My dog and severe skin problems?

My 12 year old lab mix is having major skin problems that she has never had before. Her skin is extremely dry and flaky, she has hot spots, and is contantly biting and scratching herself. She has lost a lot of the fur on the lower part of her back near her tail and down the legs near her back paws. I've tried cortisone sprays, hot spot treatments and oatmeal bathes.I'm embarrassed to take her to the vet looking like she does-I'm afraid they'll think we've neglected her! What can be causing this? As I said before-this is a new problem for her.

My dog and severe skin problems?
This sounds like a few different things. Please take your doggy to the vet, because it may be in pain and you would feel really horrible making it suffer like that. The Vet doesn't make judgments on you like that, they love animals and only want to make them better. If you have to, drive your doggy to a vet that is far away or something, but please go soon.





Here are a few things to help, with taking the dog to the vet of course:


1: Your doggy might have mange. It is a microscopic mite that burrows under thier skin and lays eggs that travel through the blood stream of the dog. This condition can kill the dog if you don't seek medical treatment. The hair falling out and the biting of hair out, with the dry skin can be extremely itchy, miserable, and painful.


2: Your doggy could have a skin condition. The vet can prescribe medicine to make it feel better really soon. Also, you can change your pets diet to include more Omega-3 fatty acids and other good fats. This helps clear up dry skin problems. You could start this as part of the follow up care, just ask the vet about it. I give my pets Omega-3 fatty acid treats, coconut oil, olive oil, and fatty fish. They don't have skin problems anymore.


3: Fleas. I know it sounds simple, but there are some fleas out there that can cause an alergic reaction in animals, and it causes symptoms like that. Even if you are treating your animal for fleas, there could be some in the environment that are still trying to bite her. Make sure the environment is clear of all fleas, the yard included. Also, some flea treatments can cause skin problems like what you have described. That's why the vet needs to get involved.


Please take doggy to the vet, she will love you for it.
Reply:Listen babe you have no choice but to take her to the vets, you may be embarrassed, your dog is in pain, please think of your poor dog, and get her to the vets for treatment.
Reply:Where do you live. My dog had this problem in the summer and it was allergies. I gave him allergy pills and took him the vet. His groomer recommended coconut oil from GNC and that helped. my dog is 8 and he's a cocker spaniel. Good luck I hope this helps. I tried the oatmeal bath but that didn't help at all.
Reply:More than likely it's a parasite which seems VERY similar to hot spots. The only thing that will help will be a medicine you can only get from the vet. More than likely she will only continue to lose more hair if you dont get her treatment soon...the medicine is inexpensive and worth it.


My own dog recently experienced this. I was a little embarassed too, but with all that hair loss embarassment quickly turned into fear that I really WOULD be neglecting him not to get him help.


I got 2months worth of medicine and the visit for under $70.
Reply:You should always consult a vet. However, to speculate, she could be allergic to a food or ingredient. She could have a fungus or a parasite. I would avoid feeding her any table scraps and keep her on a dry-food diet and give her an Omega 3 tablet, which will help condition her coat. Try not to shampoo her too often as excessive washing can lead to a reduction in a dog's dander, which can act as a protectant for the skin.
Reply:I agree that you need to take you to the vet. Hot spots usually need antibiotics.





My dog had very dry skin and scratched sometime terrible. We changed his food to a brand without any grain. No corn, or wheat. He had been on Benedryl for a year, since we changed his food, he is off the benedryl and does not scratch. His hair looks better and he has put on a layer of fat that he needed. Not really gained weight, just filled out some.
Reply:i have heard that if you bath an animal to much it will dry there skin maybe and....if you dont take it to the vet wouldn't that be neglecting it (just asking)
Reply:This is crazy. My lab has the SAME thing. We took him to the vet and they said it was normal for labs! It's because how active they are. They gave me allergy medication and things like that. Also, check in the ears. The problems that caused my dogs dry skin came from the ears. Take a rag and wipe them out. But don't go too deep. Trust me. My lab had the same thing and all I do is put the medication on and then put lotion on a brush and brush him. He loves it. And plus, he's doing a lot better.
Reply:Have her thyroid levels checked. Late stage thyroid disease causes skin issues. At her age thyroid deficiency would be the first guess.
Reply:If this is a new problem, she may have a flea infestation. Even if you can't see them doesn't mean their not there. I had the same problem with my dog. He is very allergic to fleas and spider bites. He gets hot spots, chews all his fur in those smae areas and gets flaky, itchy skin. I give him Capstar to rid him w/in 24 hours and then proceed to clean house, bath him and do all other flea ridding tasks. Mine also gets skin infections from playing in fields or places with long grass/shrubs. The bacteria from the other animals gives him rashes which mimic the same issue as his flea allergy, but it actually a staph infection. Another thing is to consider any environment changes, food, shampoo, new dog bedding, etc. If you've made any recent changes, eliminate them one by one to see if the condition reverses itself. Do not be embarrassed about bringing your dog to the vet. Explain that you tried all home remedies first. I too tried all of those things first. Now I just monitor him and watch his diet/food which can also bring on a flare up.
Reply:You should rule out fleas. Classic flea allergy will cause the dog to lick and chew at the lower back, top of the tail and down the hind legs. If the allergy is bad, or goes on for a long period of time untreated, then the skin will become damaged and allow bacteria to penetrate. Infected skin is smelly, moist and warm. The longer you leave this, the worse off she will be, so swallow your pride and have her checked by a Vet. And while fleas is the most likely answer - based on your description of the problem - its not the only one. Only your Vet can help you sort this out.
Reply:may be fungal. my spitz went through the same thing. vet gave hee some pills and special shampoo. apply vinegar on the area if it's fungal. only took a week or two for the condition to clear up in my case.

agave