently he's taking Temaril-P for that. It does contain small amounts of prednisone, so he can't take it for extended amounts of time. He gets a medicated, antifungal, antibacterial bath once a week, per vet orders, and his sores are cleaned daily w/a flush. In the past he was put on Atopica, cyclosporine modified, after 6-8 months, there was ZERO difference, he continued to break out. Along w/the bacteria, we also deal w/yeast, gets worse when he's on antibiotics. His bedding is 100% cotton, and the humidity in our home never gets above 60%.
So, we've done and continue to do everything we've been told to do, but nothing seems to work. At least nothing seems to work and stay working...


BullyLove!!!


My gosh, sounds like you have done so many things already to try to help. At this point I would try a few things. First , get him allergy tested for food. If he's on a food with no allergens ( they can literally be allergic to anything!) it will help boost his immune system. Or try home cooking or raw with an elimination type diet.


What shampoo are you currently using? There are many out there but some work better than others.

The antibiotics will also cause yeast overgrowth, and he can become immune to them over time. Yeast is even more itchy than skin infections, so while killing the skin infection it's possible to create a yeast infection, and many times yeast is invisible. So a really good shampoo with ketaconzole is a great combat.

Immune system boost is needed, yogurt or probiotics daily, and making sure there is no allergens in the food is key. Maybe even a supplement. Most hot spots are caused by food, and merrick is an awesome food but it may not be the right food for Bodie.

Have you tried benedryl daily or Zertec, hydroxizine, anything like that?

I would also try washing bedding with free and clear type of laundry soap, if you don't already.

Household filter of some sort may also help.

I sure hope we can help your Bodie get better and get his horrible allergies managed.


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RiiSi

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Sep 30, 2011
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Sysmä
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Taisto, Kylli, Salli, Angel-Usko and Angel-Voitto
Storage mites are present in ALL kibble and he's tested allergic to them…that's it. Then the only solution is home cooked or raw food.
 

bullmama

Owner/Administrator
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jan 28, 2010
24,756
1,251
Tucson, Arizona
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
The Home of the Desert Sky Pack
Storage mites are present in ALL kibble and he's tested allergic to them…that's it. Then the only solution is home cooked or raw food.

I didn't know that , great info!


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ddnene

EBN's SWEETHEART aka our little GOOB
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Jun 19, 2013
14,554
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Nashville, Tennessee
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Willow (2015) Walter (2014-22) Winston (2012-13) Wellie (2012-13) Bella (2007-13)
I'm so sorry you are having issues w/your baby… Looks like the gang has you covered, and you have been thru the ringer on this one. Just wanted to offer my support… Keep us posted!!! ;)
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
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Storage mites are present in ALL kibble and he's tested allergic to them…that's it. Then the only solution is home cooked or raw food.
[MENTION=11156]BodiesMom[/MENTION] ^^^^^ OMG??!!
 

agentbunny

New member
Nov 2, 2013
353
24
San Francisco, CA
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USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Leo & Lola
Thanks everyone for the well wishes and all the info. This has been an ongoing struggle for close to 3-31/2 years. It's not demodectiic mange, tested regularly! He does have allergies, tested= grass(all kinds), dust and storage mites. We don't believe him to have any food allergies. He's on a grain free, no gluten, no by-products, no fillers diet. He eats Merrick duck and sweet potato. We live in eastern nc, he's been to NC State dermatologists twice, and seen many specialists many times. The sores on his body are from bacterial infections from allergies. We have a VERY close standing w/our vet, he's currently back on antibiotics, which after 5-6 weeks of, he usually clears up, but the amount of time he stays clear is varied and limited. Average is a month. Then all of a sudden, he'll break out overnight w/12-15 spots, then they just spread over his body. He is VERY itchy, currently he's taking Temaril-P for that. It does contain small amounts of prednisone, so he can't take it for extended amounts of time. He gets a medicated, antifungal, antibacterial bath once a week, per vet orders, and his sores are cleaned daily w/a flush. In the past he was put on Atopica, cyclosporine modified, after 6-8 months, there was ZERO difference, he continued to break out. Along w/the bacteria, we also deal w/yeast, gets worse when he's on antibiotics. His bedding is 100% cotton, and the humidity in our home never gets above 60%.
So, we've done and continue to do everything we've been told to do, but nothing seems to work. At least nothing seems to work and stay working...


BullyLove!!!

Lola is allergic to the same things... grass, dust, weeds, mold, etc. I took her to a dermatologist and they put her on desensitization vaccines. She is doing better. Bodie does not have to suffer. Please see an animal dermatologist and ask them to put him on a drug called Atopica. It is an Immunosuppressant that is a miracle for allergies. This will make the allergies stop once and for all until you can start desensitization therapy. Good luck!
 
OP
BodiesMom

BodiesMom

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Feb 18, 2014
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18
Eastern NC
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Bulldog(s) Names
Bodie
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  • #23
Lola is allergic to the same things... grass, dust, weeds, mold, etc. I took her to a dermatologist and they put her on desensitization vaccines. She is doing better. Bodie does not have to suffer. Please see an animal dermatologist and ask them to put him on a drug called Atopica. It is an Immunosuppressant that is a miracle for allergies. This will make the allergies stop once and for all until you can start desensitization therapy. Good luck!

