My sheepie dog is not doing well
The really problem is that she is chewing her paws excessively, she is losing a lot her hair on the right side of her back and now on the left (the hair loss does not appear to be itchy). The doctor gave her a shot, which helped her with her paws for only a few days and now she is on antibiotics and an antihistamine...nothing, is working and the paw biting appears to be getting worse. I hate making her take all the medicine. Yesterday, I bought lamb and rice dog food without wheat, corn or fillers because I read that the paw biting can be a food allergy. I just started wiping her paws with a cool washcloth when she comes inside. Molly is 3 and has had 3 episodes of paw biting prior to this one. Each case was resolved with a shot...this episode just keeps going on and on. This is the first time she is loosing the hair on her back. She is also breathing heavy and her eyes are red around the skin. I am taking her back to the vet today but I want to get some feedback from other OES owners (there are not a lot of them in Florida). She went from being a spunky OES to a very sad looking OES. She was running 3 miles a day and now can barely make a mile. I just want Molly to be comfortable. Someone mentioned that there is a fee to be on this site. How do I get that information. |
|
|
| Leya, if your vet hasn't done so already, please ask if they would conisder checking her for hypothyroidism.
May not be the real issue since there are so many things messing up her immune system right now. But the non-itchy bilateral hairloss and her lack of energy/stamina (though that could be the lyme and/or feeling miserable due to her allergies) coupled with the fact that this breed has a high frequency of hypothyroidism would make me a bit suspicious. There's no fee to be on this site. We're all just happy to have you here! 
Wish you found us for happier reasons, but hopefully you can start to get her feeling better soon. 
Kristine |
| Any chance she has fleas ( I know in Florida what's the odds right?) One of my dogs (with Lyme and yes we use topicals and annual vaccines) gets a similar reaction with any fleas in the vacinity.
Welcome. Where in FLorida are you? My sister is on the West Coast and the dogs and I are going down this summer to visit. Edit - oops I see Jacksonville. My daughter went to school In Daytona for what seemed like years adn years and years  Jacksonville is a nice area. |
| Welcome and sorry to hear of your pup's discomfort. The paw issue may be yeast, not an infection, which would mean that antibiotics might actually be making it worse. Oscar has yeast issues with his paws on and off, and it usually manifests itself in him licking and chewing the tops of the paws, and them turning them over so he can lick the pads. During the yeast flare-ups, he is also tentative when walking, almost wincing when he takes a step. There is usually an odor associated with yeast as well. My vet takes a swab of the inside of his pads and checks it out right there for us. (As a matter of fact, we just got back from the vet and sure enough, Oscar's paws showed yeast overgrowth.)
If it is yeast, then you'll need some anti-fungal shampoo (Ketochlor, or Malaseb) and wipes (Malaseb pledgets) to get things under control. Also, it helps to clip as much of the hair out from between their pads and keep the area as dry as you can, as moisture feeds the yeast imbalance. As far as the hair loss, my first thought was hypothyroidism as well. Our first sheepie was hypothyroid, and it was easily regulated with inexpensive meds. Please keep us posted, and we hope this gets sorted out quickly for you. Laurie and Oscar |
| Just sharing an experience with itchy paws-
One of mine was on long term antibiotics for recurrent bladder infections and was chewing her feet like crazy. She would lick them until they were sopping wet and moan while doing it. http://oesusa.com/Yeast/1.jpg http://oesusa.com/Yeast/2.jpg http://oesusa.com/Yeast/3.jpg The vets were treating as allergies (she does have allergies too- environmental) but the problem was yeast. Ask your vet if it's ok for you to try Malaseb shampoo. No prescription is required. I shave the pad fur down short so the feet dry quickly. http://oesusa.com/Yeast/Feet-8-1-2007.jpg Apply the Malaseb shampoo and let it stay in contact with the skin for 10 minutes. Rinse then dry the feet thoroughly. You need to do this every 5-7 days until the itching is controlled. Antibiotics also kill off the good bacteria. Consider adding a quality doggie probiotic. Note that some foods also encourage yeast growth so it's best to avoid them. Revision: Oops... Laurie got to the yeast and Malaseb info first! Thanks Laurie |
| And if you still think it's allergies, the injection may not be the best choice. It worked for less than 24 hrs on our Golden. He does better on Benadryl - check with your vet for the dosage.
We have a tub of cool water by the back door, to clean Ben's feet when he comes in. It does help, as does an icepack wrapped in a cloth. |
| If she is a miserable as you say I would make an appt. with a vet that is a specialist in allergies & dermatology. I know it might sound expensive but usually they can nail the problem down right away, saving you a lot of "hit & miss" treatments & vet visits which will cost you lots of money & most likely no results. |
| Could she be allergic to the tick/flea treatment? My dog is allergic to one of the ingredients in the treatment so I had to find another with a different active ingredient. |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|