Labradoodle & Goldendoodle Forum
Dark skin!
I need advice:
Sam is 7 months old now. Couple months ago I noticed a few " dark spots" on his skin and a lots of scratching.Called the vet had appointment 2 days later. In 2 days his skin got darker all over. He always has a thin hair but now on his belly and , growing area he has no hair at all + his skin is very dark.
After skin scraped and allergy test , blood work , he is allergic to everything.. grass, tree, eggs, fish, etc.. Changed his food and he started allergy shots few days ago.
My question is :anyone had any experience with dark skin? I am not sure if skin has any connection with his allergies. I can't help it, I read "too much " according to my vet..
I want to be able to wait for shots to start working but this is my baby and I really don't want to take any chances if anything else is going on..
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle on
-
Maria, this is something that only a vet can advise you on. I would strongly urge you to consult a veterinary dermatology specialist rather than letting your regular vet treat him. Most GP vets are not experts in treating allergies, and blood tests have been shown to be worthless for diagnosing allergies. (the fact that you were told he is allergic to specific foods is a big red flag, as that cannot be determined through blood tests). Accurate testing involves a skin scratch test under sedation (different from the scraping), which can only be performed by a dermatology specialist.
What kind of allergy shots is he getting? Immunotherapy is the preferred treatment, and that involves antigens that are custom made according to the testing results.
-
Permalink Reply by Maria Tidorescu on
-
Thank you Karen,
Blood work was send to the lab(10 days waiting period),and his shots are" costum made" made by same lab,base on his results..
This is killing me right now..I was very happy with my regular vet before. I am going to find a dermatologist ASAP..
-
-
The blood work may have been sent to the lab, but again, many studies have shown that this form of allergy testing is very inaccurate, with lots and lots of false positives.
Allergies are very specific, and they involve an immune response, which is triggered by an antibody. Antibodies are very specific to the particular protein. Also, to have developed an antibody to something, you have to been exposed to that thing. For example, if your dog has never eaten venison, he cannot be allergic to it. For that same reason, he can't be allergic to "fish", because he hasn't eaten every kind of fish in existence. There is no "fish" antibody, lol. There could be an allergy to salmon, or tuna, or trout, say, but not to mahi-mahi or tilapia or any other type of fish he's never eaten. The proteins molecules are all very different. And true food allergies (as opposed to food sensitivities) are actually very rare.
Same with "grass" and "trees". He can't be allergic to all grass or to all trees. He could be allergic to fescue, but not blue grass. That in fact is the case with my Jack. He is allergic to 3 or 4 types of grass pollen, and not to others. Same with trees. Jack is allergic to maple pollen, but not to any other type of tree pollen. Others here have dogs who are allergic to several different kinds of trees, but not to maples. When you do the skin scratch testing, you get these very specific results. You also get a reading for how allergic he is to each thing. For example, Jack is mildly allergic to maple pollen and highly, highly allergic to ragweed pollen. This is important in formulating the antigens, and if you don;t get the antigen blend right, you might as well not bother with it. Typically, immunotherapy shots are given at home every other day at the beginning, then tapered off. It can take months and months to have an effect, which is why you don;t want to waste time and money doing it wrong.
In addition to the shots, you also want to be giving the Omega 3 fatty acids EFA and DHA, using a good antihistamine (NOT benadryl), and special shampoos, sprays, and other topicals. These all help with symptoms.
Here's some good basic info:http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/healthandmedicalissues/forum/topi...
http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/facts-a...
You can find a veterinary dermatologist on the ACVD website: https://www.acvd.org/tools/locator/locator.asp?ids=16_Find_Dermatol...
-
Permalink Reply by Stella on
-
I don't know enough about it, but given that he is a doodle (poodle mix) should sebaceous adenitis be considered??
-
-
I thought about that too, Stella, but the symptoms don;t really fit S.A.
Also, Sam is a mini, and Sebaceous Adenitis only affects Standard Poodles.
-
-
Couple pictures and allergies result..
- Attachments:
-
-
IMG_1240.JPG, 2.8 MB -
IMG_0537.PNG, 1.9 MB -
IMG_1239.JPG, 2.1 MB
-
-
-
Maria, I really would have a dermatology specialist take a look. This doesn't really look like allergies to me.
With allergies, you have a LOT of itching. The dog is constantly biting, licking and chewing at himself, especially his paws, groin, axilla, and base of tail. Also rubbing their faces against furniture, carpets, etc. The feet & other areas get red and sore, even infected. This is how hot spots develop. The eyes get red and swollen sometimes too. There can be hair loss from the rubbing and licking, but it looks different than what I see in these pictures. And the skin in the affected areas is usually damp and raw.
The allergy result sheet looks somewhat like the sheets that those of us whose dogs had skin testing have, but it's less comprehensive. And as I mentioned, the blood tests are known to be inaccurate.
-
-
Maria, I've been thinking about this, and it's possible that Sam has a skin condition called Malassezia. The symptoms include hair loss and patches of darkened skin. Malassezzia runs in Poodles and is related to allergies. You might ask your vet about it if you choose not to consult a dermatologist.
-
-
We have appointment with dermatologist oct 24th.. I really hope she will have some cancelations before that day
Thank you all for your support!!
-
-
Wow, I hope so too! That's a long way off! Of course, it is allergy season, but hopefully something will open up sooner.
© 2024 Created by Adina P.
Powered by
