OK, he's about 1 1/2 yrs old now and he's constantly chewing at his hind quarters. So much so, that on occasion it not only has bald spots but is raw and bleeding. I don't know what else to do.
I don't think it's fleas because he's on that monthly flea stuff. I've stopped bathing him with harsh (flea,dandruff) soaps.
I've changed his food to Purina One, more of a meat based food then grain.
I give him Brewers Yeast w/garlic daily.
He ALWAYS has a bone to chew......
HELP PLEASE!!!!!
2007-05-21 15:58:11 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
It's not Mange, for sure.
My vet keeps bringing us in for random tests and whatnot and he can't tell me what exactly it is.
2007-05-21 16:23:52 · update #1
He doesn't get table scraps either.
2007-05-21 16:27:05 · update #2
His coat is lush and shiny and thick except for the spots he's chewed...He's such a big boy that I think he can only reach the spots he's already chewing on.
2007-05-21 20:01:54 · update #3
It could possibly be fleas. More likely though is allergies. Stop the brewers yeast as he may very well be allergic to it. Try a better food such as Canidae, Verus, or Timberwolf Orgaics. They have no grain fractions, no corn, no wheat, and no soy. Those are the major allegens and they are present in your dog's current food. Remember the foods I recommended require less to maintain the dog's weight so don't overfeed. Stop all treats (if you must give treats then dehydrate or bake some chicken livers and beef hearts but add NOTHING to them). No table scraps either until you find out what he is allergic to. It can take up to eight weeks for allergens to completely leave the dog's system. For now, ask the vet if you can give him some Benedryl and how much. You should have him in for a check-up anyway just to make sure nothing serious is going on. Also, bathe him with COOL water (warm and hot will actually irritate the skin more) and a CANINE shampoo specifically for allergies. After that, any time he comes in from outside, wipe him off completely with a damp cloth just in case there are allergens outside that are getting on his skin and bothering him. Make sure to get the paws and the skin inside the ears as well. Good luck with him.
2007-05-21 16:05:49 · answer #1 · answered by Erica Lynn 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If a dog is in this much distress, why haven't you taken him to a trained veterinarian????
What I would do is this:
1. Stop all bathing!!
2. Change food to something digestible! Purina has never been a "meat based" food (Feed ONLY the food for a minimum of 60 days - no treats - no biscuits - no bones) This will allow you to pinpoint a true food allergy.
3. Use witch hazel on the areas where he is chewing (possibly have him wear a cone)
4. Get him on prednisone for 30 days minimum to reduce the inflammation and itchiness and possibly an antibiotic incase the areas he's chewing are now infected
Good Luck
2007-05-21 16:31:43 · answer #2 · answered by Kimmie 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My pit has had the same problem, he is allergic to flea bites, and he also is on the flea stuff. I put some bacon grease on his dog food 1-2 times a week, It has really helped, his coat is shiny and his fur is back. He also looked like he had the mange
2007-05-21 16:32:06 · answer #3 · answered by gfrog82 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't know if this will help, but I had the same problem with my Pitt. It was an irritation due to flea saliva. I know that you said that your dog is on the monthly, but what kind of flea medication is he on? Advantage is the best (In my opinion.) Did you start giving him the medication after you noticed the problem? If so, he may need a cortisone* shot from the vet. *I don't know if this is the correct spelling. This fixed my problem and had him back to chewing on everything else except himself.
2007-05-21 16:08:31 · answer #4 · answered by Smoking Bull 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I would try California Natural dog food. Its kind of pricey, but made from all natural ingredients. You could also go to a pet store (I like family owned, non corporate stores) and tell them whats going on. They could suggest to you a dog food that might help. Purina One isn't as good as people think, its just marketed to appear better, even though its cheaply made.
But first I would talk to your vet. Your dog might be allergic to something in the food that your not aware of such as: corn, wheat, etc. If you can't get you dog to a vet soon, buy him one of those cones to put on his head. That will stop him from chewing on himself for awhile.
Hope this helps...
2007-05-21 16:09:40 · answer #5 · answered by MissB 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My APBT had the same problems. Turned out she is allergic to meat products. I have been feeding her Eukanuba F/P (fish and potato), there are other brands, and she is much better. The food is not cheap, $60.00 for 30 lbs. Also when I bathe her I use a medicated shampoo by Malaseb. You can only get it from a vet.
2007-05-21 17:16:06 · answer #6 · answered by Tin Can Sailor 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Could still be food allergies, most purina products contain corn which is often a cause of allergies. Try a corn and wheat-free food like canidae.
Also I would have the vet do a scraping and check for mange.
2007-05-21 16:08:57 · answer #7 · answered by Karen W 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
To house break a dog, the best thing to do is whenever you see them going in the house, immediately pick up your dog and bring it outside. Don't correct them or anything, but praise them when they're done going outside. Your dog will quickly learn that that needs to be done outside, not inside. They have special bite creams at many pharmacies or pet stores that you can spread on objects that your dog likes to chew on. Also don't forget toys! Especially with pitbulls make sure that the toys are tough rubber. (There are many brands specialized for dogs with sharp teeth) Don't get any soft toys because they will be reduced to shreads in a few days.
2016-04-01 01:40:35 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My roomates' pitt had the same problem and it ended up being a food allergy. They gave her some medicine to help get her over it and advised them to feed her only salmon or lamb based foods as they are usually an allergy to beef, pork, or chicken.
2007-05-21 22:34:09 · answer #9 · answered by Stacey 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Likely the Purina One.. It's not a good dogfood at all, NONE of the ones from the grocery store are good, not even decent.
Forget Iams, Beneful, All Purina, Eukanuba, Kibbles n Bits, Ol Roy, Pedigree, Science Diet etc.. They are all garbage foods that are preserved with cancer causing BHA/BHT or ethoxyquin, or cancer causing dyes, or use a Synthetic Vitamin K which makes the body not be able to normally use K from other sources. Horrible foods..
Some of them have sugars that your dog gets hooked on, making you feel like he loves the food, and it's a horrible addiction to something that is dangerous and causes diabetes
Good Quality dogfood, might seem like it costs more but they actually eat far less and get their nutrition easier from the quality foods.
2007-05-21 16:04:44 · answer #10 · answered by DP 7 · 5⤊ 2⤋