My dog has a really bad rash on her legs, stomach, head. Anyone know what it is?

Question

I took my dog to the vet recently. She had a really bad rash on her head and joints and a bit on her stomach. He gave me some meds and said to wait a few weeks. Her head is a lot better but joints are getting worse... she is chewing all the hair off. Has anyone had a dog that has done this? What was it? The vet didn't tell me too much about what it could be. Any tips to make me feel better or help the pup would be appreciated. I am taking her back to the vet in a week but some peace of mind that she will get better will help. Thanks.

I would just like to reiterate that she is on meds and i am taking her back to the vet in a week. I am just wondering what this is.

Also... I don't want anyone to think i am trying to diagnose anything online that i know nothing about... i just want to know if anyone has any ideas (pet owners that have had this problem/breeders/etc.) so i will have an idea of what is going on. The vet specificaly told me not to take her back till next tuesday to give the meds a chance to work (they are slowly weeding out ideas of what it could be). So I am not being irresponsible, I am just trying to get some clarification on posibilities so, again, i know what i may be dealing with. I am sorry for any confusion on that. Thank you again for any comments.

Answer 1

If the vet didn't tell you much, I would seek a second opinion. Vets are suppossed to educate you, as well as treat your pet. If you can find and afford a dermatologist vet, that will be your best bet, and sometimes cheaper in the long run. If you have an university with a vet school near, they normally have specialists, or you can call them and ask for a closer referral.

Did your vet did any diagnostics or went straight for the meds? what type of med? steroids (pednisone), a shot, antibiotics?

Did the vet do any skin scrappings? That is the first thing to do. If not, change vet. Mange can be dx by skin scrappings, but if overlooked and treated with steroids will make things slightly better at first, and then make things much much worse later.

Any odor coming from the rash? any open wounds? possibly bacterial or fungal infections.

How long has this been going on? Does she has fleas? Any change in food? Have you changed carpet lately, or cleaned her bed with a different cleaner? Maybe contact dermatitis or allergies.

How old is she? many endocrine disorders like hypothyroidism or cushing's cause skin problems, and they start to come up later in life.

Is really difficult to diagnose some skin problems in dogs, vitually impossible in the internet without looking at her. If your vet didn't do any skin scrappings, or she is getting worse, I'd change vets, preferably to a dermatologist. For now, I'd find a mild shampoo and clean her w cool water. If you find a shampoo with chlorhexidine in it, the better. Once correctly diagnosed, most conditions clear up when the correct treatment is given.

Good luck to you and your baby!!!!

Answer 2

Maybe check out another vet for a second opinion.It is possible that it is just a fungus or a thing called rain rot.Dogs and horses get these.You can go to a feed store that has products for pets and livestock.I work at one and we have so many dogs that have this problem and it can be so many things.We are not vets but we learn alot about the products we sale.We carry a product that is called Fungisan and others like it.It is a mild cream that you apply to the affected area and also help hair grow back.It runs around $8 bucks.Now Im not saying that is what it is but it is worth a shot.Also you need to be careful of the shampoos and flea sprays and dips you use on your pets.Watch the Hartz products.They cause alot of problems with skin irratations.Look on bottle and look at the age limits on every product you use.Most products you have on the market are for puppies that are 12 weeks or older.But try another vet or take the pup back to your vet if it is no better.Small dogs have very sensative skin.Good luck hun.Hope you lil one gets better.;-)

Answer 3

OK, as long as your taking her back next week I'll take a shot at this.
It sounds like she's having an allergic reaction to something. I've had several dogs of all breeds who were allergic to everything from fleas to shampoo. I even had one mixed breed that was allergic to my son's aftershave. My vet usually does a scraping to make sure its not a mite or some other type of parasite or infection and if that comes back neg. he'll start a course of antihistamines.
There have been a few times when a particularly bad reaction has made a steroid shot or two necessary. If your dog ends up getting the steroids be aware that they can make some major changes to your dogs personality. Most will almost triple their water intake for about a month after the shot and yes that means they'll have to be walked three times as often. Some dogs have mood swings,get hyper,some will seemed depressed and some will act like nothings happened. Just be aware so you know what to look for and expect. And remember that just like people, when the med.s have worked their way out of her system she'll get back to being herself.
If its a flea bite allergy you'll have to fumigate your house to get rid of them and start using a good flea treatment like Advantage. Your vet will be able to recommend the best one for your pet. While your asking about flea treatments you might want to ask about Brewers Yeast. My vet has recommended it for several of my dogs and it seems to help calm the reaction down quite a bit. You can buy it in pill or powder form at the pet store and I've never had a dog that seemed to mind taking it.

Answer 4

First off, as an avid dog lover, owner of five dogs (three rescues) and former vet assistant, I have to tell you this : GO TO ANOTHER VET! Any vet that says wait a few weeks needs to have their lisence pulled. They should have done a follow up in a few days.
Now, to make you feel better: believe it or not dogs suffer from allergies just like humans. They can be allergic to grass even! Or certain types of food. This will cause rash as you described, pink skin, even fur loss. The chewing is because of irritation. But if your dog continues to chew it will then turn into what is known as a "hot spot" and then you have another problem to treat. As best you can, keep your dog from bothering the spot and take your dog to the vet as soon as possible. No one can make a proper diagnoses without examining your dog. But, usually there is no emergency unless you see the following symptoms, loss of appetite (it's normal for dogs to skip a meal occasionally) lethargy( no energy, won't move) Vomiting (again, its normal for a dog to vomit on occasion but would be of concern if they are already ill) Check their stool. And for your pets sake, take a stool sample with you when you go to the vet, this will save your pet a lot of discomfort...hope this helps...

Answer 5

It sounds like a food allergy. You were right to take him off the steroids. They are a very bad idea. They will not solve the problem and can potentially cause horrible diseases. Itching is never a good reason to give them. I cant understand why so many vets will give them for allergies. You can try Benedryll for the itching it is much safer than steroids. But ask your vet first. But still it is not a solution. Definitely try switching to a grain free diet. That includes wheat, corn, rice, oatmeal, barley, etc. The brands you are using contain a lot of grains so give grain free a try. If that doesn't work I would consider switching to a raw diet as they are the most allergen free. I would also keep up with the baths the vet prescribed as they are very soothing to itchy skin.

Answer 6

take her back to that same vet. a diagnosis online will do you NO GOOD. the wrong medication may make her worse. TAKE HER BACK TO THE VET!!!!!!