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Paws are good, just cleaned his ears and there was nothing on the cotton balls. The flakes are on his neck and down the middle of his back. I've been giving him a bath once a week starting last week, so this is his second bath with dermagard shampoo. Lotsa flakes in the shampoo. Right now its almost ten at nite and he's in the house for bed. His sides look like he's been bit because now those bumps are back, they weren't there this morning. He loves when I scratch him also then the flakes come. I've also been using Humilac spray. I try to spray him in the A.M. so he's outside. This stuff doesn't seem to help that much plus it stinks the dog up.

I'd stay with the vitamin E and fish oil (because they are beneficial, period), and also use a natural pest repellant like that Parsley Hollow better-than-Deet stuff, but I'd also have him checked out.

There are mites that present exactly that way: itchy flaking along the backbone.

http://www.thepetcenter.com/gen/itch.html


JMO.

Sounds like cheyletiella mites.

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Sounds like cheyletiella mites.

Me too, Becky........

Hello, Just to fill in everyone. I tried the fogger and shampoo that kills those specific mites. Did not work. So, I bought some of those atterax to relieve some of his itching. The flakes went away for two days then came back. I started using alergen detergent for my clothes and his blanket, but with no avail. I'll be taking him to the vet on Monday. I'll keep everyone posted on what this problem could be. Thanks

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Hello, Just to fill in everyone. I tried the fogger and shampoo that kills those specific mites. Did not work. So, I bought some of those atterax to relieve some of his itching. The flakes went away for two days then came back. I started using alergen detergent for my clothes and his blanket, but with no avail. I'll be taking him to the vet on Monday. I'll keep everyone posted on what this problem could be. Thanks

I'm sorry to hear that, but you could start on the fish oil and Vitamin E (earlier in this thread) right away. It's a very good thing to give Omega 3 EFAs anyway, no matter what, so there's no downside, and it's my first line for helping the body with any inflammation (which atopic dermatitis is).

JMO!

Yes, I have kept up with vit.C, vit.E, Fish oil caps and liquid flaxseed. One question with the vitamin E: Someone told me it "builds up" in dogs and I'm wondering if this could lead to a stroke?(can dogs have a stroke?) I've been giving him 500units-one pill a day. Just trying to be safe. Thanks

Kevin, Two of my dogs did this after receiving yearly vaccinations. Took several months for it all to clear up. I no longer give yearly shots and have had no more problems. Just a thought.

Debbie

Hello Kevin,

After reading this thread,there seems to be a continuance of some foods. Elimination is the only way to discern if your dog is having an allergic reaction. If your still feeding yogurt and flax seed oil, stop it...and let at least three weeks pass.

And although Wellness is proposed as good food, I did not have luck with it. Too many carbohydrates for carnivores in my opinion. My cat had chronic struvite stones/crystals and one dog I had was just fat, kibble-rounded, despite how little I fed him. Both animals ate the Wellness dry foods. However, I do like their canned foods and they are included with my hurricane supplies.

You can get Vit E that is water soluable, but I wouldn't worry, 500mg is fine. It is important to add Vit E if your adding fish oil. Usually, Vit A is the concern in large quantities. Make sure your Vit C is an ester-C, for maximum digestibility.

Seriously consider an elimination of certain foods and a change in the core food. Don't know if you've been brow beaten into trying a raw diet yet?! <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> But do consider it!! <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Just beware of the myriad of medications vets wish to prescribe. Just quick fixes and band-aids. Usually the root of the problem is all about diet.

Good Luck and persevere!

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Yes, I have kept up with vit.C, vit.E, Fish oil caps and liquid flaxseed. One question with the vitamin E: Someone told me it "builds up" in dogs and I'm wondering if this could lead to a stroke?(can dogs have a stroke?) I've been giving him 500units-one pill a day. Just trying to be safe. Thanks

I disagree about that vitamin E thing. If you "search" here (using my name might help <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> you'll find several citations of sources that say there is no evidence that E can be a problem in dogs even in large laboratory-size doses.

However, 500 IUs is probably way more than enough. 200 plus the E that's in the fish oil is probably good for a large dog. Some people use 400.

I'd stop the flaxseed oil because some dogs are allergic to flax, but more because recent Tufts research shows that the beneficial long-chain Omega 3s that humans can derive from plant sources such as flax are not accessible to dogs except in marine sources (fish oil).

If your vet thinks the dog has allergies, then keep in mind that fleas (hypersensitivity to fleas) is number one, environmental-inhalant is number two, and food is a distant number three. (Many dogs do have a combination.)

However, excellent diet helps the immune system hugely, and allergies are an immune response.

Also, food allergies are much easier to ascertain than others, so it's not difficult to rule them out with a strict elimination diet.

All JMO!

Let us know what the vet says.

P.S. Just read this whole thread again. It does sound as if he might have a hypersensitivity to bites or an inhalant/environmental allergy......... the two of which are numbers one and two for common canine allergies. But the vet will be able to tell *much* better!

I did some ellimination already. I switched him to innova evo(the raw kibble) high protein low carb. One thing is strange. He'll be in the house for eight hours while I'm at work, and when I come home he'll be covered in flakes. There's nothing new I introduced into my house. EXCEPT, I bought an air cleaner with ozone. Now I turned it off the two weeks and his skin did not clear. This problem only started happening in spring. I'll let everyone know Monday night.