Allergies or something more? Please help!

kenz3344

New member
Jun 22, 2022
1
0
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USA
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Paddy
Hi! So for context, I just graduated college and took in my parents 5 year old English bulldog. They got her my senior year of high school and I raised and took care of her, but couldnā€™t take her with me. They decided she was ā€œtoo smellyā€ and basically kept her kenneled 23 hours a day. When I had to go home in 2020 from college because of Covid, I realized how bad her conditions were. She only got let out maybe 3 times a day to use the bathroom and was otherwise kenneled, despite my efforts. I took her in a few months ago and she wasnā€™t in good shape. Severe skin issues, specifically on her stomach. Eye and ear infections. Swollen and raw paws. After three trips to the vet and a lot of bills, she was doing better. Her ear infection cleared up and her eyes seemed to get better. I switched her to hills science diet food, the vet gave me medicated shampoo, she was taking daily antibiotics, etc.

The last two weeks, everything seemed to randomly go downhill. The itching has started again. If I donā€™t keep a cone on her head 24/7, she will lick her paws til they bleed and will get blood all over the carpet. Sheā€™s been scratching her stomach raw.

Iā€™m at a loss. I am a newly graduated teacher, so truthfully I donā€™t make enough or have enough saved right now to continue to rack up vet bills. I feel like Iā€™ve tried everything and Iā€™m at a loss. Salmon oil, apple cider vinegar, Benadryl, hot spot spray, you name it Iā€™ve tried it. If anybody has advice or experience with this, please help. I love her and want to give her the best quality of life because after years of being crated, she deserves it.
 

Bulldog2001

Well-known member
May 5, 2022
1,142
851
Country
Canada
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None yet
Hi! So for context, I just graduated college and took in my parents 5 year old English bulldog. They got her my senior year of high school and I raised and took care of her, but couldnā€™t take her with me. They decided she was ā€œtoo smellyā€ and basically kept her kenneled 23 hours a day. When I had to go home in 2020 from college because of Covid, I realized how bad her conditions were. She only got let out maybe 3 times a day to use the bathroom and was otherwise kenneled, despite my efforts. I took her in a few months ago and she wasnā€™t in good shape. Severe skin issues, specifically on her stomach. Eye and ear infections. Swollen and raw paws. After three trips to the vet and a lot of bills, she was doing better. Her ear infection cleared up and her eyes seemed to get better. I switched her to hills science diet food, the vet gave me medicated shampoo, she was taking daily antibiotics, etc.

The last two weeks, everything seemed to randomly go downhill. The itching has started again. If I donā€™t keep a cone on her head 24/7, she will lick her paws til they bleed and will get blood all over the carpet. Sheā€™s been scratching her stomach raw.

Iā€™m at a loss. I am a newly graduated teacher, so truthfully I donā€™t make enough or have enough saved right now to continue to rack up vet bills. I feel like Iā€™ve tried everything and Iā€™m at a loss. Salmon oil, apple cider vinegar, Benadryl, hot spot spray, you name it Iā€™ve tried it. If anybody has advice or experience with this, please help. I love her and want to give her the best quality of life because after years of being crated, she deserves it.

I can definitely relate to the dog wearing the cone if Shame due to allergies.

My dog has severe allergies too and had to wear the cone for months until we found what worked for her allergies.
Antibiotics, steroids, medication, prescription food, all destroy the immune system causing more allergies and health issues.

First thing, stay away from Hills, Science diet, Purina, Royal Canin, Eukanuba just to name the most problem ones.
They are all fillers and cause more health issues.

The biggest thing that helped my dog(chews her paws raw, scratches ears raw, swollen and they would bleed and hematomas, and scratches her fur out and stomach raw, chews pads off her paws, even with the cone on she managed to chew all the paws!), the biggest help that got the cone off her and her not scratching and she is not wearing cone is from the food switch from Raw diet, that boost the immune system and doesnā€™t mask the issue like medications do.

Raw diet I give is Artisan HYPO(in Canada), Carnivora rabbit, Carnivora goat.

Iā€™m not sure where your located but if your in Canada those that I named are great, as well as Big country raw Kangaroo.

Go for meat, organs and bone (No veg until she is cleared up cause starch feeds yeast causing more allergies), but if you can get her off kibble that would be really helpful, or at least switch off hills and try a different kibble(Orijen, Acana, Carna 4, Natures Logic) are good kibbles.

You need 30-60% starch/carbs to make kibble so thatā€™s why raw diet helps to get rid of yeast and that also helps immune system.

2 of my dogs have terrible allergies, and I feed them all raw diet and no more allergy issues since.
It gives them more of a better life when no cone of shame is needed, not to mention how miserable they can feel!


Keep me posted
 

anatess

Well-known member
Jul 26, 2011
1,758
398
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US
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Bullie (RIP) & Angus (RIP)
Hi kenz!

Just to verify, he's been on Science Hill for a few months now right? And his scratching just started 2 weeks ago?

This could be caused by environmental allergies. Right now where I'm at (zone 8), the weeds are all out, the fleas and ticks are out partying like it's 1999 and my dog is blowing his coat and looking scrappy (might also be because he has cancer, but that's another matter). It is environmental allergies season where I'm at.

In any case, you will need to eventually get out of Science Hill (also known as crap. Irks me that vets continue to promote this junk.). My dogs are on prey-model raw which is the only dog food I recommend, but I understand it's not for everyone.

In any case, I'm a keep-it-simple type (I'm the type that gives my kids vicks vaporub as the cure-all for anything, hah hah) and I found that vinegar (apple cider is the popular one) can relieve environmental allergies. So, I'd say soak the dog's paws in 1:2 vinegar to water solution after a walk. You can also use the solution as a body rinse. @helsonwheels is the go-to person for essential oil treatment options for dogs.

