Help Needed! Panic about hair loss (Advice Needed)

[elearn]

So I am always in some panic about my puppy Herman. At the moment he has some kind of rash on his belly, an interdigital cyst that wont go away, and now I discovered this patch of hair loss. I also noticed that he's shedding a lot more than usual over the past couple of days (think a snowfall of hair when petting him), so I have been brushing him a lot and noticed this patch/rash. He has something similar on his tummy (but I couldnt get a pic), and it looks like a rash and has been there almost 2 weeks. I just noticed this one today.

Does anyone know what this could be, do I need to make an appointment with the vet for tomorrow? It looks wet because I put some Animax on it. Sigh.

Also, while you're at it - does anyone have any tips for an interdigital cyst that just wont go away? Its been around almost 3 weeks, I've tried preparation H, Mercuroclear (iodine), soaking it - and now I have Duoxo pads. I can't tell if it's getting worse or better at this point.

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Re: Panic about skin loss (Advice Needed)

[MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION]..[MENTION=2894]2BullyMama[/MENTION]...[MENTION=2291]cowsmom[/MENTION]....[MENTION=1714]Sherry[/MENTION]

 

[bullmama]

Re: Panic about skin loss (Advice Needed)

All of the symptoms you are describing sound like a food allergy.... causing bacterial build up and low immune system. That missing patch of hair could be the result of a mange infestation, it does not look like a hive driven or hot spot of hair loss.

What kind of food are you feeding, does it contain chicken, grains, soy, or corn?

 

[cowsmom]

Re: Panic about skin loss (Advice Needed)

Ok I'm on my phone so ill try this. Sounds like your dog has allergies n I'm thinking its to the food he is eating. That looks like a hot spot. The rash shedding cyst all ate signs of an allergy to something n I would look at the food. Getting him on the right food should clear this all up. Ok if that is a hot spot it needs to be treated with an anti bacterial. You have douxo pads you said well I would put that on the spot n the cysts as they are usually bacteria also. Keep the spot dry. They will tell you to shave it if it is one I did not shave sarahs. Is the spot itchy? Is it moist? You can pit some hydrocortisone cream on the belly for the rash. Some fish oil can help with the shedding. What food are you feeding? Well I hope that makes sense as I'm on phone n its hard to type.

 

[2BullyMama]

Re: Panic about skin loss (Advice Needed)

All of the symptoms you are describing sound like a food allergy.... causing bacterial build up and low immune system. That missing patch of hair could be the result of a mange infestation, it does not look like a hive driven or hot spot of hair loss.

What kind of food are you feeding, does it contain chicken, grains, soy, or corn?

Totally agree with the above..... does not look like a hotspot, but the cyst are due to an allergy. Ask you vet to do a full blood screen allergy test and you will have a good list of what to avoid.

 

[elearn]

Re: Panic about skin loss (Advice Needed)

I just switched to Earthborn Great Plains (Bison - grain free) after a 12 day transition. He is now 100% on Earthborn and I also started giving him coconut oil daily around the same time (he had a dry nose, wouldnt let me put the Snout Soother on, while looking for alternatives I learned about the coconut oil).

The cyst came before the switch and I notice the rash 2 days after starting to switch (I figured the rash was from being in the grass which he sometimes get, but this one covers his whole abdomen and doesnt seem to go away).

He doesn't itch, scratch, lick at all. Nothing is oozing or seems painful. He doesn't complain at all about any of these things until I try to mess with them LOL

 

[elearn]

Re: Panic about skin loss (Advice Needed)

Did I really name my post "skin loss"? sorry if I alarmed anyone I am just panicking lol. Herman has hair loss, his skin is all accounted for

 

[Wigglesworth]

Re: Panic about skin loss (Advice Needed)

I can recommend Fromm Salmon Tunalini and this shampoo:
http://www.jefferspet.com/maximum-chlorhexidine-shampoo/p/0033025/

My bully vet told me to give him a bath once a week with it. Heck, it cleared up my athletes foot

 

[Sherry]

Re: Panic about skin loss (Advice Needed)

Some bully's I've heard are allergic to byson too, these guys are very hard to find what really suits them unless a allergy test or scrapping is done. Chicken protein is a popular allergy but some are allergic to fish. you just have to find what the real culprit is. The others have given you advice on the skin, but may I add trying some benadryl twice daily. 25mg per 25 pounds. If he weighs 50 pounds that's 2 bennys'

 

[cowsmom]

Re: Panic about skin loss (Advice Needed)

I would maybe stop the coconut oil for now n start switching this this dog back to his old food n see if this clears up since he only had the cyst with the other food. See if he gets better. I'd use the douxo on the cyst n spot since they say its not a hot spot might be allergy related fur loss or something else. Good luck

 

[mom2bullies]

Re: Panic about skin loss (Advice Needed)

My cadi has hair loss on her belly, I took her to the vet yesterday and she has like a yeast thing going on, her hair can just be pulled out. they gave her meds and she feels better already... just a thought.

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Re: Panic about skin loss (Advice Needed)

Jake gets the Earthborne Great Plains too..and does great on it. But we did have a few bully's that had hair loss with it. I think @JeannieCO...and [MENTION=860]sheshistory[/MENTION]. But I don't think it would be in two days! And if he was having problems already with old food...?? It would really save you tons of frustration to get the blood allergy test. Sure helps narrow down his problems.

 

[JeannieCO]

Re: Panic about skin loss (Advice Needed)

My non bully Jack had a reaction to the bison in the Earthborn line, he looked like a plucked chicken in the neck. I switched him over Earthborn's Coastal Catch and he's hair is growing back. He's a very thinned haired dog so it's taken some time with him. That hair loss doesn't look the same though but that necessarily doesn't mean anything. It very well could be food related but I'm not quite sure it is. I'd probably take him to the vet to have him check. It'd also be a great idea if you can spare the $$ for an allergy test, that way you'd know what your bully's allergic too and it would eliminate any guessing game. Well worth the $$. Hope he gets better soon!

 

[GatorRay]

Re: Panic about skin loss (Advice Needed)

The cysts are likely a food related thing as everyone said above. I think that soaking in Epsom Salts is the usual treatment (plus a food change). That looks a little like demodex to me. You may want to go and have the vet do a scraping to make sure.

As far as the allergy test, since you have been struggling with finding the cause, the allergy test will save you time and money and him a lot of discomfort so I think it would pay off in the long run.

 

[jortiz9758]

Bruno started out with a few red bumps on his belly. A few started showing up on his sides about a week later that looked just like that. He was covered in them and the hair would fall out in little circles at about a month. I too thought it was food related and switched his foods and even kept him on a bland diet for a week. Nothing worked.
I took him to the vet and it turned out to be a Staph infection. He was put on antibiotics for a few months and he cleared up. Have your vet do a skin culture test. It will determine what Bacteria, Virus or Fungus has grown.
The test was really inexpensive and I wish I had done it sooner.

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