 My dog has a rash on her belly
#166784 - 12/05/2007 12:20 AM |
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I can't make it to the vet til Saturday, but I wanted to get some opinions on what this could be so I can research it before we go to the vet. Unfortunately the last 3 vets, haven't been too good and it's helped quite a bit to do my research prior.
Anyway, my dog has a rash on belly that has been progressively getting worse. I don't catch her licking at it or finding that it bothers her, but it has been there for about 3 weeks and won't go away. I can't figure it out. She is 22 mos old, is fed a raw diet which is mainly chicken backs with ground beef, the occasional egg, occasional canned mackerel, salmon oil & vitamin E. Here are some pics. Any thoughts?
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Re: My dog has a rash on her belly
[Re: Alex Corral ]
#166797 - 12/05/2007 08:18 AM |
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One of probably many differing suggestions you will get, but may consider that dogs can have meat allergies. I would consider switching to leg quarters (to keep the bone/meat ratio ok) and doing away with the beef and eggs for a few weeks and see if that helps.
I have one dog that is allergic to, sigh, chicken. I really can't afford to switch to a raw diet with other meats so I feed kibble, plus he is immune compromized. Maybe when I get a bigger place I can grow my own rabbits or goat or something novel.
Edited by Nancy Jocoy (12/05/2007 08:18 AM)
Edit reason: clarification
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Re: My dog has a rash on her belly
[Re: Nancy Jocoy ]
#166799 - 12/05/2007 08:27 AM |
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You know the first thing a vet is going to ask you is, "What are you feeding her?" I'm sure your prepared for a lecture on the evils of raw feeding! 
I agree with Nancy--I would stick to one protein source for awhile and see if you notice any worsening or improvement. I do know of dogs with certain meat allergies (one of which now eats a kangaroo meat-based diet!). Then you can gradually add things back in to see if you get a response.
Also, since it's on her belly, is there anything else that could be causing her problems allergy-wise? Like a new floor cleaner, a new fabric softener or detergent that would be on her dog bed? Was your yard treated with anything? Does she graze outside? Has she been given meds for any reason in the last couple of months? Is the air really dry? Did the rash show up right around the time you started turning on the heat?
I have a close friend who's a vet. I'll send him the pics, if you say it's okay, to see if he has any thoughts. He's pro-raw so he won't automatically jump to any conclusions.
Carbon |
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Re: My dog has a rash on her belly
[Re: Amber Morgan ]
#166809 - 12/05/2007 10:15 AM |
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Did it start out small and spread?
Is it at all scaly or crusty?
Maybe it's just the light or angle of the photo, but it *sort of* looks a little like ringworm.
True
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Re: My dog has a rash on her belly
[Re: Sarah Morris ]
#166813 - 12/05/2007 10:38 AM |
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Thanks for the input guys. There is really nothing that I can think of that's changed to start the rash. We haven't changed detergent for her doggie pillow, we've been getting the food from the same source. No medications, nothing new in the backyard, no new floor cleaner. I'm stumped. Only thing I can think of is she is becoming allergic to the chicken.  I hope not, I'm always bragging to everyone on how good raw is for dogs.
Amber, you can definitely send the pics to your friend. I'd appreciate it. And yes, I know I will have to hear a sermon and try to be polite when they ask what my dog eats. The last 3 times I've taken her to the vet, it's been 3 sermons ending in "Would you like to buy some Science Diet?" Arrrgh.
Sarah, it did start out small and spread, also getting more red. And it is a bit flaky.
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Re: My dog has a rash on her belly
[Re: Alex Corral ]
#166817 - 12/05/2007 10:45 AM |
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Don't forget that canine allergies that present as a skin rash are itchy. A dog with atopy is itchy.
It looks a little like ringworm to me too, but awfully big for ringworm. Ringworm (not a worm) is pretty easily diagnosed, I believe.
http://lbah.com/ringworm.htm
However, I thought it usually itched, too, but I don't know that.
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Re: My dog has a rash on her belly
[Re: Amber Morgan ]
#166821 - 12/05/2007 10:51 AM |
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You know the first thing a vet is going to ask you is, "What are you feeding her?" I'm sure your prepared for a lecture on the evils of raw feeding!
The dog is not itchy, though.
A rash from canine allergies itches.
The release of histamine from skin Mast cells, the depositing of antigen proteins within tissues, the dilating/constricting of blood vessels, the toxic chemicals from broken cells, equal chemical and physical irritation of sensory nerves -- equals ITCH.
There are some food sensitivities that are not itch-causing (not true allergies), but then there is not likely to be any rash.
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Re: My dog has a rash on her belly
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#166823 - 12/05/2007 11:06 AM |
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I just looked at a bunch of rash photos. A few fungal rashes are non-itchy, and so are some mosquito- and tick-borne ailments.
You will want to remember when researching that itchy and non-itchy is a big line of demarcation betwwen groups of probable causes in dog rashes. Very few causes can present both ways.
http://www.priory.com/vet/vetatop1.htm
explains allergy manifested in the dog's skin.
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Re: My dog has a rash on her belly
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#166831 - 12/05/2007 11:23 AM |
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I would just like to note here that I had a foster who developed an allergy to chicken. His coat lost condition and fell out, so he had a moth-eaten appearance. He didn't have a rash and was NOT itchy. I did a lot of experimentation to find out what the allergy was, as soon as we eliminated chicken from his diet, his fur started to grow back almost immediately. (I suppose it could have also been vaccinosis in my case, but eliminating chicken cured his problem, so I don't think so).
Bottom line is, allergies are probably mostly, but not ALWAYS itchy. I think they can present in a number of different ways. I've personally, never seen an allergy so localised though. (Except a contact allergy). Normally it's systemic, isn't it? So the dog would have a rash on her feet too, for instance?
I vote for ringworm. 
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Re: My dog has a rash on her belly
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#166841 - 12/05/2007 12:04 PM |
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You know the first thing a vet is going to ask you is, "What are you feeding her?" I'm sure your prepared for a lecture on the evils of raw feeding!
The dog is not itchy, though.
That usually doesn't matter to the vet: When they ask what you feed and you tell them "raw," you usually get a lecture even if it has nothing to do with the symptom you brought them in for.
I brought Carbs in for staples on a gash, and the ER vet said, "Wow! His coat is GLOWING! What do you feed him?" When I told her he eats a raw diet, I STILL got the lecture--even after she (unintentionally) complimented me on it!
Alex, I'll send the pics to my friend. He might not be able to get them until tonight, but I'll get back to you. By the way, aside from the rash, your dog seems to be in amazing condition!
I didn't think ringworm presented on such a large area, but I haven't seen that many cases of it.
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