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What is this irritation on my dog's face?

13 replies

TitusAndromedon · 26/03/2016 23:26

Does anyone know what these marks might be? He got a little overexcited and tried to jump into the boot of a car before the boot was actually opened, so we thought he must have grazed his muzzle. It started as the red mark just under his nose. That was a few weeks ago, though, and I think it looks like the redness is spreading up towards and around his nose, and a bit around other parts of his mouth. He hates going to the vet and will snap if they try to examine him, so I'd like to avoid going if at all possible. However, obviously I'm a bit concerned that he might need some kind of treatment.

What is this irritation on my dog's face?
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TitusAndromedon · 26/03/2016 23:47

Meant to say that he doesn't seem at all bothered by the marks. He will let us touch his face as usual.

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tabulahrasa · 26/03/2016 23:59

I'd expect a graze to have healed after a few weeks and if it could be spreading, I'd say vets, sorry...mine is a git at the vets too, and he ends up visiting regularly for one issue or another, it's horrible, but sadly not always avoidable.

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CreepingDogFart · 28/03/2016 16:57

Some dogs lose pigment on their lips and nose - usually breeds native to colder areas. It's perfectly natural and doesn't hurt them. However, this does look particularly red so worth getting it checked out.

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TitusAndromedon · 28/03/2016 22:38

Thanks for your thoughts. It does seem to be getting worse and his nose is starting to look a bit crusty, so I think we'll have to get some advice. I'm not sure of the best way to go about it. I feel like simply taking photos of it and going to the vet on my own instead of actually taking the dog. We can't seem to find a vet who is confident and happy to handle him. Even with a muzzle he is unpredictable. It's so frustrating because he is absolutely fine and in no way aggressive at home, but he gets so anxious at the vet, not helped by there being other animals there since he is dog aggressive. He is so lovely in so many ways, but this sort of scenario - particularly given the location of the problem - is an absolute nightmare.

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tabulahrasa · 28/03/2016 22:45

They're not allowed to prescribe with seeing the animal -sadly.

Would he be better being examined in the car? Or have you tried finding a vet that will do a home visit?

Don't suppose you're near west lothian? My vet is great with my horrible dog.

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TitusAndromedon · 28/03/2016 23:10

I've often dreamed of a vet who would do a home visit, but haven't really known where to start looking for one.

Unfortunately, we're in the Midlands. He really does love people, but the stress of the situation makes him so anxious, and it isn't helped by vets who are jumpy and nervous, though I understand their fear.

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tabulahrasa · 28/03/2016 23:18

I've never bothered asking about home visits as it'd make no difference where he was examined, he's very firmly of the opinion that there are only 8 individual people in the whole world that have the right to touch him and vets aren't one of those 8, lol Hmm

But I'd just phone all the vets I could find and ask if they would do a home visit, or failing that do they have experience with fear aggressive dogs, see if I came up with any.

Is there a vet school near you? They're pretty good usually.

Um...oh, do you have a behaviourist or trainer, you could try asking them for recommendations?

Or failing that, maybe small local rescues, they might know a good vet?

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CreepingDogFart · 30/03/2016 19:01

Vet staff are trained in how to handle animals. Take him.

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TitusAndromedon · 30/03/2016 22:18

Unfortunately, Creeping, that has not been my experience. Vet staff are often jumpy, anxious and uncomfortable, which exacerbates my dog's issues.

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tabulahrasa · 30/03/2016 22:21

Yeah I've seen good and bad vets...often it's not what they're trying to do, in that you can see they're trying to behave non threateningly, but they're scared and their body language sets off an anxious dog even more.

Sometimes they're just stupid tbh and try to make friends with him, despite me going, he doesn't like that, he's about to lunge at you and they completely misread his warning signals as him being friendly.

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TitusAndromedon · 30/03/2016 23:16

That's it exactly. And it doesn't help that my dog is so inconsistent. One second he's happily accepting treats from them, and the next he's showing his teeth.

Thanks for all your good ideas, Tabulah. I'm going to investigate our options a bit more, but we seem to live in kind of a black hole for good behaviourists/trainers and vet options are very limited. I will inquire about home visits, though. If all else fails, my husband will just have to take him. He's more laid back than I am.

I suspect he picked something up while at a fenced field about a month ago, but it definitely isn't causing him discomfort. He's very happy for me to touch it and examine it. Normally if something is bothering him he gets grumpy if he so much as catches me looking too closely.

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tabulahrasa · 30/03/2016 23:22

Mine is very consistent....he'll take treats, he'll greet them, but if they touch him, he'll lunge at them snarling and barking.

Often they just can't cope with that as they see it as unpredictable.

He's not, at all, I mean it makes no sense compared to other dogs, but it's predictable and consistent, lol.

So I stick to one vet at practice who's good with him and he quite likes when she's not examining him and if she's off and it's too urgent to wait for her to be back I'll see the locum over the other vets who work there fulltime as the locum is really clued up...my dog doesn't like her, but she's not scared of him so it's still less stressful for him and me.

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Springermum1350 · 31/03/2016 19:45

I wish u lived where I do. I go to a little vets in my village. They have a bigger practice nearby but this one is nicer.
Your nowhere near Suffolk?
They are wonderful. They encourage dogs to come in and get weighed every month. Not to check their weight but to just come in and see and look around. There are treats for everyone. Even my nervous springer pulls me in through the door with his tail wagging. And his tail wags for no one.

They book separate times for problem dogs. So dogs they know don't like other dogs are booked in for special slots. When they see the vet they do what the animal needs to feel comfortable. I can't sing their praises enough.

Every vets should be like this. I am so sorry that u have to go through this every time. Taking them is hard enough but that's awful being told not to bring them back.

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