Sunny is going to the vet! *Update!*

[Michael Gurley]

Seems like lots of our doodle friends are going to the vet recently!

 

Sunny is licking at her front left paw, and she is very very itchy. She has scratched out a dime-sized area of fur on her left ear (her beautiful long blonde ear!) which I have been treating with a hot spot spray that was originally for my dachshund.

 

I just saw her licking her paw and leg, so I checked her and saw a streak of blood and some tiny black dots on her skin. My first impression is that they are mites of some sort, since I've had a snake that had mites and they were about that size and color. The snake mites were easily treated, so I'm hoping if these are mites that it will be just as simple to get rid of them!

 

My other dog, the dachshund Reba, is going to the vet too to get her rabies booster. I figured I'd get them both done at the same time!

 

Ugh... I wish I didn't have to wait 3 hours to take her! I'm going nuts worrying about my poor itchy baby.

 

 

 

****Ok, we just got back from the vet. The vet said that Sunny has a generalized skin infection, and has no idea what caused it. She originally wanted me to just do a topical ointment, but as she shaved the area to make it easier to apply ointment, she changed her mind to oral antibiotics because the sores are EVERYWHERE. They are only on that front foot, but there are so many of them that it would be best to do oral antibiotics. The spots on her ear are probably from the same sort of thing.

 

Sunny got a cone of shame because she wouldn't stop licking her leg.

 

 

 

And here are some of the spots on her poor leg:

 

 

She's not very happy.

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Michael, they'll do a scraping for mites, but it's very possible that this is a ragweed allergy. Mites aren't visible to the eye, at least not this kind. The symptoms and timing are exactly right for this to be an allergy to ragweed pollen, and possibly some other weed pollens. If so, the little black dots are probably scabs, and between that and the hot spot by the ear, she may have infected herself. I have this with JD every year at this time, although so far, no infections yet this year.

There's really nothing you can do to avoid ragweed, the pollen travels 400 miles. But there are things you can do to keep her more comfortable. If they are infections, the vet will prescribe antibiotics and possibly steroids to get her through this.

Don't worry, and please let us know what the vet says.

 

[Michael Gurley]

Thanks, I'll definitely ask the vet about the possibility of an allergy!

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

If this is a vet with any size practice or any experience, you won't have to ask. He/she is seeing lots of dogs with itching and paw licking right now.

Just make sure to keep the conversation away from food issues.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I haven't seen anything with Calla yet. Of course I don't know for a fact whether she is allergic to ragweed even though I am: ) But perhaps the daily EPO is helping her. For sure my immunotherapy is helping me.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jack went from zero to major scratching over the past week or so. I'm just praying we can stave off any infections. The ragweed pollen levels are off the charts here. :(

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

hmmm...Maybe that explains all the itching, scratching, licking, and chewing Ollie seems to be doing to himself lately.  We are taking him to the vet today to get him checked out.  She originally had him on Benedryl which didn't make much of a difference and then gave us a Rx antihistimine which wasn't much better than the Benedryl.  Guess I'll just have to wait and see what she says today.  I feel so bad for Ollie just watching him scratch all the time.  Is that how it is for Jack all the time?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jack's been on immunotherapy treatments under the care of a veterinary dermatology specialist since January 2009, so his allergies are pretty much controlled 10 months of the year. Before that, he had severe problems with itching and skin infections March through November. Now, it's just the ragweed in Sept. and oct. that's causing misery.

There are some things you can try for dogs who have just minor seasonal allergies that are limited to spring or fall. Omega fatty acid supplements, Claritin or Zyrtec, dusting and vacuuming like crazy, washing the dog's bedding weekly, food & water bowls daily, weekly baths, keeping the humidity levels low in the house (which means running the A/C even though it's nice outside), and wiping them down every time they come from outdoors  may all help.

Fior dogs with symptoms 4 or more months of the year, they should see a specialist.

[Michael Gurley]

Mites would be so much easier...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

A thousand times easier. And mites are curable; allergies are not.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I hope Sunny is okay...

[Sue, Lola, Pongo & Hubby]

Good luck!!! I'm on top of Lola's allergies this year, so no major licking/itching/scratching yet. Hopefullly this is just an allergy, and you won't have to worry about treating for mites. Let us know how it went!

[Michael Gurley]

You know, I hadn't even thought of allergies until Karen mentioned them. Other than Sunny, the only animals I have are reptiles, and they don't get allergies. If there is something wrong with them, it's very obvious. Little black dots on reptiles= mites.

 

I'm used to dealing with mites! If it's allergies, it will be a whole new experience for me!