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Post by puppypal on Aug 2, 2013 17:55:00 GMT
I don't think you have much choice - expensive tests and hopefully dignosis and correct treatment - or - watch your beloved dog suffer? I think he's been suffering from various things for quite a time. It sounds like it. Poor Barley  EDIT: PP, can you remind us all how long Barley has been suffering from these awful allergies? I can't remember very rightly... was it before the old YD Forum? x i think for about 2 years now, it started early last year or even last the year before that, yes it was before the old YD forum as i also mentioned about it on there |
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Post by tonib on Aug 2, 2013 18:06:10 GMT
PP was he itchy whilst on holiday?
I think in your posts about the holiday you mentioned that your were going to bathe him to get rid of the salt in his coat. it may sound a silly question, how often do you bathe him? I'm going back years to whwn I was a child & thinks have changed since then but we only bathed our dogs if they were mucky & then usually only the mucky bits. Maybe we were lucky & only had clean dogs - although one wasn't but that pigsty another story!
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Itching
Aug 2, 2013 18:12:58 GMT
via mobile
Post by charlottte on Aug 2, 2013 18:12:58 GMT
If there's no cause for it, it could be stress or have just turned into a habit.
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Post by puppypal on Aug 2, 2013 20:29:20 GMT
PP was he itchy whilst on holiday? I think in your posts about the holiday you mentioned that your were going to bathe him to get rid of the salt in his coat. it may sound a silly question, how often do you bathe him? I'm going back years to whwn I was a child & thinks have changed since then but we only bathed our dogs if they were mucky & then usually only the mucky bits. Maybe we were lucky & only had clean dogs - although one wasn't but that pigsty another story! He does not get bathed very often, a couple times a year, only really when his coat is looking very dull, or a mini wash when he has rolled in something disgusting |
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Post by puppypal on Aug 2, 2013 20:34:25 GMT
If there's no cause for it, it could be stress or have just turned into a habit. I have thought that it might be stress but i don't know what he would be stressing about, as it all came on very suddenly and there had been no changes. he does have a habit of chewing his paws but not to much extent as the other areas, but they may be due to the fact that there is a lot more hair covering the area except on the bottom of his feet which is also where he chews, and it become an obsession once his feet are sore |
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Post by scallywag on Aug 2, 2013 20:56:30 GMT
PP I think you might need to maybe look at all the treatments you are applying ( as we discussed ) one may be not reacting well with the other and triggering off some of the problems, everything you apply eventually gets into the blood stream ( I think, correct me if I am wrong ) it is like me taking an antihistamine then doubling up with another brand so I don't get heat rash, am I making sense ?  |
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Post by migsy on Aug 2, 2013 21:14:40 GMT
When Skip had terrible itching problem a couple of years ago,it was distressing for him,and also for us to witness his discomfort.Within minutes,we would find clumps of fur, and raw patches on his skin,it was truly horrible.I had my suspicions that carpets in a holiday cottage had been treated with some chemicals,but couldn't be sure.Our vet didn't mess about with skin scraping,he gave him a jab of steroid which stopped the itching very quickly.He needed another around 4or5 weeks later,and has been fine ever since,thank goodness.I suppose if they hadn't worked,the vet would have done skin scrapings,which can be unpleasant for the dog.I bought Yumega Plus,which has superb ingredients to help get his skin and coat back to it's usual condition.Hope Barley gets sorted soon P.P.It really sounds like trip to vet is needed rather than experiment with different things that may not work for him,and may just prolong his distress(and yours).Good luck.
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Post by puppypal on Aug 2, 2013 21:21:50 GMT
PP I think you might need to maybe look at all the treatments you are applying ( as we discussed ) one may be not reacting well with the other and triggering off some of the problems, everything you apply eventually gets into the blood stream ( I think, correct me if I am wrong ) it is like me taking an antihistamine then doubling up with another brand so I don't get heat rash, am I making sense ? i do get what you mean, at the moment he is only on piriton, joint stuff, CLO and salmon oil. But we are going to stop the piriton when we run out as a packet only last him 10 days and it costs and £3 for a packet and they are not having a great effect |
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Post by caz2golden on Aug 2, 2013 21:38:45 GMT
I am coming to my wits end with barley's itching, as far as we know there is no cause for it, when i think we are on top of it, i find he has new scabs and red patches where he has started itching in a different place. he is on piriton which reduced his itching to start of with but the effect has worn off. Putting him on a grain free diet worked but again the effect has worn off, he definitely has no fleas, our washing powder has not changed, his beds and collars have all been washed, he has been bathed in soothing shampoo and nothing is working. in the summer his skin is itchy and in the winter his paws are itchy, other than taking him to the vet for expensive tests and stuff is there anything else we can try, such as supplements or something else along these lines. The vet suggested piriton and the does to use, which is 1 4mg tablet three times a day
Are the antihistamines suppose to be used long term or just occasionally? i.e is the vet telling you and advising you to keep him on these all the time?
