# Thinning hair, raised dry spots



## solefald (May 16, 2013)

Argh... And here we are with an allergy. 

Dre is losing hair on his back and has raised dry sports all along his back, which is starting to explain his sneezing and red droopy eyes. Sneezing and red eyes makes me think this is environment related and not food related. Scheduled a derm appointment and blood/skin test for next week to see what it is exactly he is allergic to, so we know exactly what we are dealing with. This is going to run about a $1,000 but insurance covers most of it, thankfully. Scheduled an appointment with a holistic vet too. Better to cover all the bases. 

I kinda think the allergy caused by the grass or whatever our complex lawn is getting treated with. The bumps seem to be especially pronounced after he plays and rolls in that grass with the neighbors dog. 

So far no improvement after 2 days of taking Zyrtec 10mg twice a day and covering this guy in coconut oil. 

Man, this allergy stuff is like playing whack-a-mole.


----------



## solefald (May 16, 2013)

Yep. I plan to have him on full raw in a week or two. Thanks for the Epsom salt suggestion. Going to pick some up tomorrow.

He is getting Salmon Oil, Omega 3, Coconut oil and a whole bunch of other vitamins and minerals with each meal, so i think i have that covered 

http://peterdobias.com/community/products/greenmin-2/
http://peterdobias.com/community/products/soul-food/


----------



## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

I bet it's the same as Miles' allergies. You've been taking to the beach a lot right? Miles breaks out after dog beach if we don't wash him after. I think it's because of the native plants on those hills and the channel filters from the lagoon.


----------



## solefald (May 16, 2013)

Hmm. We are at the Del Mar every day. Interesting. He did not have this when we went to Fiesta Island. This sucks. That beach is so nice and it's the closest good off leash place to my house. I really like it there. 

I just wash off the sand with warm water and wash him with soap once a week or so.


----------



## CrazyCash (Jul 12, 2012)

Maybe he needs a wetsuit  ;D


----------



## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

Yes we have noticed Miles is sensitive to anywhere with those plants. So after daycare, del mar dog beach, mountain vista dog run, and San elijo lagoon he gets minimum a bath wipe.


----------



## Rudy (Oct 12, 2012)

AFTER EACH OUTING IN NATURE'


IF YOU KNOW THERE CAN BE REACTIONS OR EXPOSURES OR ALLERGY 

TUB THEM SOME FUN OF HOSE OR SHOWER WITH NATURAL SOAPS THIS WILL HELP SOME


----------



## solefald (May 16, 2013)

So the bumps went away in a couple of days. They were most likely caused by the neighbors dog trying to climb him, if not, Zyrtec is doing its job. The dry skin remains and he is still losing hair, so we had it checked out today. Went to the new vet that my boss takes his dogs to and he is awesome. He is also not opposed to raw as long as i know the risks, but suggested that i feed home cooked instead. We will be going to him from now on, but i still have an appointment with holistic vet set to next week. 

Nothing to worry about but really dry skin. We are already doing Zyrtec, Fish Oil, Coconut Oil, etc. He was impressed  Use cold water to wash him off after the beach, use shampoo once every 2 weeks or even once a month instead of weekly. No parasites, fleas or anything else found. And the best part? He only charged $39!

I'm pretty relieved that its not some crazy allergy.


----------



## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Sounds like you found a great Vet!!  

I also think that a lot of people over-bathe their dogs. Dog skin is not like human skin. Many times, just a nice brushing session is all that's needed... or rinsing with clear water and no shampoo.


----------



## Lukesmama (Jan 3, 2011)

My Luke had very bad reactions in the first 2 years. he is 3 1/2 now and the reactions have been less severe. we have realized they are seasonal allergies, related to increase in pollen in the air. We started him on fish oil about 8-10 months ago, also gave him another supplement called Din-o-vite (from USA) for about 4 months until finished the box, and so far he has had very mild allergic reactions in the past months. He was having them about 3-4 times a year, some would be improving, and then pick back up, until he lost 45% of his hair. We feed him a good quality food, nothing crazy expensive. His skin has been quite well. So maybe as the immune system gets stronger they can deal better with the environment, and i believe the fish oil anti-inflammatory properties helped as well. he is not on any meds (only a bit of prednisone when the allergy is severe no more than once every 6 months), restricted diet, or anything special. just avoiding the outdoor for prolonged periods during high pollen days


----------

