Help... Dont know what to do - YorkieTalk.com Forums

mnhanson919 · 12-22-2007, 09:16 AM

My Yorkie, Ne-Ne, is about a 1 1/2. Since she was about 6 months old shes had really dry skin that itches. It got to a point that she would scratch till she bled. I took her to a vet and he gave me some medicated shampoo. I give her a bath once a week. It seems to keep it under control but if I dont give her a bath once a week it goes back to the way it was. Her skin gets flaky and shes gets this weird smell to her. I dont know what else to do. Does anyone have any ideas on what this may be or what else I can do?

Judy in Waco · 12-22-2007, 09:22 AM

Could it be allergy-related? I know someone is going to ask what food she's on, so you might want to list that. I know that grain can cause a lot of allergy issues in Yorkies.

Maybe someone else has a better idea for you. Poor baby! Good luck.

Judy in Waco · 12-22-2007, 09:23 AM

Oh! Welcome to YorkieTalk!!

mnhanson919 · 12-22-2007, 09:26 AM

Thanks! She eats Iambs Small & Toy food. My vet told me she was too young for an allergy... but Im starting not to believe it. The person I got her from said she read an article on food allergies and thought she had a lot of the same symptoms.

Judy in Waco · 12-22-2007, 09:31 AM

http://us.iams.com/iams/en_US/jsp/IA...oductID=104160

Is this the food? I don't know much about food allergies in dogs, but others on here do. I'm sure they will answer you in a while. In the meantime, I noticed that corn meal is listed as the second item on the ingredient list. That doesn't look good to me. I think corn is a major allergy culprit.

Bizzymammabee · 12-22-2007, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mnhanson919

Thanks! She eats Iambs Small & Toy food. My vet told me she was too young for an allergy... but Im starting not to believe it. The person I got her from said she read an article on food allergies and thought she had a lot of the same symptoms.

Puppies and infants alike can have an allergy. Not sure what world your vet lives in but anyone at anystage in their life can get an allergy.

I would definitely change the food because of the corn and maybe wash her with an oatmeal shampoo. That way it will not only clean but soothe her skin.

mnhanson919 · 12-22-2007, 09:36 AM

Yes that is the food and Thank You very much! She doesnt seem like it bothers her besides the itching but shes my baby and I feel horrible. The vet also recommended at skin biopsy to see if it was a skin condition I wonder if that would tell me if shes allergic to anything.

Ladymom · 12-22-2007, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mnhanson919

Thanks! She eats Iambs Small & Toy food. My vet told me she was too young for an allergy... but Im starting not to believe it. The person I got her from said she read an article on food allergies and thought she had a lot of the same symptoms.

I disagree with your vet. At a year and a half, she is certainly old enough to have developed antibodies to certain ingredients in her food. That's what causes allergies.

The three top allergy producing ingredients in dogs are corn, wheat and soy. IAMS lists corn as the second main ingredient in the food you are feeding her. Her food could very well be the culprit.

I'd switch her to a better quality food that contains "odd" ingredients that she is not as likely to be allergic to like duck, venison, rabbit, etc. IAMS isn't a very good quality food. I feed Lady Natures Variety Prairie. and alternate between the venison and salmon kibble.

I'd also start giving her a good fish oil supplement to build up her immune system. I give Lady 3V caps.

Have you tried giving her Benadryl to see if that helps with her itching?

journey826 · 12-22-2007, 09:41 AM

Do the biopsy and I think you will find it is a skin condition which is still related to allergies but treated different.what I think she has is seborrea could be wrong on the spelling but check it out.

Judy in Waco · 12-22-2007, 09:45 AM

Don't feel bad! You're looking for solutions!! That makes you a GREAT mommy!

I would try a new food (switch over VERY slowly) and the other suggestions before a skin biopsy. No, I don't think a biopsy will diagnose an allergy. I think you have to have special tests for that.

mnhanson919 · 12-22-2007, 09:58 AM

I have given her Benadryl but it didnt seem to help. When she starts scratching I tell her No and she stops. Its just when Im not home to watch her. Ive also been giving her Fish Oil capsuls. The vet mentioned something about giving her a steriod shot to help with the itching. Thank You everyone for all the information its very helpful.

I Love Bailey · 12-22-2007, 10:31 AM

I agree with switching her food. I was feeding Bailey Royal Canin for yorkies (her breeder had fed her that) and she started scratching and getting sick a lot. There is corn in that food.
I started looking for another food and found one that is grain free, Natures Variety, she loves it and her coat is very soft and she doesn't itch at all now.

Here is the link for NV to find a retail store, the store will give you free samples if you ask :http://naturesvariety.com/content.la...E0AFuJoQ85359B
If you sign up on their site they will send you buy one get one free coupons.

jeanietoo · 12-22-2007, 12:28 PM

My aunt's dog had something similar. She had the skin biopsy done and then allergy tests. He took injections for a long time but she too, had to bathe him with special shampoo every week. There can be microscopic mites that cause these symptoms also.

Ladymom · 12-22-2007, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I Love Bailey

I agree with switching her food. I was feeding Bailey Royal Canin for yorkies (her breeder had fed her that) and she started scratching and getting sick a lot. There is corn in that food.
I started looking for another food and found one that is grain free, Natures Variety, she loves it and her coat is very soft and she doesn't itch at all now.

Here is the link for NV to find a retail store, the store will give you free samples if you ask :http://naturesvariety.com/content.la...E0AFuJoQ85359B
If you sign up on their site they will send you buy one get one free coupons.

I also feed Lady Natures Variety Prairie (not the raw) and it has made a huge difference in her allergies. They recommend you rotate through their foods regularly which is a good idea to prevent allergies.

