Skin problems question

[kms3]

We've had our boxer for almost a year. He came from the local Humane Society, and is our first one. Lately he's been itching all the time. I don't know if it just dry skin or something more serious. Also, his underside seems to be losing hair and getting darker in color. Any advice? He is constantly itching and licking all over.
Thanks.

 

[Scorpio]

I would take him to your vets, he may have alergies. Pls let me know how it turns out.

 

[kms3]

I called my vet this morning and we have an appointment on Friday AM. Baxter has also developed a rash on his belly. The vet told me to go ahead and give him Benadryl until tomorrow.

 

[SadiePaprika]

Skin Problems

My boxer started having hives when she was about one year old. I thought she had gotten stung by a wasp or something. Used the Benadryl. The hives went away. Next spring the same thing happened again. Treated it the same. Then she started having them not just in the summer. Would treat and they would go away. Her skins was just real itchy for her and she was developing scabs now on her fur. Felt so sorry for her. She was losing fur from it. I was feeding her Nutro and switched to the lamb and rice. This did not do much for the problem. Then I checked things out on the internet and discovered "Canidae" dog food which you will see mentioned in the forums. It has really helped her. She still has some dry skin but not like she had before. I'm still looking for possibly an even better dog food just for her. A note that a friend of mind used to feed her dog Purina dog chow and I think the fat in it was actually good for her dogs. She had a very healthy 11-year old boxer who she finally had to put down because of an eyeball that became detached and she had a spot of cancer but other than that the boxer was in very good shape. Her new boxer had a beautiful coat and the boxers my friend owned never had hives or any itching problems. So, just a thought. If you want to check out Canidae, they have a website, www.canidae.com. They deliver free to the Midwest and we do have the food supplied to us at a nearby pet food store. You can look up suppliers on their website. It's just so nice not having to give my boxer Benedryl anymore.

 

[WYearta]

I've actually been fighting itchy skin problems w/Boomer for about a month and a half, now and have tried everything. At first, when I would give him Benadryl, he would clear up, but for about a week, now, he just seems to do nothing but scratch and the rashes are back and won't even subside any, so he has an appt with the vet (yet antother one b/c the last one said this may just be something he has to live with ) this afternoon. So, everybody cross your fingers and paws that this vet will be a little better. And we will cross ours for you to be able to find a solution to your baby's itchies, also.

Whitney and Boomer

 

[kms3]

Just to update everyone. We just got back from the vet, and he has allergies. Our vet didn't think it was a food allergy b/c the irratations are only on his belly, paws, and ears (something more enviromental or inhaled.) He will be on steriods for a week to get the histamine back under control, and then we'll go from there. The vet said he was lucky not to have any secondary infections as bad as it got.

 

[WYearta]

I have an update, also. The vet was much better and he said he thought it was demodex. However, when he took a scraping, he couldn't see anything. But he didi say we would treat him as though he had it b/c that's the easiest thing to rule out first and also b/c he didn't seem to have an awful case, so it was possible he just didn't get any in the scraping. He said he did not think it was allergies b/c he's so young. So we'll see how the antibiotics/antihistamine does for ten days and go back to see him then. Thanks for listening.

Whitney and Boomer