8yr Old Lab Male Skin Issues - help pls! BexVN AliKat :-)
Discussion
Mort has always has his issues normally managed at home with some TLC but bit worried about his skin at the moment.
His groin by back legs:
Above seems to be spreading upwards gradually.
Now to the other side:
This is right in groin by his balls and far less visible otherlike the other side.
Also these have appeared on his head from nowhere, almost bleeding before i cleaned them:
Pretty sure he hasnt been fighting and im noticing if i part fur on head the skin looks quite raw/sore.
Currently keeping clean with dettol antiseptic and sudocream as a barrier.
Any ideas before i book him in anyone? He seems very itchy and a bit moany but on his food and walks as normal.
Hate seeing my mate suffer but dont like our local vets!
His groin by back legs:
Above seems to be spreading upwards gradually.
Now to the other side:
This is right in groin by his balls and far less visible otherlike the other side.
Also these have appeared on his head from nowhere, almost bleeding before i cleaned them:
Pretty sure he hasnt been fighting and im noticing if i part fur on head the skin looks quite raw/sore.
Currently keeping clean with dettol antiseptic and sudocream as a barrier.
Any ideas before i book him in anyone? He seems very itchy and a bit moany but on his food and walks as normal.
Hate seeing my mate suffer but dont like our local vets!
Boosted LS1 said:
I would suggest skin parasites but you need a vets opinion. Fortunately there are vets on this site who I'm sure will try to offer advice.
Thank you. I'm researching skin parasites and the following seems the most accurate:The common symptoms of mange, both sarcoptic and demodex, include itching, hair loss around the eyes, head and legs, a red skin rash and crusty skin.
As far as I know, mange can only be confirmed by looking at skin scrapings under a microscope, so I would strongly recommend seeing a vet.
ETA - I don't think I'd recommend using dettol (I wouldn't on my dogs, I think it's too strong).
Also, is there a reason you're giving him fortnightly baths with flea shampoo? Again, I hardly ever bath my dogs (Jet's never been bathed in nearly five years and Sam's had one in the same timeframe). I realise that labs do like getting grubby though
ETA - I don't think I'd recommend using dettol (I wouldn't on my dogs, I think it's too strong).
Also, is there a reason you're giving him fortnightly baths with flea shampoo? Again, I hardly ever bath my dogs (Jet's never been bathed in nearly five years and Sam's had one in the same timeframe). I realise that labs do like getting grubby though
Edited by moorx on Tuesday 20th December 21:30
Pretty much identical to our yellow lab. Speak to your vet, there are drugs you can give them but they are very expensive and related to chemotherapy. It was NOT a parasite infection.
We found ours suffered flair ups which meant constant drugs were not always needed, plus the drugs really didn't make him very good. In the end we prefered a little localised discomfort on his part opposed to pumping him full of drugs that made him piss himself.
Basically it was am allergy they get (can be a simple as dandelions-try telling a lab to keep off the grass) which irritates them, making them itch and nibble which leads to the bacteria in their mouth infecting the skin.
He's reasonably good with it these days, he still gets flare ups and mad scratting sessions but I'm f
ked if I'm spending £80 a month to pump him full of chemo. Last I heard there is a slightly cheaper drug available.
We found ours suffered flair ups which meant constant drugs were not always needed, plus the drugs really didn't make him very good. In the end we prefered a little localised discomfort on his part opposed to pumping him full of drugs that made him piss himself.
Basically it was am allergy they get (can be a simple as dandelions-try telling a lab to keep off the grass) which irritates them, making them itch and nibble which leads to the bacteria in their mouth infecting the skin.
He's reasonably good with it these days, he still gets flare ups and mad scratting sessions but I'm f
ked if I'm spending £80 a month to pump him full of chemo. Last I heard there is a slightly cheaper drug available.PS it's quite common, but I must implore you to seek out a good vet who knows their stuff and doesn't just either treat for parasites or continually test for which allergy it may be-it could be anything of thousands and any vet who recommends testing is pretty much trying to make money from testing for ever and a day.
