Bacca's skin funk is back! Really bad!

Hopefully the skin funk will clear up. Our first sheltie was hypothyroid and suffered from skin problems. Back then (30 years ago) we just used medicated soap faithfully and it usually kept things under control. Hugs to Bacca, poor guy needs one.
 
If medication and baths don't help, look into his food. My mother's maltese, who is also hypothyroid, had really bad skin issues a few years ago. Crusty and flaky skin, swollen and irritated lips. We brought her to our regular vet & a dermatologist where she was treated with an injections, medicated shampoo & wipes. The medication would work temporally, but the skin issues would always return. At no point did either vet mention her food. One vet asked what kind of food she ate, which was wellness, but that was it.

After over a year of her suffering, I suggested to my mom that she try a limited-ingredient food and pick one that has a different protein. The Wellness food she was eating was chicken based. We switched her to California Natural Lamb & Rice and within a month, her skin issue cleared up. It's been 3 years now and it has not returned. She is currently eating Wellness' Limited Ingredient Lamb and is a happy camper.

So, if the medication works temporary, he may have an intolerance to an ingredient in his food.
 
take4roll10 said:
If medication and baths don't help, look into his food. My mother's maltese, who is also hypothyroid, had really bad skin issues a few years ago. Crusty and flaky skin, swollen and irritated lips. We brought her to our regular vet & a dermatologist where she was treated with an injections, medicated shampoo & wipes. The medication would work temporally, but the skin issues would always return. At no point did either vet mention her food. One vet asked what kind of food she ate, which was wellness, but that was it.

After over a year of her suffering, I suggested to my mom that she try a limited-ingredient food and pick one that has a different protein. The Wellness food she was eating was chicken based. We switched her to California Natural Lamb & Rice and within a month, her skin issue cleared up. It's been 3 years now and it has not returned. She is currently eating Wellness' Limited Ingredient Lamb and is a happy camper.

So, if the medication works temporary, he may have an intolerance to an ingredient in his food.
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No chicken protein in his diet. He eats Now! Proteins are turkey, duck and salmon. But he's been eating this for 3 years with no skin funk. I did consider switching him to Natural Balance LID, but the protein levels were too high. (I have to keep them low because of his liver). Though we just got new forumulas in the store that I need to check out.

I just heard about a grain-free lamb diet today though with a protein of 28%. I need to look into it further.

Frankly, I think his skin funk is just the latest progression in his disease.

@dawn2shelties. She did not do a skin scraping. Jut put him on antibiotics and a medicated shampoo.

I bathed him last night and I've not seen him scratching today, along with 2 doses of the antibiotics.

He really needs a brush out to remove the flaky skin, but I thought I would give him a day or two before I aggravate the poor pup further.
 
Does Bacca have an odor about him with his skin problem? Is there like a cotton candy look at the base of his hair folicals on his skin?

I am wondering because this is what my setter went through. It all came down to his immune system.

Its a tough one Barb, and I know you have tried everything to improve Bacca. What ideas did the vet have?

Hoping you find an answer for him, and the vet will give you some good info to help also. Yes it gets darn expensive, I feel your pain.
 
Yes, he has a definite odour that I can't quite describe.

It's not foul smelling, but kinda sweet, yeasty.

Cotton candy? Not so much....its pretty much like really oily dandruff and scales on his skin surface.

It does all come down to his immune system and his hypothyroidismn. No question about it.

btw - if you have dogs with similar oily scales, DO NOT try to treat with oatmeal shampoo. It will only make it worse. Run, don't walk to your vet.
 
Hi Barb,

Just as a "heads up" - Acana also has two limited ingredient foods now - duck and pear, and lamb and apple (http://www.acana.com/products/singles). Protein levels are 25%. I'm going to be putting Seren on them as soon as she's done the bag of Fromm's she's on. If you're looking for a lower protein food with no rice or corn, they may possibly be an option for you.
 
BarbV said:
No chicken protein in his diet. He eats Now! Proteins are turkey, duck and salmon. But he's been eating this for 3 years with no skin funk. I did consider switching him to Natural Balance LID, but the protein levels were too high. (I have to keep them low because of his liver). Though we just got new forumulas in the store that I need to check out.

I just heard about a grain-free lamb diet today though with a protein of 28%. I need to look into it further.

Frankly, I think his skin funk is just the latest progression in his disease.

@dawn2shelties. She did not do a skin scraping. Jut put him on antibiotics and a medicated shampoo.

I bathed him last night and I've not seen him scratching today, along with 2 doses of the antibiotics.

He really needs a brush out to remove the flaky skin, but I thought I would give him a day or two before I aggravate the poor pup further.
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Dogs can have a food allergy or intolerance to any ingredient, so duck, salmon or turkey could be the culprit just as chicken is to other dogs. Dogs can also easily develop an allergy or intolerance to a food despite eating it for years without any issue.

My mom's dog ate the same food and protein for years with no issue and then all of a sudden she developed a skin allergy to chicken. Actually, research shows that dogs who eat the same food or protein for consecutive years are more likely to develop an allergy or intolerance to an ingredient than dogs who rotate food.

You just adjusted his thyroid meds, so if his low thyroid was causing his skin issue, the increased thyroid meds would clear it up in a few weeks. Once his thyroid is stabilized & in the normal range, it should resolve. If it doesn't and the skin medication only helps temporarily (once you stop it it returns), then I would suggest looking into environmental allergies or a food allergy as the cause.

That was the case with my hypothroid dog. It was such a simple fix to switch food. I wish we would've tried it sooner instead of letting her suffer for months with inflamed, flaky skin and spend hundreds on tests and medications.

But hopefully, the new skin meds and increased thyroid meds solve his issue and you don't have to explore other areas.
 
My mom's dog ate the same food and protein for years with no issue and then all of a sudden she developed a skin allergy to chicken. Actually, research shows that dogs who eat the same food or protein for consecutive years are more likely to develop an allergy or intolerance to an ingredient than dogs who rotate food.
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I agree - this is how Seren developed her fish allergy. I now rotate :-)
 
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