Baldy, itchy and rashy
 

So I think I have finally worked out how to share pictures on ipad with you so you can see some images of poor wee Alfie and his terrible skin problems.

First signs of baldness
http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...ps36268e04.jpg

Getting much worse but still not seeming to itch or bother him and pulling Evra round the floor
http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...ps37703f4a.jpg

All I wanted for Christmas was for the vet to confirm from skin scraping that it was mites that they hadn't picked up before
http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8d34bea4.jpg

Then the rash got much worse after 2 courses of anti biotics and steroids
http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...ps576c34d2.jpg

The rash has gone now after injected parasite treatment but poor baby only gets limited relief when we cover him with thick ointment
http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...psba353a5b.jpg

Tonight
 

Being a good boy at bedtime.
http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...psa1db965d.jpg
And getting caught outwitting his collar for a quick nip at his thighs
http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...psb904f86f.jpg

I just want to cry, all the time.

Poor guy. Were they able to diagnose something from the skin scrapping?

Looks like Princess at the begin of a flea allergy break out only she also gets those nasty hot spots.

I'm so sorry you are all going through this.

Have you tried an ACV rub yet?

Poor baby. I hope he can get compete relief.

Unfortunately not, he just had his second shot for parasites, he is scheduled for two more, but this is really a just in case and I dont want him to take any more steroids until we can rule out as much as possible. I am at my wits end and poor baby is limited to just his dry food, no treats, no dairy and bottled water. I have tried to eliminate as much as possible from his diet to figure it out, he gets good quality dry food and right now the only common element I haven't eliminated is rice so salmon and potato is the next trial, it juSt takes so long to give hIm a single food then introduce the next test.
He is such a hunny bunny and I wish I could make him better.

You should really try both DE, and alternating ACV and raw cold pressed coconut oil topically.

Hi there, thank you, but I don't understand your abbreviations can you explain a bit more what you mean please?

Sorry!

DE- (ONLYorganic food grade diatomaceous earth)

ACV-Apple Cider Vinegar (with mother's meaning a type not brand) must be organic.

Raw cold pressed coconut oil is just a type of processing preserving natural properties in cocnut oil-this is also food grade sold as a food suppliment for people.

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...in-issues.html


Here I replied with the method we use.

Thank you for explaining, we don't have the same terms or products in UK, so I will do some research to find similar. He has always been on good quality food - free from beef, pork, soya, wheat, eggs and Dairy, other than that he got some titbits of freshly cooked beef, chicken and lamb, scrambled egg sometimes and tiny bits of cheese or cheese treats for training, he likes green beans and carrots, but I am afraid to give him anything at all now apart from one specific dry at a time trying to introduce a different type gradually to see if there is any relief.
I have worked to change his environment too, changed to a non bio washing powder, hypoallergenic cleaning sprays, hugely reduced the detergent in my mop bucket, changed his shampoos using aloe Vera then coal tar as I can't seem to find oatmeal here.

Sorry for going on so much and thank you for your help, at this stage I am willing to look at anything, he is so sweet and loving but I just know he is miserable and doesn't know why I am being so cruel, not giving treats or tasty food and making him wear baby socks and a collar.

Not at all, you are dealing with something most people or dogs don't have to.
I think watching ingredients is the best course of action.
Please continue to update.
You're in N.Ireland there's a friend of mine there who uses ACV, DE & coconut oil, if you have trouble finding it I'll email him to see where he gets his from, he's just south if Belfast if that helps.

Awww.... What a Pumpkin!!

I can only imagine how frustrating that most be!! :(
I hope you can find some relief and answers soon..

Thank you for the offer, I will research over the weekend and let you know if I don't come up with anything.
It is a great help just knowing that other people have this type of issue and I am not just the worlds worst doggie carer. :o

No prob, glad to help.

You're not a bad person owned by a dog...parasites happen, no matter how clean you are, and allergies are awful too and often very problematic, nasty looking until the cause can be found-sometimes if ever.

