Tail of a Spotty Dog - Help Needed

waddo


Joined: 29/11/2008
Posts: 1966

Message Posted:
01/11/2009 11:39

I have a Brown German Pointer. All jabs up to date and apart from one (thousand) things he is in perfect condition. We do not walk him off our land often - more than big enough for exercise for him so no real need - when we do it is always in the mountains away from normal walk areas and sheep/goats where possible. Have not walked him off the land for the past three months anyway. No sheep or goats cross our land and no other dogs get in. We have had him to the vet who said it was a diet problem and we have had him on a strict diet product (arm and a leg to buy) only. Regular washs in proper dog shampoo as prescribed.



Problem is he has spots - not itchy scratchy type spots, not weepy nasty spots and not big ugly spots. These are more like insect bits that do not go red but just appear then dry up and form a scab like dandruff that rubs off. They do not seem to bother him at all and they are not ringworm! Anybody got any ideas please??? All help welcome!

Tinkie


Joined: 16/03/2009
Posts: 1256

Message Posted:
01/11/2009 12:01

have you had him tested for leishmaniasis? just a thought as the syptoms of it can vary dramtically from dog to dog.

waddo


Joined: 29/11/2008
Posts: 1966

Message Posted:
01/11/2009 12:07

Tinkie, Leish was the first test the vet carried out! She looked worried when she said she was testing for leish but never said why. When the blood tests came back - the same afternoon - she was very happy to tell me that it was not leish and then told me why she looked unhappy to start with. We did not know at the time what leish was but apparently it is a nasty little bug that also can attack humans and if it had proven positive and been bad then the poor old mutt would have been sent off to sleep! Bad news for him and for us but at least that one is now eliminated and he also has to wear the magic collar that keeps the flys away as well. Short of putting him inside a poly bag up to his head and just leaving holes for the legs we are at a loss as to how to cure these spots!!!

Tinkie


Joined: 16/03/2009
Posts: 1256

Message Posted:
01/11/2009 12:15

Thats good news, I have 2 dogs with Leish, and wouldnt wish it on another!



I think that some dogs are just prone to lots of allergies. Some friends of ours also have a brown pointer who has had skin problems from a very early age, she is also on a special Eukanuba dry food diet, perhaps its something in the breed Good luck with your dog.

waddo


Joined: 29/11/2008
Posts: 1966

Message Posted:
01/11/2009 12:53

This one is two and a half now and has never had any spots before! Just all of a sudden two months ago he came out in what I can only describe as a rash - we put it down to a change in washing powder but having changed twice since then it is not that. The special diet is not working either so we are at our wits end. Just wonder if anyone else has a spotty dog or had one and found a cure?

Jadefarrall


Joined: 26/09/2008
Posts: 112

Message Posted:
01/11/2009 18:52

Hi Waddo

If you haven't already,try giving antihistamine tablet daily

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
01/11/2009 19:02

RE msg 1, waddo: (...) Regular washs in proper dog shampoo as prescribed. (...)

=> Waddo, how about stopping to wash the dog for a couple of weeks and see what happens? We've had dogs for about 30 years and they were never washed. My wife always used a comb to remove old hair, mud etc - the hair on their skins always sparkled and they (Dobermann Pinschers) never smelled.

waddo


Joined: 29/11/2008
Posts: 1966

Message Posted:
01/11/2009 19:09

Dutch,

Tried that mate. No effect apart from a smelly and mud covered pooch! The shampoo is a coal tar thing that is supposed to cure minor skin irritations - it has no effect apart from to make my dog smell like a bar of Wrights Coal Tar soap, neither of us are very impressed with that!!

Normally he gets washed once or twice a year or if he has taken a dip in the sea - that much salt is not good for a dogs skin anyway. This "Brownie", or as he was re-named "Otto" and now called "Woofer" by the way. He is a really happy critter, well looked after and loved - he seems to care little for the spots but it worries us so we are trying to solve the problem. By brother-in-law says it maybe "orf" which is something sheep get that is passed onto the dogs but we can not find mention of it anywhere. Will keep trying, thanks for the comments mind you, everything helps.



Mick

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
01/11/2009 19:23

Waddo, have you tried to Google "Brown German Pointer skin disease"? I have not read all the web sites that came up, but I seem to understand that skin disorders are not uncommon in this breed. Maybe, if you can find the time to read a couple of the sites, you'll find some solution to the problem?

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
01/11/2009 19:27

RE msg 8, waddo: (...) brother-in-law says it maybe "orf" which is something sheep get that is passed onto the dogs but we can not find mention of it anywhere (...)

=> More about "orf" here: http://is.gd/4KdFG

waddo


Joined: 29/11/2008
Posts: 1966

Message Posted:
01/11/2009 20:07

Hi Dutch, Tried and been trying for three weeks now on everything from dog rash to dog spots and all in between. Google is great but so much information it is difficult to sift through it all. Must say that I found out lots about Orf and it seems it is a problem for sheep and the odd human but not for dogs - good. Typical of my bro that one as he used to be a sheep farmer, good lad mind you. Will try the pointer skin disease bit again, many thanks.