Just cos you treat with flea stuff does not mean you are flea free as a flea jumping on and biting is enough to make some dogs react. As others have pointed out there are more things than fleas such as mites which your flea treatment may not cover.
The vet sounds like a sensible option to me. You should inform vet of all the food you give him including the supplements and anything else you are suspicious of which he comes into contact with. Dont forget to provide info on the flea and worming treatments you are using.
I know you need to convince your parents though, perhaps offer to do without pocket money or going nice places which involve using petrol (and get the petrol money into a fund) till Barley gets treated will get your folks to sit up and take notice that you seriously want to get to the bottom of Barley's health issues.
You could try keeping a diary of everything Barley does
i.e
exactly what you feed him (down to that human snack of a crisp or bit of toast)
Where you walk
Weather
When house chores are done (i.e is scratching worse after the kitchen floor is disinfected etc)
This may help to identify his trigger points
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Post by scallywag on Aug 2, 2013 21:45:29 GMT
I was thinking more on the lines of the different creams and sprays , maybe someone on here might know more than we do, and what I was suggesting is that they maybe interacting with each other, just maybe ? Give it a try, I am sure if you list what you are using, that no one will come on here and judge you, if they do then I will speak out, its a long shot but we may get educated, and may also benefit Barley in the long run eh ? Xx
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Post by orpheous87 on Aug 2, 2013 22:27:16 GMT
Every other time you have mentioned Barley's itching, I have recommended Yumega Plus and I'm going to recommend it again.
Pepper used to scratch ALL the time. We had a constant backdrop of her collar jangling, which annoyed us and whatever was causing the itching was obviously annoying her enough to make her scratch. Within 3 weeks or so of starting Yumega Plus, the scratching lessened and after another couple of weeks, stopped altogether. A dog of Barley's size will need more than Pepper does, but I really do think it's worth the expense.
Like Caz said though, I would review all the other supplements that you give before adding anything else to the mix. You need to be sure that they're not all counteracting each other, otherwise it's pointless you continuing to give them. You're just wasting money if they're all clashing and having no effect. I would especially stop giving salmon oil if you start with Yumega Plus because the Yumega contains salmon oil.
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Post by BorderTerrier on Aug 3, 2013 8:45:21 GMT
It sounds like it. Poor Barley EDIT: PP, can you remind us all how long Barley has been suffering from these awful allergies? I can't remember very rightly... was it before the old YD Forum? x i think for about 2 years now, it started early last year or even last the year before that, yes it was before the old YD forum as i also mentioned about it on there I do remember that now. |
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Post by gladys on Aug 10, 2013 16:46:00 GMT
I thought you were going to try Yumega plus??
Are you going raw at weekends still? Could you give raw every meal for a while and see what happens? What is his currant food intake?
I agree with Caz that a food diary would be a good idea.
As I've told you before Cooper gets seasonal allergies in the Autumn and summer and he has food allergies too.
I have found what works for him without having to go see the vet for tests but if what I have tried didn't work I would have paid for the blood tests.
I think the vet said it would be around £200 but I guess you should check what is being tested for before agreeing.
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Post by caz2golden on Aug 10, 2013 17:35:31 GMT
I have just had a quote of £180 for seeing a dermatologist gladys so the £200 guess is about right. However mine is for totally different reasons as you know gladys    |
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Post by gladys on Aug 10, 2013 18:46:52 GMT
I have just had a quote of £180 for seeing a dermatologist gladys so the £200 guess is about right. However mine is for totally different reasons as you know gladys Yeah Thanks Caz, I thought it was about that. And I think you have a choice to see what's tested. I would have gone down that route if my own investigations failed. |
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Aug 11, 2024 20:01:15 GMT
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