Skin issues
Hi all
My mostly white bull terrier has been having skin issues for the past two months.
His feet are quite red with some small hotspots, a bit rashly on his nose and ears and a small patch on his belly.
The vet did a skin scrape to rule out mites. He went on a round of antibiotics and it cleared up nicely. Then after a few weeks it came back worse. I officially moved him to a completely raw diet 9 days ago. One protein and nothing else. He is on strictly turkey for now. I went back to the vet a week ago and they suggested a less common protein like kangaroo. The location that I get his current turkey from , has lamb liver mixed with the kangaroo because of border issues. They suggested I stick with the turkey for at minimum six weeks and it is normal to see them get worse before better. We are going to stick it out so I'm not changing him all the time.
I rub an organic healing balm on to his sore spots and he is extremely mellow and calm so that seems to be working.
He goes for two good walks a day. One in a forest near my house and the other around the neighbourhood. The vet thinks he might have an environmental allergy to grass but food is the most probable and even if he didn't have these challenges, im completely sold on the raw. His coat is so incredibly soft and silkier than it ever has been.
He is six months old now and a complete joy. I just want him to have the very best health and be the best dog mom.
I know there have been a number on of posts on this topic and saw there was a post on candida cleanse. No one I've talked to has heard of it. Is this available in Canada? Has anyone had success with it?
My mostly white bull terrier has been having skin issues for the past two months.
His feet are quite red with some small hotspots, a bit rashly on his nose and ears and a small patch on his belly.
The vet did a skin scrape to rule out mites. He went on a round of antibiotics and it cleared up nicely. Then after a few weeks it came back worse. I officially moved him to a completely raw diet 9 days ago. One protein and nothing else. He is on strictly turkey for now. I went back to the vet a week ago and they suggested a less common protein like kangaroo. The location that I get his current turkey from , has lamb liver mixed with the kangaroo because of border issues. They suggested I stick with the turkey for at minimum six weeks and it is normal to see them get worse before better. We are going to stick it out so I'm not changing him all the time.
I rub an organic healing balm on to his sore spots and he is extremely mellow and calm so that seems to be working.
He goes for two good walks a day. One in a forest near my house and the other around the neighbourhood. The vet thinks he might have an environmental allergy to grass but food is the most probable and even if he didn't have these challenges, im completely sold on the raw. His coat is so incredibly soft and silkier than it ever has been.
He is six months old now and a complete joy. I just want him to have the very best health and be the best dog mom.
I know there have been a number on of posts on this topic and saw there was a post on candida cleanse. No one I've talked to has heard of it. Is this available in Canada? Has anyone had success with it?
Comments
I live in Southwestern Ontario.
No other pets in the house.
No medical issues until four months.
We have an off leash forest close to home. Issues started before I started taking him there so it doesn't appear to be an environmental condition resulting from there.
We have a backyard that has grass and stonework with wood chips in the garden beds. His initial rash started on his stomach and I thought it might be from the wood chips because he would lay in the garden sometimes. That doesn't appear to be the issue.
I was feeding him Nutrience, then Merrick kibble, then moved to fresh prepared meals by a brand that the name escapes me. I believe it was called Vital or Vita something. Will confirm.
For training treats, I was using mostly beef liver and tried to stay as natural as possible. There have been some treats that are more processed but those have been completely cut out.
He was getting pigs ears, beef bully sticks and sweet potato chews.
He has been very socialized with other dogs and people. We've been to puppy school and is stubborn but really well behaved. He's got a great personality and fits in really well with our family, me husband and 8 year old child. He doesn't appear stressed out at all. I work from home but he doesn't feel the need to be by my side at every turn. His crate is in our kitchen and he happily goes there for his naps and bed time.
His stools are regular. The consistency has changed since moving to raw but I was told that is normal.
I bathe him every two weeks, unless he is crazy muddy from the forest. I use an itch free oatmeal based soothing soap and conditioner from the vet.
Anything I'm missing?
But he is totally gorgeous.... And totally white, which makes it twice as hard.
P.S. Good job on keeping the nails short, not QED