Moulting Causing raw/itchy patches -pls advise

Hi there,

I got Bob almost a year ago from a rehome shelter. He's a beautiful dog with a lovely personality. Nobody, even the vet, can work out what he is but we reckon there could be a bit of husky, german shepheard, fox and elephant...who knows lol.

Back in February this year I took Bob to the vets because he was losing big chunks of fur. The vet was convinced it was mange and perscribed frontline. Back then the vet took some scrapings of Bob's skin, she took about a dozen, but never found the parasite in any of the scrapings.

Bob ended up with 2 or 3 raw spots on his body. Places he'd constantly lick raw. I put cream on them and eventually they went away. He continued to lose fur for about 6 weeks but new fur replaced it really quickly....

About 5 weeks ago he started losing fur again. It's like a snow storm in my back garden when I brush him, and my house is constantly covered in dog fur, and lots of it.

I checked on this web site and I don't think he had the mange in February, I believe he moulted as what's happening this time is exactly the same as last time. (I haven't taken him to the vet though).

Anyway, the reason for this (long) post is that Bob has several raw spots on his body again only this time they look a little worse than last time. I presume that moulting must be really irritating for a dog's skin? but having owned yorkies and never enduring a moult, I don't really know.

Anyway, I discovered another big raw patch just above his chest tonight and it looks old and like he's made it bleed from scratching. (It does look old though, so I don't think he's been at it for a day or 2). Does this sound like a moult? He seems a tiny tiny bit subdued (but who wouldn't be?) and I don't think he's in any pain, I think it's more discomfort than anything.

Can anyone suggest what I can treat these sores/raw patches with and just reassure me that it is just a moult please? Or should I visit the vet. (I love the vet but having 3 dogs I don't want to take him if it's really not necessary). I'm giving him 1000mg of evening primrose oil a day, as the vet suggested that in February.

I'd appreciate your thoughts/advice.

hiya has the vet done a blood test for allergies?

my cat who is allergic to Everything going does the same & his tests show allergies to everything!

so that might be worth looking into?

also sometimes it can become habit as licking releases endorphins making them feel better!

also tuna in omega fish oil & sardines in fish oil are good for the skin x

i also use Fish 4 dogs here is the link:
http://www.fish4dogs.com/Default.asp?&cookie%5Ftest=1

The vet did mention the possibility of it being an allergy back in Feb, but she said it would be better if it was the mange.
As he's been fine since then I knocked the idea of allergies on the head.

My middle setter had what the vet thought was fox/sarcoptic mange. Rusty had balding patches and small spots on his back in the balding areas. Rusty was treated with Advocate Spot On and this certainly helped. All the boys are usually treated with Frontline but I still alternate it with the Advocate from time to time.

His coat never grew back quite the same though - it looks a little patch work quilt!

Good luck - hope you find out what's causing the problem.

yes it probably would be better if it was not allergies, BUT it is worth doing the blood tests to make sure, my cats can come and go and only flair up every 6-8weeks

so it is worth looking into aswell as the food & oil x

My last GSD used to suffer intermittently like this. It was allergies with her which caused `hot spots` or patches of of itchy skin. If left they can become infected with bacteria and are really difficult to clear up so I wouldn`t leave them.
With my dog what we found helped was:-
just in case - we treated her monthly with Stronghold which kills any mites
We fed her an additive-free, colouring-free dogfood (this has to include treats BTW) - she had Burns chicken and rice, with cooked liver as treats.
In the summer she had a long-lasting anti-histamine injection.
She was allergic to colouring, some plants and cat fleas - these are the ones we narrowed it down to.
Ask your vet to consider Atopica.
The change of food would be the first thing I`d do.
hope she improves.

Having had a GSD with allergies I strongly suspect this is what is going on with Bob.
I would echo what Claire and Daisy has said- you need possibly to look at diet and perhaps follow a homemade exclusion diet of maybe rabbit and rice or even potato for a month feeding nothing else at all to see if there is any improvement.
Good flea control is imperative- even if you think there are none just one bite can send an allergic dog mad and set off the scratching again. So apply Stronghold/Frontline regularly and spray the house with a household flea spray from your vet regularly.
Intradermal skin testing/blood tests can help identify any environmental allergens- most common are house dust mites and pollens.
Grooming daily is important but you really are going to need your vets help on this one I'm afraid. You can't leave your dogs sores without some antibiotic help - he will continue to scratch and this will set up a secondary bacterial infection which will be more costly and time consuming to clear.
On a more positive note a lot can be done to help itchy dogs - and once you know what sets him off you should have fewer vet visits.

Thanks guys. So, just to clarify, none of you think this could be from his moulting then?

Sorry, also forgot to mention that he's already on Burns Chicken and rice. (I have to be careful with what my yorkies eat as they suffer from colitis, so poor Bob doesn't get anything naughty)

Sorry for doing this in bits. Bob only has problems around moulting time - never any other time of the year. That's why I'm associating it with his moulting. Once the moulting stops the sores/raw skin goes very easily and his fur grows back beautifully. He has been on Burns for about 4 months now.