Advice for my poor boys itchy skin

[user1466518624]

My poor Cavalier has been suffering for weeks with itchy skin on his bum and backs of his legs and the wounds are open and raw. He can only settle in a dark room or he is chasing his tail whining and barking.

We have been back and forth to the vets where he has been prescribed steroids, antibiotics, fungal shampoo, antihistamines, fungal cream you name it and the vets don't seem to have an answer.

It has got to the stage now that we are going to go back to the vets and say unless something's is done it will be kinder to put him to sleep as he is in constant torment which breaks the whole families heart and we dread the impact it will have on our 5 year old with ASD as he adores his doggie.

Any experience or advice welcome please xx

I know it's mocked for being the hippy cure all, but have you tried coconut oil? It's safe for them to consume, so you can apply it liberally and at will. It's supposedly got antifungal and antibacterial properties, but I'm coming more from the angle of providing relief and keeping the skin moisturised etc. I have a scabby cat with funny skin, she gets scabs and sores all over and a very liberal rub down with coconut oil does wonders.

How is his diet OP ? Could you cook for him, see if it makes a difference.
I use a wash, from the vet, for my terrier, who has a grass/pollen allergy, this time of year, it's called Malaseb.
Have you been using any new cleaning/washing products at home ?
Have you tried half a Piriton tablet, ask vet.
I very strongly suggest that you get a second opinion, from a different surgery. There WILL be a reason. Please do not destroy your poor boy, until you have exhausted every avenue.
I know that this is a distressing situation, but CHANGE VETS.

Have you had a consultation with a dermatology specialist? If not it's really worth asking for a referral to get him looked at.

Cavs can be very prone to atopic dermatitis which is allergy related. Has any mention been made of allergy testing? Or a proper elimination diet to see if it's food related?

This is worth a read, it's information about atopic dermatitis written by a veterinary dermatologist.

We are in the same position with our dog. Have been through biopsies, allergy testing, allergy vaccine, multiple sprays, tea tree, ekoneem, piriton, raw food diet etc etc, nothing works, last straw was apoquel which has its own issues but does work. Don't know what to do for the poor girl, it's horrible to see her like that and also painful to listen to slurp slurp slurp 24/7.

What do you feed him? Wheat / beets and other grains are known allergens for many dogs so worth making sure you miss all those out, doing an exclusion diet if you can to work out what it is. I know a few chicken and beef allergies that cause skin issues as Well. Adding salmon oil to food can help a lot (assuming it's not one they are allergic too, although not come across that yet!). Local honey can be helpful if it's pollen / grass based, teaspoon a day like for human hayfever. Manuka honey, alth pricey, can do wonders when applied to sores. Propolis (or beekeepers gold) is fantastic stuff, mixed to make an ointment, it's antiseptic, anti fungal, antiviral and antibacterial, if you know any beekeepers and can get some it's fantastic stuff. Colloidal silver spray is also anti all those things and promotes healing.
The website My itchy dog sells some very effective natural remedies or skin, I've used their dermacton (sp?) cream and spray to great effect on red raw skin of puppy farm fosters.
Steroids can aggrevate the issue making skin more susceptible to splitting, so can be a bit of a vicious cycle unfortunately.

Hope you can find something that helps your poor boy an you don't have to say goodbye

Similar with my dog. We got allergy tests and she is allergic to dust mites. She's on a daily tablet now and I wash her bedding at 60° every 2 days and I invested in a dyson. It's keeping a lid on it but I live in fear of dust now!

Thank you for your replies.

First of all deffo yes we do need to change vets as all they say is is that how unusual it is for dogs to develop skin conditions at the age of 9.

I have tried feeding him fresh food such as oily fish and the poor bugger is finding it hard to eat at the best of times as he is so itchy. I steam clean the floor and am fanatical about using gentle household cleaners as my kids get excema.

I will try the local honey and check out that website, we have been giving him piriton but it has not helped at all but will ask for allergy tests as I can't give up on him yet as he is so lovely.

Thanks again xx

I can imagine how stressful this must be for you OP.
Keep us informed, I really hope that you find a suitable treatment very soon. 🌺

Our dog had very similar symptoms to what you're describing.
Started when he was about 3 years old, no skin trouble at all before then.

He has since has been on all of the above so-called remedies over the past 2 years.
It's been utterly hellish for him at times, he's been tormented bless him.
I have cried buckets in despair.

He's had an allergy test and the result is that he is allergic to "all trees, shrubs, grasses and flowers"
So pretty much everything outside.

He's now on a 4-weekly injection tailored specifically to him, formulated in France, which is at last beginning to work we think.
It has taken over a year though.
Also we have started using Malaseb prescribed shampoo regularly when we saw a different vet recently, and this definitely seems to be working for himself. He's loads better, hardly any outbreaks at all now.
It's wonderful to have his skin looking healthy again- we had nearly given up at one point.

He's only young, but age is irrelevant when they are suffering isn't it.

So I would say to try and persevere and don't be fobbed off with unnecessary repeat antibiotics and steroids.

Our dog has grass and pollen allergies. He's been on Apoquel for about 18 months now and it's been an absolute Godsend. It's not perfect, and he does have the odd itchy week, but he's no longer chewing himself to bits and covered in scabs- the itching is pretty much under control.

Update, not great news I am afraid. We took him back to the vet and she told us to persevere with the baths etc and I bought local honey and while rubbing it found a horrible lump by his bum which made him scream in agony when I touched it so it seems now he has been in pain and the skin thing was him trying to get at the lump. Our last Cav had a cancer in the same spot so its history repeating itself. The difference was his lump was picked up very early in a routine Vets visit so was treatable. My present little boys is huge.

I am just gobsmacked that this was not picked up by the Vet and the Groomers and all I can hope now if it is the worse he will be able to get pain relief so we can have him for longer. No more dogs its just too heartbreaking and I will find it hard to trust a Vet again.

Aww, your poor boy☹️
How on earth did they manage to miss it, it beggars belief, drag them over the coals OP, I'm so cross on your behalf.😡
I hope your little dog will get some decent pain relief, such a worry for you, and a dreadful shock.
I'm thinking of you OP, I can't imagine how you are feeling.
Sending you a strong hand hold. 😢

I use this myself and really helps, i put in bath but perhaps you could pop some on cotton pads for him?

www.lookfantastic.com/westlab-dead-sea-salt-5kg/11227744.html?affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=GBP&shippingcountry=GB&thg_ppc_campaign=71700000021791097&gclid=Cj0KEQjwx6TJBRCWtsiXpI7bhOYBEiQA1en3F3yZ6P1vFWZlK4TUUDC2yduUETUWw6PKzcDtZkv_tV0aAhFX8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CIDapIezkNQCFRCRGwod12MNRg

oh no sorry to hear about the lump hope it will prove to be harmless.

although not used it myself, I've heard good things about Luecillin it's meant to be really good and natural.