Will also try the anithistamine once I talk to the vet - it was my first choice but was talked out of it by the wife - works for us so why not for the dog?

Jadefarrall


Joined: 26/09/2008
Posts: 112

Message Posted:
01/11/2009 20:59

Hi Waddo

our Westie has one antihistamine daily on Firdez reccomendation for similar problem.She(Westie,not Firdez ;-) ) is diabetic and has no side effects to antihistamine and it sorted the rashy spotty thingy,we also use an anti itch conditioning shampoo,available from Firdez

waddo


Joined: 29/11/2008
Posts: 1966

Message Posted:
01/11/2009 21:07

What sort of antihistamine? Is it one I get from the vet and if so who and where is Firdez please? We use Dermaleen Medicated Itch Wash at the moment as it seems to be the best but no real effect!

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
01/11/2009 21:18

Try any aloe vera treatments if you can find them. Worked on my dogs xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx I do not know if you can buy it here but south side you can

nurseawful



Joined: 06/02/2009
Posts: 5934

Message Posted:
01/11/2009 21:27

Message 5 maybe I am being a bit blonde tonight but what has changing your washing powder got to do with the poor dog unless he wears pyjamas!!!

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
01/11/2009 22:41

RE msg 13, waddo: (...) the vet and if so who and where is Firdez please? (...)

=> Waddo, you'll find Firdez (map, address and phone number) on this map: http://is.gd/4Kms6

P.S. The most caring vet we've ever met! She worked very hard (even in her spare time!) to bring our Dobermann Pinscher back to normal life after a serious accident. Say hello to her!

Agnes


Joined: 11/04/2009
Posts: 81

Message Posted:
01/11/2009 23:27

msg 15 I think it's to do with the dogs bedding

waddo


Joined: 29/11/2008
Posts: 1966

Message Posted:
02/11/2009 08:14

Nurse, Agnes got it right! Bedding change every ten days or so, towels to dry dog washed in same powder, etc, etc. Did not know if it made a difference but after changing powder and washing everything again the spots seemed better then one day washed dog and dried him with a towel that we had missed and within two days he was covered with a rash in places that he had not had them before - that was proof enough for us at the time. Seems like that was wrong as well.

Google is full of information but mostly deals with serious illness and not just a rash so we keep looking. Poor little bugger is just covered with these dry spots and even through they don't seem to worry him at all, they have to go!

deecyprus4


Joined: 27/07/2008
Posts: 3452

Message Posted:
02/11/2009 08:20

Ah bless him, waddo I hope you find a cure soon.

ozankoys


Joined: 20/06/2008
Posts: 905

Message Posted:
02/11/2009 08:58

Hi we had a German Shepherd in UK who suffered from same problem, she was on big doses of steroids. We then tried a gentler approach with Evening Primrose Oil (at first at exorbitant cost from the vet, then the human variety) and bathing at first every day, then once her skin was better gradually less frequently with Malaseb which I think is what the vets used for their handwash.

nurseawful



Joined: 06/02/2009
Posts: 5934

Message Posted:
02/11/2009 09:55

Waddo a friends dog had similar and they found it was allergic to cement! The dog was rolling in the sand and cement when they took it for a walk!

waddo


Joined: 29/11/2008
Posts: 1966

Message Posted:
02/11/2009 12:16

Thanks people! The only thing this dog rolls in (when he gets the chance) is the by product of chickens or sheep!!! Dirty little bugger - but then he is just a dog after all. Off to see the vet this afternoon again but it looks more than likely that it will be an allergy thing and down do something we give him that he should not have. That's the big trouble with dogs that are part of the family, they tend to get to eat what everyone else eats and suddenly - like us - they get spots!

jenfarrall


Joined: 21/09/2008
Posts: 297

Message Posted:
02/11/2009 13:39

Hi Waddo

Antihistamines are over counter from pharmacy,just regular us ones.Firdez is back of Pia Bella,05338663806,and as DC says is the most caring vet ever.The shampoo we use is from her,anti itch,not cheap but lasts ages and has sorted Molly's skin problems completely.

Hope this helps



Jen

waddo


Joined: 29/11/2008
Posts: 1966

Message Posted:
02/11/2009 17:40

Thanks Jen. TRNC V UK - Try this in the UK then - Went to the chemist today to pick up my heart pills and just happened to mention the spots on the dog. Chemist asked what sort of spots and then noticed the mutt in the back of the car!!!!!



Out of the shop like a flash and quick inspection of legs and bits then suggested I try Sudacreme for one week, if that has no effect then calamine will sort it for us! So in the UK it was stick your tounge out at the pharmasist - here its have your dog looked at as well! My flabber was well and truly gasted folks!!!!!!!!



Trying the creme now and he don't lick it off so that is a start. Next stop to get some antihistamines as well - thanks all.