Hi, my 3 year old male GSD has, what appears to be, a rash all around his nose and front of mouth. There is no hair left around the front of his mouth. It's bright red raw skin with crusty scabs and flaking skin. He itches his face on the floor, bed, chair...anything he can use to scratch. It's throughout his whiskers and seems to be getting worse. Also, he keeps licking at it and i'm sure it only makes it worse. He's had it for almost two weeks now and it won't go away. Has anyone ever seen such a thing?

Also, we changed his kibble from Eagle Pack to K9 For Life. That was about a month ago. This rash didn't start for a few weeks after that. Could it be the food?

Any help would be great!!

 Quote: Eric Kuciban

Hi, my 3 year old male GSD has, what appears to be, a rash all around his nose and front of mouth. There is no hair left around the front of his mouth. It's bright red raw skin with crusty scabs and flaking skin. He itches his face on the floor, bed, chair...anything he can use to scratch. It's throughout his whiskers and seems to be getting worse. Also, he keeps licking at it and i'm sure it only makes it worse. He's had it for almost two weeks now and it won't go away. Has anyone ever seen such a thing?

Also, we changed his kibble from Eagle Pack to K9 For Life. That was about a month ago. This rash didn't start for a few weeks after that. Could it be the food?

Any help would be great!!

He needs the vet to do a scraping (which can also be a kind of lifting of surface cells, etc., with sticky tape) to identify bacteria, yeast, Demodex Folliculorum, etc. It won't get better on its own, and the dog is very uncomfortable.

Good for you for researching. Please call the vet first thing in the morning.

 Quote: Eric Kuciban

He's had it for almost two weeks now and it won't go away. Could it be the food?

No. Is there yeast odor?

Thanks Connie. He has had a nagging skin issue for a while now(but not on his face like this); that's what prompted the food change. Previous vet trips result in large fees with no results. I figured time healed his skin issues before, not the vet. However, your right, it is bothersome to him and not healing on his own. I'll schedule a visit.

Thanks

Hello Eric,

I haven't posted around here in a looonngg time and stuck my head in to see what's happening at Leerburg!

First, do get your dog to a vet, because diagnosing online is not recommended.

Your post prompted a reply because at the minute I am rehabilitating two GSD's. On top of being starved and neglected, they were covered in sarcoptic mange. Sarcoptic mange is very itchy. I have had very good results with the topically applied 'Revolution'. It is also good for some types of intestinal worms, as a heartworm preventative and ear mites!

Demodex (mange) will need ivermectin and an immune (supplement) boost.

Also, if you are feeding from plastic bowls, get rid of them! Some types of plastic can cause allergic reactions similar to what you have described. Nothing beats stainless!

Hope all goes well with your dog and take care!

Hello Eric,
If you do get a diagnosis from your vet that it is either demodex or sarcoptic mange, you can treat with the dips that the vet reccomends and it is usually something that is very hard on the immune system of the dog. My GSD had demodex and I first used the peroxide and water with Borax given in a bath once a week for 4 weeks. While her hair came back in that patch, it seemed like there still was hair breaking off indicating the presence of the demodex. So, I then started to use this:
Just a suggestion if you want to check out this product that I have used with success. It is called "Bug Arrest"
by Heartland products http://www.heartlandnatural.com
It is an all natural. non-toxic product that rids the following pests from the dog: fleas, mites, both demodex and sarcoptic mange, and lice.
You can use it as a shampoo or treat directly on the area 3-4 times per day until it is gone.
It is entirely up to you which route you want to take with treatment. I just thought I would share this with you, and you can decide for yourself.


Edited by Joyce Salazar (09/23/2008 04:05 PM)
Edit reason: changed web link

Here is an update...a month or so later.

I went to the vet and got the scraping. Nothing was found. I asked about the other bare spots on his legs and the vet stated "ya, it's from licking". No S***! So, she perscibes $100.00 with of antibiotics and says call me in the morning.

Sooo, the itching and licking progressed and now much worse. His arm pits are bare and raw "elephant skin", and the top of his paws and forearms (sp) have scabs. He has socks on his legs, a full sized shirt (covering his arm pits) and he is very miserable.

After much reading, i think i may be on to something. With his cronic stench(his nickname is "Stinky"), itchy and smelly ears, oily coat, bald spots, hot spots and excessive itching, i think he may have a yeast infesction.

I reseached a product to help cure this condition. (Until he is entirely on a balaced raw diet.) The product is called "Nzymes". The testimonials from others are exactly what we're experiencing and the success is amazing. I have tried everything else, so what's another attempt. Has anyone used this product?

 Quote: eric kuciban

Here is an update...a month or so later.

I went to the vet and got the scraping. Nothing was found. I asked about the other bare spots on his legs and the vet stated "ya, it's from licking". No S***! So, she perscibes $100.00 with of antibiotics and says call me in the morning.

Sooo, the itching and licking progressed and now much worse. His arm pits are bare and raw "elephant skin", and the top of his paws and forearms (sp) have scabs. He has socks on his legs, a full sized shirt (covering his arm pits) and he is very miserable.

After much reading, i think i may be on to something. With his cronic stench(his nickname is "Stinky"), itchy and smelly ears, oily coat, bald spots, hot spots and excessive itching, i think he may have a yeast infesction.

I reseached a product to help cure this condition. (Until he is entirely on a balaced raw diet.) The product is called "Nzymes". The testimonials from others are exactly what we're experiencing and the success is amazing. I have tried everything else, so what's another attempt. Has anyone used this product?

The dog needs a derm vet. Yes, that smell and the skin changes are classic yeast, but also classic yeast/bacteria combo --- but it's now so far along that I would not consider only home treatment. The last thing you want is a yeast infection (or bacteria!) to become systemic.

If we had known any of this: "With his cronic stench(his nickname is "Stinky"), itchy and smelly ears, oily coat," many folks here would have suspected yeast immediately.

I'd never return to a vet who did not diagnose yeast with these symptoms and a scraping under a 'scope.

Yeast leads readily to bacterial infiltration, too.

He needs his ears treated ASAP, and I'd remove all grains from his diet.

I'm so sorry you had that terrible vet experience.

 Quote: eric kuciban

... I went to the vet and got the scraping. Nothing was found. I asked about the other bare spots on his legs and the vet stated "ya, it's from licking".

This is just ... so disheartening.

I've never heard of it. Looks like the main ingredient is soy...not something I like very much.

FWIW, all the symptoms you're describing are the same symptoms my dog had. My dog had bacteria, not yeast. Do you see where I'm heading with this?

Dogs can have one, or the other, or a combo of both infections on their skin. Bad skin infections require antibiotics, often for a long period of time. A correct diagnosis is crucial so the most effective antibiotic can be dispensed.

I don't know why your vet couldn't find anything on a scraping but prescribed antibiotics anyway. I would get a referral to a derm vet and start over with a specialist who KNOWS skin. This is a terrible, miserable way for a dog to live.

E.T.A: What Connie said!

Edited by Sarah Morris (11/26/2008 01:12 PM)
Edit reason: I was typing while Connie posted