Hope this helps.
 

helsonwheels

Well-known member
Jan 10, 2016
13,048
2,352
Alberta
Country
Canada
Bulldog(s) Names
Nyala, Jake (R.I.P. Duke)
Your dog basically went outside 3x a day to do her business n straight into his kennel. Thatā€™s why she had ā€œSevere skin issues, specifically on her stomach. Eye and ear infections. Swollen and raw pawsā€ as you mentioned. Anxiety kicks in n gets bored. Then thereā€™s Science Hill, as mentioned above get her off that as itā€™s all grains n SH gets numerous recalls plus vets gets kick backs on each bag they sell. In the state sheā€™s in raw diet would be the best or start cooking for her. So lets say youā€™re eating hamburger well simply make her 2patties n some semi raw veggies. thats her meal. Boil eggs n keep as Snacks. You can also boil a whole turkey for a good 6-8hr, shred it without the skin, bag 2 cups per bag, fill it with the broth n freeze them. You can buy a quality kibble like Acana, Zignature, Fromm if you canā€™t cook or go raw but add raw organs as a topper.

Buy Bag Balm with the cow udder on the can. Ive attached a photo for you. You can call the company as theyā€™re in Vermont. Get some vet wrap tape. Massage BB to the paws and tape them up with that vet tape. Wrap the paws. I use electrical tape to tape the top of the wrap as these dogs are smart. They will pull on the wrap. But definitely change the food immediately.
Essential oils are great but costly. Since youā€™re accumulating bills go with BB as youā€™ll see great results.
 

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Last edited:
Dec 21, 2015
1
3
Country
United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Winston
O M G~!~~

FIRST, I am so sorry your parents did not research enough to care for English Bulldogs. SECOND: Please, know that English Bulldogs is A LOT of work! YES, they are glamorous, and YES everyone wants them, but NOPE not everyone is this dedicated. Trust this, the celebs who have EBs are getting 24/7 maintenance. These guys are one of the most difficult breeds to care for and it does require love and huge stacks of money to do it!

Chlorhexidine. MMS and CDS. NO GRAINS. Daily brushing of teeth and hair. Bones with raw meat FROM A FARM THAT IS LOCAL. (Don't bother getting my political persuasion because I'd HANG everyone in the office right now)

Please research all of these things. CDS, MMS, Chloroheidine. The VETS (like Drs) will charge you an enormous amount of money to deal with this. EVERY BULLDOG OWNER GOES THROUGH THIS.

Find a LOCAL Farmer (God bless these people) and allow your baby to nosh on lamb bones or beef marrow bones!
Also, soon his / her nose will be an issue. Start now with an organic salve. OR Tiger Balm works great! Start using eye moisturizer in the eyes and Tiger Balm on her nose. STAT.

Joints are an issue. Buy AMERICAN MADE (although ...right?) supplement to help start collagen in her joints NOW and throughout her life.

Take her to the Vets regularly, and get an anti-anxiety if all of this makes her try to bite you. The EARS are SUPER important! They will surely get ear infections without super wipes and cleaning weekly. A bottle of ear cleaning solution will help break up the collected ear wax. ALSO do not forget her tail, dig in there with a strong antibacterial wipe. They always have inverted tails, like a HUGE (inny) belly button that will get infected if you do not stay on top of it with wipes.

OK. I have rescued 12 end-of-life care English Bulldogs. TWELVE now on my 13th. I am NOT new to any of this. And my heart is STILL broken. I know a few things about taking care of an EB!!!
 
Last edited:

Mmsaxman

New member
Jun 30, 2019
13
10
Country
United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Stella
Hi! So for context, I just graduated college and took in my parents 5 year old English bulldog. They got her my senior year of high school and I raised and took care of her, but couldnā€™t take her with me. They decided she was ā€œtoo smellyā€ and basically kept her kenneled 23 hours a day. When I had to go home in 2020 from college because of Covid, I realized how bad her conditions were. She only got let out maybe 3 times a day to use the bathroom and was otherwise kenneled, despite my efforts. I took her in a few months ago and she wasnā€™t in good shape. Severe skin issues, specifically on her stomach. Eye and ear infections. Swollen and raw paws. After three trips to the vet and a lot of bills, she was doing better. Her ear infection cleared up and her eyes seemed to get better. I switched her to hills science diet food, the vet gave me medicated shampoo, she was taking daily antibiotics, etc.

The last two weeks, everything seemed to randomly go downhill. The itching has started again. If I donā€™t keep a cone on her head 24/7, she will lick her paws til they bleed and will get blood all over the carpet. Sheā€™s been scratching her stomach raw.

Iā€™m at a loss. I am a newly graduated teacher, so truthfully I donā€™t make enough or have enough saved right now to continue to rack up vet bills. I feel like Iā€™ve tried everything and Iā€™m at a loss. Salmon oil, apple cider vinegar, Benadryl, hot spot spray, you name it Iā€™ve tried it. If anybody has advice or experience with this, please help. I love her and want to give her the best quality of life because after years of being crated, she deserves it.
Agree, Hills Science is not good quality food. We use Stella and chewy. Everyone here has great advice. But the biggest difference I noticed was starting a probiotic supplement everyday. Yes, Bulldogs are expensive but I would much rather pay for preventatives than visit the vets.
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jul 28, 2011
48,560
3,653
Gilbertsville, PA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
Thank you for taking her out of that situationā€¦. She smells because of the bd food and skin issues. Get her on a good probiotic, high quality kibble or raw. Stay away from chicken and grains. For a probiotic you can use raw goats milk, sauerkraut, or herbsmith microflora. Foods, go with duck or turkey and some high quality brands are Zingnature, Acana, Orjen, Earthborn Holistic, Farmina, Open Farm.

please keep us posted
 

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