It's also a fabulous food. Lady's vet said it's one of the few commercial kibbles that he'd recommend.

mnhanson919 · 12-22-2007, 02:26 PM

Thank you to everyone for your responses. Im going start her on the Natures Variety and see how it goes. Ill let you know what happens. Thanks Again!

12-22-2007, 09:16 AM	#1
mnhanson919 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 11	Help... Dont know what to do My Yorkie, Ne-Ne, is about a 1 1/2. Since she was about 6 months old shes had really dry skin that itches. It got to a point that she would scratch till she bled. I took her to a vet and he gave me some medicated shampoo. I give her a bath once a week. It seems to keep it under control but if I dont give her a bath once a week it goes back to the way it was. Her skin gets flaky and shes gets this weird smell to her. I dont know what else to do. Does anyone have any ideas on what this may be or what else I can do?

12-22-2007, 09:22 AM	#2
Judy in Waco Gizzy & Kandi spoil me Donating Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Waco, Texas Posts: 8,477	Could it be allergy-related? I know someone is going to ask what food she's on, so you might want to list that. I know that grain can cause a lot of allergy issues in Yorkies. Maybe someone else has a better idea for you. Poor baby! Good luck. __________________ The fullness of our heart is expressed in our eyes, in our touch, in what we write, in what we say, in the way we walk, the way we receive, the way we need. -Mother Teresa ( RIP Gizmo 3/9/07-8/18/12)

12-22-2007, 09:23 AM	#3
Judy in Waco Gizzy & Kandi spoil me Donating Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Waco, Texas Posts: 8,477	Oh! Welcome to YorkieTalk!! __________________ The fullness of our heart is expressed in our eyes, in our touch, in what we write, in what we say, in the way we walk, the way we receive, the way we need. -Mother Teresa ( RIP Gizmo 3/9/07-8/18/12)

12-22-2007, 09:31 AM	#5
Judy in Waco Gizzy & Kandi spoil me Donating Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Waco, Texas Posts: 8,477	http://us.iams.com/iams/en_US/jsp/IA...oductID=104160 Is this the food? I don't know much about food allergies in dogs, but others on here do. I'm sure they will answer you in a while. In the meantime, I noticed that corn meal is listed as the second item on the ingredient list. That doesn't look good to me. I think corn is a major allergy culprit. __________________ The fullness of our heart is expressed in our eyes, in our touch, in what we write, in what we say, in the way we walk, the way we receive, the way we need. -Mother Teresa ( RIP Gizmo 3/9/07-8/18/12)

12-22-2007, 09:41 AM	#9
journey826 Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: yorkie town Posts: 876	Allergies Do the biopsy and I think you will find it is a skin condition which is still related to allergies but treated different.what I think she has is seborrea could be wrong on the spelling but check it out. __________________ YURI and SARAH Sassy,Rocki,and Ginger NEWBIE'"S

12-22-2007, 09:26 AM	#4
mnhanson919 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 11	Thanks! She eats Iambs Small & Toy food. My vet told me she was too young for an allergy... but Im starting not to believe it. The person I got her from said she read an article on food allergies and thought she had a lot of the same symptoms.

12-22-2007, 09:36 AM	#7
mnhanson919 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 11	Yes that is the food and Thank You very much! She doesnt seem like it bothers her besides the itching but shes my baby and I feel horrible. The vet also recommended at skin biopsy to see if it was a skin condition I wonder if that would tell me if shes allergic to anything.

12-22-2007, 09:45 AM	#10
Judy in Waco Gizzy & Kandi spoil me Donating Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Waco, Texas Posts: 8,477	Don't feel bad! You're looking for solutions!! That makes you a GREAT mommy! I would try a new food (switch over VERY slowly) and the other suggestions before a skin biopsy. No, I don't think a biopsy will diagnose an allergy. I think you have to have special tests for that. __________________ The fullness of our heart is expressed in our eyes, in our touch, in what we write, in what we say, in the way we walk, the way we receive, the way we need. -Mother Teresa ( RIP Gizmo 3/9/07-8/18/12)

12-22-2007, 09:58 AM	#11
mnhanson919 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 11	I have given her Benadryl but it didnt seem to help. When she starts scratching I tell her No and she stops. Its just when Im not home to watch her. Ive also been giving her Fish Oil capsuls. The vet mentioned something about giving her a steriod shot to help with the itching. Thank You everyone for all the information its very helpful.

12-22-2007, 10:31 AM	#12
I Love Bailey I Love Angel too! Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Northern Nevada Posts: 1,339	I agree with switching her food. I was feeding Bailey Royal Canin for yorkies (her breeder had fed her that) and she started scratching and getting sick a lot. There is corn in that food. I started looking for another food and found one that is grain free, Natures Variety, she loves it and her coat is very soft and she doesn't itch at all now. Here is the link for NV to find a retail store, the store will give you free samples if you ask :http://naturesvariety.com/content.la...E0AFuJoQ85359B If you sign up on their site they will send you buy one get one free coupons. __________________ Michele & Bailey Angel 7/06-9/12

12-22-2007, 12:28 PM	#13
jeanietoo YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: pennsylvania Posts: 783	skin problems My aunt's dog had something similar. She had the skin biopsy done and then allergy tests. He took injections for a long time but she too, had to bathe him with special shampoo every week. There can be microscopic mites that cause these symptoms also.

12-22-2007, 02:26 PM	#15
mnhanson919 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 11	Thank you to everyone for your responses. Im going start her on the Natures Variety and see how it goes. Ill let you know what happens. Thanks Again!