Bodie was on Atopica, it didn't help at all..no Change whatsoever, and he was still breaking out while on the Atopica. When we chose to go on the Atopica we were told it was either the Atopica, which has a 98% chance of working or the desensitizing injections which were only a 50% chance. So obviously we chose the Atopica! Of course, Bodie had to be part of the 2%!!


BullyLove!!!
 
OP
BodiesMom

BodiesMom

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Bodie
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  • #24
Storage mites are present in ALL kibble and he's tested allergic to them…that's it. Then the only solution is home cooked or raw food.

I know that storage mites are in EVERYTHING!! So even if we put him on cooked or raw, would that really make a difference since the mites are not just in the kibble? Same with the dust mites, I heard recently that in every speck of dust there's like 5000 dust mites...


BullyLove!!!
 
OP
BodiesMom

BodiesMom

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Feb 18, 2014
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Eastern NC
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Bulldog(s) Names
Bodie
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  • #25
My gosh, sounds like you have done so many things already to try to help. At this point I would try a few things. First , get him allergy tested for food. If he's on a food with no allergens ( they can literally be allergic to anything!) it will help boost his immune system. Or try home cooking or raw with an elimination type diet.


What shampoo are you currently using? There are many out there but some work better than others.

The antibiotics will also cause yeast overgrowth, and he can become immune to them over time. Yeast is even more itchy than skin infections, so while killing the skin infection it's possible to create a yeast infection, and many times yeast is invisible. So a really good shampoo with ketaconzole is a great combat.

Immune system boost is needed, yogurt or probiotics daily, and making sure there is no allergens in the food is key. Maybe even a supplement. Most hot spots are caused by food, and merrick is an awesome food but it may not be the right food for Bodie.

Have you tried benedryl daily or Zertec, hydroxizine, anything like that?

I would also try washing bedding with free and clear type of laundry soap, if you don't already.

Household filter of some sort may also help.

I sure hope we can help your Bodie get better and get his horrible allergies managed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We have went thru the food allergy eliminations and to be quite honest, we don't think he has a food allergy. The food he's on now, Merrick, which he's only been eating for maybe 2 1/2-3 months, is grain, byproduct, filler, and gluten free. I know they can be allergic to some of the proteins too, but after 3 years of this, we really don't think it's the food.
For the shampoo, we've been using Pharmaseb forever!!
The yeast is a whole other entity in itself! Lol! We have an arsenal of things for that. However, he has a big, deep nose rope, and a very tight corkscrew tail w/a deep tail pocket. So, that's an ongoing battle not only when he's on antibiotics! The vets over the years have wanted to remove the nose rope and amputate the tail. I just found that to be extreme!!
As for Benadryl, Zyrtec, YES, we've given him all of these, nothing seems to give him the daily relief. The itchiness subsides some with Temaril-P, but as I stated earlier, it's not a long term medication.
I only wash his bedding in hot water and bleach, as per the vet dermatologist, the one who is EXTREMELY expensive!!
And we change our filters every 30 days and buy the good ones!! I've asked my husband about us possible looking into some kind of air filtration/purification system, even just a stand alone one, but right now we just can't afford anything. My hubby is a Gov't worker and was furloughed a few months back and then there was the govt shutdown, and we've not been able to recover from that yet.
I am going to discuss the cooked or raw food with the hubby though, we briefly talked about it the other day, but he said that I don't even cook for him, so he'd be pissed if the bulldog got cooked food and he didn't!! ROFL!!


BullyLove!!!
 
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BodiesMom

BodiesMom

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Bodie
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BTW ---- I beyond LOVE :heart: his freckled ears.... I love, love love, floppy freckled ears!

Thanks!! That was one of the things we loved too when we picked him out!! He has 2 brothers, one looked almost identical to him and the other was brindle. But Bodie had the left eye patch and fawn color on top of his left ear, his brother has a left eye patch(it wasn't as prominate as bodies) and fawn on top of his right ear. I just loved the formality of the color being on the same side!!! We first saw him when his was 1 week old and fell in love! Too bad we didn't realize at the time that the breeder was a horrible menacing b*tch... I really do, 100%, blame her for ALL of Bodies issues. She gets rid of the pups at 6 weeks old, weans them at like 3 weeks! His immune system has never been strong and that's why.


BullyLove!!!
 
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BodiesMom

BodiesMom

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Bodie
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This looks like one heck of a challenge! I really have nothing to add other than my support and prayers!


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It is! Everyday for 3-3 1/2 years now! But as long as he lives, we'll keep fighting!! Thank u for the support!


BullyLove!!!
 

dieMuttivonBifi

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May 25, 2013
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from the Philippines but residing in Germany
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Bifi (beef-ii)
Oh gosh so sorry you and Bodie are going through this terrible ordeal :( that looks painful the poor little guy. Am no expert nor have the experience to give advice. Just want to give you guys hugs and to wish you guys will somehow find remedy for him. When i saw the pictures my heartbroke. Stay tough little man! And yes i would try raw ;).
 
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BodiesMom

BodiesMom

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Bodie
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Oh gosh so sorry you and Bodie are going through this terrible ordeal :( that looks painful the poor little guy. Am no expert nor have the experience to give advice. Just want to give you guys hugs and to wish you guys will somehow find remedy for him. When i saw the pictures my heartbroke. Stay tough little man! And yes i would try raw ;).

Thanks!!


BullyLove!!!
 

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