Can anyone help with my sick sheltie?

B

Bullwinkle

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My pup is 9. He was born May 19th, 2002. I can't remember the name of his breeder (Northern CA - near Sacramento, but since moved). I also can't find his papers. His dad was a very good show dog. Her kids had named him "James Bond" if she were to ever see this.

Bullwinkle (my pup) has been very sick for almost two years. He started off losing a lot of fur, and then came the horrible yeast smell. He's been to two vets he's gotten a thyroid test twice (once normal, once slightly abnormal) and blood work for a diseases. He drinks a lot of water, but the disease that with that symptom came back neg. I've had him on all raw - beef. Now for the past 3 months all raw chicken. The diet is not helping at all. He's lost about 12lbs over the last two years. Antibiotics gave him back energy twice but the vet won't keep putting him on that. She wants him to take the thyroid meds. just in case. I desperately need something to get rid of the smell. I tried the Nzymes web site (spent way too much $$) I've tried fish oil for the horrible skin condition. Help please... If nobody can truly help, I really want to find the original breeder but she moved out of state right around the time she had her fourth child.
 
Has he been tested for candida or a fungal infection? The yeast smell is a very telling sign of candida, as is fur loss and dermatitis, and candida is relatively common in shelties. It is very easy to test for candida.

If it is a virilant fungas/candida you will need more than just medication - usually an ointment/wash and change of diet (both from the vet) will also be needed.
 
Is he getting more than just chicken? Is he getting enough organ meat?

Raw requires a variety of protein sources, not just one. He needs to get beef and pork and eggs and organ meats (liver, kidney). He also needs to be eating the chicken bones, so if you are stripping those out, leave them in.

I've never run into a Candida-affected dog, but I know causes all kinds of issues in people. Something to check for.
 
To help locate the breeder, try looking at websites of other Northern California breeders, or breeders in the state you think she moved to.. because they often have a link to sites of other breeders they work with. You might find a name that is familiar to you and can go from there. I hope your baby feels better soon.
 
You may want to look into a natural vet. I myself have a compromised immune system so candida is an ongoing struggle with me. Natural medicine has been much better for treating it than conventional medicine.

In the mean time, you may want to start him on a good probiotic, which at the very least should help boost his immune system. You can get probiotics for dogs online or at health food stores, or you could give him plain yogurt.
 
Have you tried a Dermatologist. My dog has allergy outbreaks which than turned into staph and it was the Dermatologist that got it under control. We are using Hexadine shampoo by Virbac which states is also used for yeast. Best to bath daily or everyother day and leave on for 5-10 minutes and rinse completely. Wear gloves when using. it can be ordered through your vet or online but I would check with your vet first or as I mentioned see a dermatologist. It may be costly initially but if I would have seen the Derm sooner I would have saved alot of money in all the constant vet visits because she wasn't healing. Good luck and if I can answer any questions feel free to pm me.
 
This might be completely different then my one dog I had, a setter. He started loosing fur, spent $1000s of dollars on him to find out why and what could I do to help him.

The horrible part in the beginning we couldn't find out why. As time went on this horrible stench came, the fur was actually rotting off of him. The skin looked like it had cotton candy wrapped around the folicles, and lumps came on his mouth. Then he could hardly walk and his teeth hurt him to eat. He also lost weight over a period of time.

Of course I had to put him down, my beloved boy. It was his immune system and he had cancer at 7 years old. His brother lived til he was 15 1/2. They both ate the same food, treated the same way in everything.

The only thing I can tell you, meds did nothing. Watch the skin, and watch for lumps. The vets did all they could, I did all I could and nothing improved his condition.

Like I said yours might be a completely different story then what my boy had.
 
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