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moorx said:
As far as I know, mange can only be confirmed by looking at skin scrapings under a microscope, so I would strongly recommend seeing a vet.
ETA - I don't think I'd recommend using dettol (I wouldn't on my dogs, I think it's too strong).
Also, is there a reason you're giving him fortnightly baths with flea shampoo? Again, I hardly ever bath my dogs (Jet's never been bathed in nearly five years and Sam's had one in the same timeframe). I realise that labs do like getting grubby though
This really. He needs vet attention. Flea shampoo's are a really ineffective flea control and very harsh on the skin. Aloe and oatmeal shampoos would be better or in his case a vet may suggest Malaseb with is an excellent shampoo for various skin issues. ETA - I don't think I'd recommend using dettol (I wouldn't on my dogs, I think it's too strong).
Also, is there a reason you're giving him fortnightly baths with flea shampoo? Again, I hardly ever bath my dogs (Jet's never been bathed in nearly five years and Sam's had one in the same timeframe). I realise that labs do like getting grubby though
Edited by moorx on Tuesday 20th December 21:30
Stop the dettol and caution with sudocrem a very useful cream when used in appropriate cases but as dogs lick if they keep licking it off they can get zinc toxicity (Usually if being used daily for a while)
So yes it is a vet visit, skin issues can make a dogs life miserable, the longer they go on the harder it can be to control and treat. Would definitely be checking for mange as one in a list of possibles.
If this is ruled out and stoppingthe topical applications you are using doesn't then diet should be looked at if it hasn't already (realise it may have been if he has had issues over the years)
Hope it gets resolved quickly.
Edited by bexVN on Wednesday 21st December 07:58
moorx said:
As far as I know, mange can only be confirmed by looking at skin scrapings under a microscope, so I would strongly recommend seeing a vet.
ETA - I don't think I'd recommend using dettol (I wouldn't on my dogs, I think it's too strong).
Also, is there a reason you're giving him fortnightly baths with flea shampoo? Again, I hardly ever bath my dogs (Jet's never been bathed in nearly five years and Sam's had one in the same timeframe). I realise that labs do like getting grubby though
My partner has a very strong sense of smell and our Lab loves to jump in lakes, puddles, ponds anything so we like to keep clean and smelling nice!ETA - I don't think I'd recommend using dettol (I wouldn't on my dogs, I think it's too strong).
Also, is there a reason you're giving him fortnightly baths with flea shampoo? Again, I hardly ever bath my dogs (Jet's never been bathed in nearly five years and Sam's had one in the same timeframe). I realise that labs do like getting grubby though
Edited by moorx on Tuesday 20th December 21:30
I think I'm going to leave the flea shampoo well alone though and use something like Aloe which should be better on his skin
Keeping fingers crossed that it is easy to treat My lab had exactly the same, although it would flare up in the Summer and subside in the Winter. Seems to be related to a reaction to summer plants / grass, but we also had some allergy tests done and turns out he is allergic to pork and beef.
Change in diet helped, plus we don't bath him (although he does swim in the local lake...).
He still gets it, but nothing like as bad as before.
Change in diet helped, plus we don't bath him (although he does swim in the local lake...).
He still gets it, but nothing like as bad as before.
jonamv8 said:
My partner has a very strong sense of smell and our Lab loves to jump in lakes, puddles, ponds anything so we like to keep clean and smelling nice!
I think I'm going to leave the flea shampoo well alone though and use something like Aloe which should be better on his skin
How often do you bathe him? Does he get dried properly, in these areas particularly! TBH I don't bath my dogs unless (as mentioned above) they've rolled in something dead, or that smells dead. I think I'm going to leave the flea shampoo well alone though and use something like Aloe which should be better on his skin
He will clean himself. If he gets wet from a swim, make sure he is dried properly. I'd lay off any kind of skin products full stop unless the vet prescribes something!
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