Skin Problems

[bernie435]

Our 11 year old is starting to have skin problems...the vet says it is a staph infection, we give her the meds and when the meds run out the infection comes back. It is dry, scaley skin that seems to itch and hurt at the same time....I was thinking that maybe we could supplement her diet or change her food or something...giving pills all the time cannot be good for her.
Does anyone have a suggestion????
Thanks

[RDB911]

Hi
Welcome to the group

Have you tried coconut oil?

Here's a thread I started with an article that talks about the benefits of coco oil

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...s-article.html

Hope you find the answers you're looking for...

[LDandPasquale]

If you apply Aloe to a dog's skin..it helps soothe the irritation. I went thru this with my siberian husky...and its EXHAUSTING trying to find out whats wrong. The doctors never figured it out...but i noticed he did well when i gave him benedryl everyday. I thought it was environmental cause it only happened during certain months. We went thru all the thyroid testing ...it wasnt that. I wish you good luck cause i know what you're going thru...its awful.

[dwerten]

Originally Posted by bernie435

Our 11 year old is starting to have skin problems...the vet says it is a staph infection, we give her the meds and when the meds run out the infection comes back. It is dry, scaley skin that seems to itch and hurt at the same time....I was thinking that maybe we could supplement her diet or change her food or something...giving pills all the time cannot be good for her.
Does anyone have a suggestion????
Thanks

get to a dermatologist and also have a thyroid panel done as due to age your dog may have hypothyroid which goes along with skin issues especially since your dog has not had allergies prior correct?

The reason the antibiotic is not working is for skin issues they have to be given for 25 days and sometimes more. Mine is on second round as after 25 days it came back 3 weeks later so now she is on day 30 and we are using clindamyacin. Are you using simplicef as that is the first one of choice? If the staff came back then your vet should have done a skin culture sent to lab and got a antibiotic sensitivity test to get the exact antibiotic to kill it.

Also you need to bath weekly in chlorhexedine shampoo or benzoyl shampoo - chlorhexedine is milder but both are very drying of the skin but it will kill it topically - are you doing this ?

[dwerten]

Originally Posted by LDandPasquale

If you apply Aloe to a dog's skin..it helps soothe the irritation. I went thru this with my siberian husky...and its EXHAUSTING trying to find out whats wrong. The doctors never figured it out...but i noticed he did well when i gave him benedryl everyday. I thought it was environmental cause it only happened during certain months. We went thru all the thyroid testing ...it wasnt that. I wish you good luck cause i know what you're going thru...its awful.

first you have to rule out thyroid though due to the age of this dog if it is an all of a sudden issue that could be the culprit then if not you can move on - also cushings is another thing that needs to be considered due to age so i would get to a dermatologist after having a thyroid panel and have your dog looked at as using antibiotics over and over and not the correct one can make it worse as staph is difficult to get rid of as i have been dealing with it for the first time and very frustrating and we go to a dermatologist and my dog is hypothyroid but has horrible allergies as well

dermatologists know more about skin issues than regular vets

[LDandPasquale]

Originally Posted by dwerten

dermatologists know more about skin issues than regular vets

This is absolutely true! i wouldnt waste time seeing your regular vet...id go to a dermatologist!! That was the mistake i made...i kick myself now for all the years i put my dog and myself thru with agony! The faster you get down to the route of the problem..the faster it will be dealt with and you wont drive yourself batty!

[Baby Pepper]

I didn't know there were pet dermatologists... How did you find one? I wonder if there are any in Australia.

Good luck with finding a treatment that works.
G

[dwerten]

Originally Posted by Baby Pepper

I didn't know there were pet dermatologists... How did you find one? I wonder if there are any in Australia.

Good luck with finding a treatment that works.
G

here is where you find a dermatologist in your area

https://www.acvd.org/

[Baby Pepper]

Originally Posted by dwerten

here is where you find a dermatologist in your area

https://www.acvd.org/

You are AMAZING. Thank you so much!
There is a dermatologist in Sydney. Must contact, because my little baby has very itchy skin at the moment.
Thanks again.
G

[dwerten]

Originally Posted by Baby Pepper

You are AMAZING. Thank you so much!
There is a dermatologist in Sydney. Must contact, because my little baby has very itchy skin at the moment.
Thanks again.
G

you are so welcome hope they can help

[Islandcanine]

Originally Posted by RDB911

Hi
Welcome to the group

Have you tried coconut oil?

