If anyone wants a free course in canine dermatology, see: http://www.rvc.ac.uk/review/Dermatology/History/principles1.htm
I myself have never had a "hot spot" problem or allergy issue with any of my dogs ever, while everyone else in my family has (we have all had terriers, and nothing else, our whole lives).
Without any proof whatsoever, I think one factor in my good fortune is that my dogs are not "house dogs" that spend all their lives on a couch next to human soaps, cleaners, fabric softeners, and the like.
My dogs can lay out in the sun (nature's own antiseptic), and get a little dirt in their coat too. I wash my dogs with the cheapest flea shampoo I can find once a week in season, and I also use bar soap on them. Nothing fancy here! As for food, I use Purina (with an occassional frozen chicken wing tossed on top), and have never had a problem on that score either.
Am I lucky, or is an outside life better for a dog's coat? I don't know, but my dogs are in rocking good health and that includes their coats. Yes, I count my blessings.
.
5 comments:
My older male had very bad itching and hairloss at the base of his tail when he was younger but it has now gone away. He is 8 now. his son who just turned a year has the same problem and rubs the base of his tail raw. i frontline them often and they get dirty, but also sleep inside at night. anyone have any good remedies for this? food is pedigree or purina with some flesh and bone every second day.
one might also consider the effects of A/C on the respiratory tract. For dogs, cats, and humans. Dry air dries out the mucous, allowing irritants to flow freely past a natural first defense against pollens, etc.
eli
I have 2 Wire Fox Terriers and my female has occational seasonal skin allergies. I've been having to deal with it this fall and the only real "cure" for her seems to be a good hard freeze. This year the weed pollen has been especially bad here and I've had to resort to taking her to the vet to get her antibiotics and steroids. I really hate to have to do that, but it does seem to work almost immediately. Otherwise she was chewing and scratching to the point of actually creating sores.
My dogs have indoor/outdoor access and spend quite a bit of time in the fields. It has been suggested to me that I bath her after each time we go to the fields but that would require an almost daily bath and I can't see that as a very realistic option. I have been trying just wiping down her legs, chest and stomach when we get home and it seems to be helping some.
I found this site to be very interesting and informative and I plan to share it with several of my friends that have dogs that suffer with different skin problems. Thanks for the great link!
Sue in Denver
Jack, I have had some success rubbing baby oil(mineral oil) on itchy dogs' skin, same as I do for myself when my skin itches! The dogs can lick this with no harm done. As for outside animals, Patrick, you might be interested to hear of my experiences with ferrets. My first ferrets I kept as house pets like most people do in the U.S. They had colds and dry itchy skin all the time. Then I built nice hutches and habitats for them outdoors--no more colds, and beautiful luxuriant coats in the winter. I have also not had a ferret with adrenal cancer(and that's over 20 ferrets over the years) which is common in the U.S., but not in Europe and England where most ferrets are also kept outdoors. Some vets believe there is a link between adrenal cancer and the lack of natural light. L.B.
Hi again,
Thanks for some feedback to my problem. i am going to give the baby oil thing a go and see how it works.
This site is also much appreciated by me down her in Cape Town and I am sharing it with some digging friends.
J. Cape Town SA
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