Not sure what could help.

[Semtex]

Hello,

I took my boy Gilbert to the vet and they said he had mites, but that it could be an allergic reaction that made his face swell up...

She said he could have a weak immune system also. His next vist is in a week to see how he is doing on the medications.

I want to know if i should change his dog food(nutro ultra puppy food), shampoo (Top Paw Super Deodorizing Shampoo) or if theres anything more i can do to help him out.

Thanks.

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Welcome..did the vet do any scraping or test for parasites? Right now..I wouldn't make any changes to his diet. Try and see if medication helps and if not if the vet can isolate the problem. I might use an oatmeal shampoo ..it's not that strong and is soothing to his skin. My vet had me leave the shampoo on for 10 minutes and rinse..rinse..and rinse some more. Good luck and keep us informed!.


Remember..some medications can cause loose stools so be prepared.

 

[cowsmom]

[MENTION=5169]Semtex[/MENTION] ok im not sure about the mites but getting him on a better food will help with his immune system. fromm puppy has been used with good results. also a good probiotic will be helpful to. ive heard to get one that does not require refrigeration. maybe try an oatmeal shampoo. im going to tag [MENTION=4225]Twice[/MENTION] as she is very good with foods and such to boost the immune system. the face swelling could be the food or something in the enviroment. how long has he been on the food? im sorry your baby has this. to the forum by the way. youve come to a good place for info.

 

[kazzy220]

I agree with what [MENTION=2092]JAKEISGREAT[/MENTION] has said .... and maybe if you could post some pics of the swelling. I'm interested to know what the vet thinks the allergy is to .... the mites??

 

[Lucy-licious]

Oh my!! Poor baby, you must be worried sick. You will get lots of help and advise from others I just wanted to say and hang in there xxx

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

She did a scraping on a red mark by his his right eye and thats when she told me about the mites. She also told me that his eyes were swollen and that could be an allergic reaction.

What medications did you get? And have you made any recent changes around him at all? Think laundry detergent...bedding...shampoo...even being outside can bring on allergies.

 

[Semtex]

[MENTION=2092]JAKEISGREAT[/MENTION] She did a scraping on a red mark by his his right eye and thats when she told me about the mites. She also told me that his eyes were swollen and that could be an allergic reaction.

 

[cowsmom]

well maybe give the meds a chance to work for a bit before changing food but i do think that needs to be done at some point but not right away. finding out what is causing the swelling as in what is the allergy if you can isolate what it is. a probiotic could not hurt and will help build up his immune system. there are some older threads here in the health section that deal with mites. is it mange?

 

[kazzy220]

Poor Gilbert!! I wouldn't change anything too much right now except maybe try the oatmeal shampoo that was suggested to you because it's very gentle. You need to focus on getting the mites cleared up first before making any more changes such as food etc. Once the mites are out of the way then there are a lot of super foods out there that can help to boost his immune system.

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

I definitely agree with [MENTION=2291]cowsmom[/MENTION]..a better food down the road is in order! I tend to try and solve or attempt to solve one problem before maybe opening a new can of worms. Once you get this under control, then there's nobody here better at picking food than [MENTION=2291]cowsmom[/MENTION]!

 

[Twice]

@Semtex It could be mites OR an allergic reaction? She didn't do a skin scraping?

I would use an organic, antibacterial shampoo. I use Richards Antibacterial with Neem and Tea Tree oils but there are a bunch of other ones out there. Neem oil works the best on getting rid of the mange mites, try to find one with that in it if you can. After a bath you should also give him a rinse in ACV and water, it will help with the itching and help to heal the skin.

The best immune system builders on the planet are coQ10 and vitamin C. You don't say how old he is or what he weighs but the standard dosing of coQ10 is 30mg per 25 pounds of body weight split into 2 daily doses if possible. Vitamin C is 100mg for a dog weighing up to 25 pounds, 250mg a day for 25-50 pounds. The best source for vitamin C is oranges. Will he eat them? If he does you can give him half of a small orange twice a day. Natural sources are always best for supplementing the body but if he won't eat it you can always give him the chewables.

When buying probiotics it should say shelf stable somewhere on the label. Do not buy the kind that are sold out of the refrigerator. It's OK to store it in the fridge (it will help to preserve shelf life - like ketchup ) but it should't be a requirement. The people kind of all supplements are fine.

I hope he is feeling better. Boosting the immune system will absolutely help with his allergies but you really should go back and get a skin scraping so you know exactly what you are dealing with.

Welcome to EBN

 

[Semtex]

Thank you everyone [MENTION=2092]JAKEISGREAT[/MENTION] [MENTION=2291]cowsmom[/MENTION]
[MENTION=959]kazzy220[/MENTION] [MENTION=1648]Lucy-licious[/MENTION] [MENTION=4225]Twice[/MENTION] for the great welcome and everyone's helpful comments.
My little Gilbert is a male and weighs 47 pounds. The vet did do a scraping and did diagnose the non-contagious mites. She also used a dye to check his eyes for ulcers. The ulcer test came back negative. The mites are definitely there and that is why she prescribed some Ivermectin solution, simplicef, diphenhydramine, and some neo/poly/dex ophthalmic drops. We mentioned the allergies because he had some swelling in both his eyes, he was a little congested the days before, and he had some bumps on his back. She suggested that the mites were the cause for the irritation in his lower right eyelid. We have yet to find out what caused it, but he might have gotten the mites from outside because he hasn't had any contact with any other dog in a very long time.

Again, thank you all very much

 

[Semtex]

He is also almost 6 months old

 

[cowsmom]

[MENTION=5169]Semtex[/MENTION] we would love to see pics when you can post them and let us know how he is doing

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Honestly..it sounds like your vet has a good handle on him. Unfortunately..these mites and othekicking issues can take a bit of time to clear up. There are some pople here who've had experience with this kind of problem. I'll try and get you some more advice. Just don't get discouraged and I'm certain Gilbert will be back to himself in no time!

[MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION]. [MENTION=1209]savemejeebus[/MENTION]. [MENTION=1930]RescueMe[/MENTION]. [MENTION=2071]Davidh[/MENTION]