okay so if her immune system isnt working right would she have been the only one with clostridium? Cuz both her and Diggy got it same time so we figured it was contracted from an old bully stick?? Both times they both got it. The second time they both got shots of steriods for allergic reaction to a new blanket and again both got it AGAIN. I was told its common with use of steroids. So thats why i have her on the pet flora to maintain her flora not allowing clostridium to get out of hand again... Im watching her like a hawk and so far every poop is solid and normal. She eats very well and drinking fine. Thats how I knew they got it before they stop eating, vomit, poops, and lethargic.

Or do you mean the 2 bouts of clostridium have casued her immune system to not work right?

Paula Chachis immune system was down after an allergic reaction to a couple flea bites so I definitely think that could be it

hmmmm

she definately still has hair there but its like half inch long....just broke off. and nothing is bald (yet) the only places she has the breakage is her sides where back foot can reach.

Okay I am so frustrated right now I could scream! But I do think i have a better idea of what to look for here

chicken and Italian dressing....
mites....
immune system not working right...
grass...

OKay how do I build immune system up?? She got a shot of steroids and 3 prednisone pills around a month ago. this was for an obvious reaction to a fleece blanket (not washed) and she had hives all over steroids did clear it up. So how do i tell if her immune system is messed up? if it is her immun system whats making her itch?

I don't think bacterial problems are huge in dogs unless they have a compromised immune system (because dogs can process salmonella when they are on the raw diet). That doesn't mean Bella and Diggy have compromised immune systems, but lots of dogs chew on old bully sticks I would think.

I really have no idea but it is a possibility that her immune system isn't working quite right, so she can't fight things off. If that were the case though, I would think sense Diggy had clostridium also, he would have mites. So it is hard to say what is going on.

When you give Bella a warm bath now with her new shampoo, does the itching get worse during/after it?

If she is having problems going on grass and doesn't want to, I would be concerned that it is bothering her...

I don't know if this helps or not but Layla is HORRIBLY allergic to chicken... she goes nuts... itching and chewing... she's miserable. It could be from the chicken?

Bella tore thru the grass like there is no tomorrow up until this. she REFUSES to walk on it. she hikes her leg on the edge to pee on it and runs. she walks up and down the sides walks and drive way whereas she used to run thru the grass every chance she got!

The first bath she seemed to get relief from. Second bath no change from before and after. She was already in the middle of an itching frenzy which triggered me giving her a bath trying to soothe her :(

how do i build up immunity?

Has she always been? or did it suddenly start?

it was a sudden thing... she ate chicken based kibble when we first got her.. i'd say.... 8 months ago or so we realized she had allergies and i was home cooking at this time and just started eliminating things and it was night and day when we cut out the chicken.. and it is her FAVORITE food so it was painful for us both but she is MUCH better now... even if i try to give her chicken (turkey is the same) for a snack.. she pays for it so as much as she loves it... she doesn't get it anymore

well the first reaction came after eating chicken but i cannot remember exactly how long...

Now this weekend she seemed to be clearing up and I gave her chicken saturday and OMG she was HORRIBLE saturday night. NOTHING gave her relief NOTHING! she bit itched and dug at herself all night! Well no more chicken that for sure and i guess i will just give her her last 1/2 prednisone....and her antihistamine and see what happens.

Well I just spoke to tannar who is on serious doggie sitting duty and the good news is Bella has not itched all day he says. Im going to hold off giving her anymore meds until bedtime and see if she even itches at all. I hate giving meds AT ALL so hard to tell side effects from symptoms I get so flustered and desperate. This still doesnt explain her not wanting to walk in grass anymore but maybe her lil feet itch and she doesnt like the feeling of grass?? She is VERY weird about her feet. Im going to concentrate on building up her immune system and getting my happy lil girl back!

Being she does have a spot thats an open sore I may give her antibiotics and that may also help her immune system??? Think that would be ok?

*sigh* isn't it just horribly painful to watch them suffer... i HATE it, and like you i hate giving Layla meds - even just bendryl, but you want to do what will make them better. I sure hope that Chicken was Bella's problem and she is done feeling crappy. poor sweet girl.

I would say yes to the antibiotics only because you don't want the sore becoming infected... like you need ANOTHER thing to deal with.. so i'd just rather be safe than sorry.

Okay...we spent an hour at the vets office and I learned a TON!! We didnt do a skin scrap as he said he would be happy to do it and charge me but he is almost certain its not mites being the prednisone and antihistamines are working if it was mites I would see no relief. Diggy doesnt have them...and even if she does have them the treatment is a dose of revolution! Pretty simple and if I cannot figure out this allergy by the time her heartworm and flea med is due Im just going to go ahead and use the revolution :) Seemed simple enough (i just pray it is :rolleyes:) In my heart I am thinking its one of 2 things....Chicken or Grass. I have taken all food away that contains chicken. Step 1 I guess. after a few days being chicken free I am going to ween her off her prednisone, if itching comes back...back to the prednisone and try something else. She is only on 1mg of pred a day so it is a low dose for her size and isnt as harsh as the higher dose of 2mg a day. Some dogs take 4mg but thats when ya run into long term issues and side effects. he says this low of a dose is very safe for a bit and it definately helps her. She gets NO treats besides baby carrots she is okay with that. I really have to limit what she gets in order for this elimination process to work.

A few days chicken free shouldn't really do anything at all. It takes at least 60 days for most dogs to get over a food allergy...

As for just using Revolution for the next heartworm treatment and not testing, I asked the vet about doing that with Ellie once to make sure she didn't have mites and the vet agreed that was a good idea. I didn't end up doing it because after awhile it was obvious that it was food but that is a good way to go...

I understand it will take awhile for the food allergy to go away but he said the violent outbreaks should halt in a few days (week or so). See not only is she itching, but she literally breaks out in quarter size hives, which she rips the hair out of, and then scratches raw...that should stop. I know the itches will remain but the constant intake of chicken being stopped should help this come to an end...or at least slow it. If I see no change and still violent outbreaks....it's not the chicken.

The mites, honestly I will probably go with revolution anyway. she will be due in 2 weeks so i should know a lot more by then. Diggy reacted to revolution before...Bella did not. So I am hoping she wont this time either. I just hope this gets better soon.....Im very tired of seeing her suffer.