Ughh!!

[Piamitch]

Hi everyone, I have been doing more reading than posting, and I love all the info I'm getting. I have a few skin issues going on with Ruckus though. He has some small bald spots. A few on his chest, back and sides. They look similar to some of the pics I've come across on here. I took him to the vet tonight and they are running a culture to see if it is ringworm. They are treating him with antibiotics and a fungal shampoo. I know ringworm is highly contagious and was wondering if anyone knows how long it can take for a person to get it from a dog? Also, I'm planning on switching his food but thought I should wait until he if off the antibiotics. At his last appt., the vet said not to switch him, it's only going to open a whole new can of worms with allergies and stuff. Ruckus has been on the same food since his old owners got him ( Nutro Max Puppy) this is the first issue I've had with him and we got him in August. Does it take this long for a food allergy to show up, or am I totally on the wrong track here? Sorry for rambling, just trying to figure this out.

[gatorfan85]

How old is ruckus? If its ringworm its more than likely not from the food. Most allergies develop with age like seasonal allergies but food allergies are usually in the first 2 weeks if not sooner. HAve you tried washing him with selsun blue? Aslo a high sulfur cream would be great for the spot(even if it is ringworm). If the food isnt causing him problems I wouldnt change but if it is a food issue then I would change gradually to prevent upset.

[Piamitch]

Ruckus will turn 8 months this month. The culture for ringworm should take a week for results. I was thinking more of an allergy than ringworm, but we'll see. The first spot I noticed was last month but I thought it was a just a"mark" from rough housing with his puppy cousin. I never would have thought twice about it until I found a few more this week.

[gatorfan85]

Have you introduced anything different to him? Food,toys, ect. Do you have a picture? That is a close age for allergies to develop (seasonal) but it could be something he has ate. Do you use plastic bowls? What type of treats do you use. I know it sounds like a lot but f you could do a mini bio...that would help to pinpoint.

[bullmama]

I totally disagree with waiting to do a food change. The sooner you boost the immune system- the better, and less chances of health issues. Nutro Max is . My vet told me changing Jesse's food would never repair her "entropion" (which she did not have) but once her eyes quit swelling from the yucky foods it went away completely. MOST vets do not like to use a diet change as an effective treatment towards common health and allergy issues. Sometimes like with Jesse, it takes several foods to find the right one. Sometimes the first one works. As long as you switch VERY SLOWLY, I don't think that will open any can of worms. But it may save you some future vet bills!

P.S. Hope you can take some pics, those are very helpful. Plus we love pictures!!!

[Piamitch]

I can't think of anything new, other than toys, he gets them all the time. No plastic bowles, just stainless and I was them after every feeding. For treats I give him sweet potato treats baby carrots, the ones that are the same as his food, and was giving buffalo blue training treats but I put them on hold. I started taking notes this week and have been racking my brain. I hope the pics didn't come out too blurry.

[Piamitch]

Here are a few more pics. Sorry I couldn't get them under one post O.k. so this one shows no spots, but I couldnt get it to delete, I have some learning to do here. LOL

[cali~jenn]

I am not of the help that everyone else here is with the spots but I do have to say that allergies can just be starting at 8 months of age and changing the food would be a great idea. When I got Cutty he was 9 months old and had what looked like a stretch mark on his shoulder. The vet (a good bully vet) told me it was allergies and gave me an allergy shampoo to wash him with 3 times a week I think it was. Never did any good. Took me until finding boards like this one to learn that we were feeding eukanuba as the breeder had done and it was complete crap. Once we changed we never had that mark again. No vet was going to tell me this tho, never even asked what I fed and not knowing any better I would have still been feeding and taking him in to get more shampoo and whatever else they decided would work. Food may not be the thing that fixes this but it certainly will give a better life and may be the answer you are looking for.

[Libra926]

Has he been tested for mange? This is what Vegas's mange looked like. They did a skin scraping and it was mange.


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@Piamitch

[Piamitch]

Was Vegas itching with it? They said prob not mange because he is not itching at all? They just pulled some hairs around the spots to do the culture for ringworm. I keep thinking one of the 5 of us 2 leggers in the house would have ringworm by now, but who knows..

[kazzy220]

I'm no help as I have no experience with skin issues for my 2 bullies (and hopefully never will!! ) ... but welcome to the site!!! Can't wait to see more pics of Ruckus!!

[gatorfan85]

I agree with @Libra926 that it looks kinda like demodex mange. I would def try the selsun blue and a high sulfur ointment. On a lighter note YOUR BOY IS GORGEOUS!!