Can I just add that coconut oil is HIGH in saturated fats.

Why not try an omega 3 (flax seed and fish) oil supplement?

Maybe suggest this to the dermatologist if they haven't already.

Best of luck!

[RDB911]

Originally Posted by Islandcanine

Can I just add that coconut oil is HIGH in saturated fats.

Why not try an omega 3 (flax seed and fish) oil supplement?

Maybe suggest this to the dermatologist if they haven't already.

Best of luck!

Here's some info/links on saturated fats...not all saturated fats are bad for you.

Isn't coconut oil a saturated fat, and isn't saturated fat bad for you?

Yes, coconut oil is a saturated fat, but not all saturated fat is bad for you. It is not the kind doctors warn you about. Coconut oil is one of the world's few saturated-fat vegetable oils. Recently, saturated fats have been getting a second look, because it turns out that not all saturated fats are the same. The saturated fatty acids found in butter, cream, and some meats are palmitic acid and myristic acid, and have been linked to a higher risk of heart disease. However, coconut oil does not contain these fatty acids, and instead contains lauric acid, stearic acid (also found in dark chocolate), capric and caprylic acid. Unlike palmitic acid and myristic acid (the saturated fat culprits) these acids behave differently in the body, and research show that they do not raise heart disease risk. In fact, it has been proven to be good for you. CocoTherapy® coconut oil is all natural and pure, and is not hydrogenated, and is rich in lauric, capric and caprylic acids.

Coconut Oil

CocoTherapy - Amazing Coconut Oil

[Islandcanine]

Originally Posted by RDB911

Here's some info/links on saturated fats...not all saturated fats are bad for you.

Excellent! and hey, thanks! I have recently started cooking with coconut oil but recently heard about the saturated fat factor. Your post has enlightened me and I thank you for that!

I wonder if you are able to comment on flax seeds in dog food.
I have recently put my dog on a new kibble. Right on the package, it says "Contains No Flax Seeds". I am wondering why that is. Are flax seed bad for dogs? A possible hazard to their intestines etc?

The food is Orijen.

Thanks again for your response!

[RDB911]

Originally Posted by Islandcanine

Excellent! and hey, thanks! I have recently started cooking with coconut oil but recently heard about the saturated fat factor. Your post has enlightened me and I thank you for that!

I wonder if you are able to comment on flax seeds in dog food.
I have recently put my dog on a new kibble. Right on the package, it says "Contains No Flax Seeds". I am wondering why that is. Are flax seed bad for dogs? A possible hazard to their intestines etc?

The food is Orijen.

Thanks again for your response!

Sorry I will have to look on the web...not sure if flax seed is safe or not??

I hope it is because the kibble I feed contain it...

Maybe someone else can help us out??

[dwerten]

Originally Posted by Islandcanine

Excellent! and hey, thanks! I have recently started cooking with coconut oil but recently heard about the saturated fat factor. Your post has enlightened me and I thank you for that!

I wonder if you are able to comment on flax seeds in dog food.
I have recently put my dog on a new kibble. Right on the package, it says "Contains No Flax Seeds". I am wondering why that is. Are flax seed bad for dogs? A possible hazard to their intestines etc?

The food is Orijen.

Thanks again for your response!

it is bad for allergy dogs yet in many dog foods many allergy dogs are allergic to flax as is mine

i have used coconut oil for a couple years and dd has blood work twice a year and her triglycerides are not elevated so i do not think coconut oil is of concern - I believe it is a medium chain fatty acids and metabolizes differently in the body

now that beind said I would not give it to my pancreatitis yorkie for sure even though i have read it is safe for them as well but i am overly cautious and believe while rare fatty acids can trigger pancreatitis in dogs prone so i steer clear of it in dex but dd has taken it