OMG, that poor baby :(. And poor you, bc I know your heart is breaking seeing him like this.

My Wylie had ongoing skin issues...went on and on. His vet at the time was pretty much useless. Finally, feeling desperate, I decided to take him to Vet Dermatologist -- and that was just a miracle. Vet Derms can deal w/ complicated skin issues as experts, whereas generalist vets really can't...it's just not their expertise. When skin issues are ongoing, that's a good time to seek out a Vet Derm. Do you have these where you are?

I'm not sure what you mean by "parasite injection" - what do you mean? Also, was a skin scraping done and a culture done (culture would take about 10 days to grow)? What were the results? Did the bacteria scraping/slide show 'staph intermedius' or 'pyoderma'...does that ring a bell?

Also, when skin issues are ongoing - thyroid should be considered/checked. Also at this point, I'd want a skin biopsy done; sometimes, mites will burrow into the skin - and so the dog will test negative for mites - however, when a biopsy is done, the mites will be seen.

This is the Vet Derm I see - and the link I'm posting goes over some case studies and has pictures...maybe read some of these to see if something reminds you of what your kiddo is going through: Frequently Asked Questions | Dermatology for Animals

Please keep us posted, and keep posting about this - bc you never know when a member will come up with a piece of the puzzle for you, I've seen that happen so many times. :)

I believe there is only one vet dermatology clinic here and that is the next step.
Alfie was not itchy when he stared losing his hair and as my husband had just cut a few matts out (I wasn't at home when he did this) I just thought he w a very bad barber. As Alfie was still so young and at 14 weeks growing all the time so when the bald patch looked bigger we thought it was just because he was growing so much, he still wasn't showing any signs of bad itching or any rash at all.
We were attending the vet regularly anyway for his flea and worm treatment so asked about it on the next visit and got an additional topical mite treatment.
It was after that that things got worse and he started itching and rashing so has been on 2 courses of antibiotics and steroids, the first steroids seemed to stop the itching but the second one didn't. He then got a course of antihistamines and when that didn't work got a second skin scraping (no mites found in either)
So now he is getting a mite treatment shot every 2 weeks to completely ripple this out before we see the vet derm.
As he is only 23 weeks old now it has taken time to try the different treatments always thinking one would work.
The rash has completely gone now apart from scaly red wrinkly blotches at his armpits from licking, he can flare this up really quickly as we try to keep his collar on most of the time, he knows he is not supposed to so he will jump into his bed on the floor to hide lick and scratch when is almost always sitting on my husband or me. The hair is growing back well and is very White as is his head so his new colouring is coming through.
His hair is quite thin all over and the White is really soft, when he matts it is like the black puppy hair is strangling the White fluffy hair.
More recently he has been rubbing and scratching his eyes and muzzle as soon as he gets a collar break. He loves us to scratch his face but hates getting it combed, he gets combed every day.
If current treatment doesnt work our vet will refer us for the derm.
I am hoping he is not allergic to my two birds a cockatiel and a budgie.
As far as environment I have changed everything I can think of and have tried moving the birds to the kitchen, but as he has full access to the ground floor he goes in to visit the pm anyway cos he loves watching them.

Here's something that just came to mind after reading above. I'm not sure if you use the same mite stuff that we do in the U.S. - but here, following a regimen of treating for mites - a systemic yeast infection is pretty much guaranteed. In fact, many vets tell their clients that it's pretty much a give that yeast will develop following completion of mite treatment.

So, maybe it'd help to do a current skin culture of the skin, grow it out for 10 days and see if yeast is present. If it is, vets here will usually treat systemic yeast w/ Diflucan (fluconazole) for a couple weeks.

I hope you go to that vet derm - vet derms are simply amazing!

Thanks for this feedback. I have been researching thyroid issues, I am not sure if the fact he humps his blanket a lot is a factor here, he has done this since about 10 weeks old, which seems very young. He is six months old today poor wee thing. The mite treatment has been the most recent but I will talk to the vet about thyroid and yeast next visit.