Question:
Hi,
about 1 month ago my 7 year old Lab got a hotspot on her neck. It's just about done healing (the fur has almost all grown back), but she is still itchy like crazy. We have her on an e-collar and she is wearing her doggy boot. She's had cortisone shots, cortisone pills as well as creams. Nothing seems to help. My vet doesn't think she's got food allergies because of the location of the hotspot. She's always been on the same high quality food I get at the vet's. We have ruled out parasites because it's February in Montreal so not too many fleas could survive our winters!
Please help me, my dog means so much to me...

Answer:
Im sorry to hear about your dog! I have the same sort of issues with my 7 yr old lab...but I have to tell you it was the High Quality Vet Food that I now know is really crappy food quality wise. I thought because the Vet sold it that it was good but I have since found out that is not the case...Check out the Dog Food Forum here...there is a great amount of info here...Have you ever tried a Duck & Potato recipe for dog food..I have found that mine gets less of the itchies! since eating the duck..

I also use an Oatmeal Bath for dogs sometimes

Good Luck

Cindy

Answer:
"High quality vet food" often doesn't get to the bottom of allergies... Have you done any blood tests? Maybe get the thyroid checked too?

Answer:
A thyroid problem would cause itchiness? What other symptoms should I check for in that case?

Answer:
Originally Posted by lili-marly
She's always been on the same high quality food I get at the vet's.

Most vets sell Medi-Cal or Science Diet which are not high quality foods. What are you feeding her?

Answer:
Thyroid (hypothyroid) symptoms can vary, but the most common indicators seem to be ear infections, excessive shedding and bad skin.. When it gets worse, they become intolerant to cold, irritable, and gain weight...

Answer:
Symptoms can vary a lot from dog to dog, some may just become lethargic, others irritable, some will loose patches of hair or their hair will thin out, some will show neurological symptoms like dragging of a foot, many will gain weight, the odd one loses weight, many will have skin and ear problems, some the skin will thicken and may turn leathery.

Because symptoms can vary so much it, vet often do not routinely test for, unless an owner requests due tp ongoing problems


This link here provides some info on thyroid disease
http://www.mirage-samoyeds.com/thyroid3.htm

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body...hyroidism.html

Answer:
I was feeding her Hills TD for the last 7 years. I bought some Hills Duck and potato yesterday and slowly started mixing it to her food. I don`t know if it's just a coincidence, but she was terribly itchy all night. The vet also gave her an injection just in case she had parasites. I am going out of my mind. The vet doesn't know what to do anymore...

Answer:
Yeah, hills isnt a very good quality food.

You could try another vet as well. Never hurst to get a second opinion.

When Rosco has the itchies, we had a skin biopsy done to see if it was indeed a food allergy.

Answer:
I just came back from the vet's yet again. We're going to try anxiety pills. She seems to itch a lot more when she's alone with me compared to when she is with my husband. She also doesn't itch when we're out walking... Angie has always suffered from seperation anxiety (only when my husband leaves!). The itchies started after my husband and I went away for a few days.We left her home, but my mom had come over to take care of her and the cats. Could it be that she missed my husband so much that she licked and licked and licked herself into his?

Answer:
Did you take her to a different vet? Also, as Scott said, Hill's is not a good food. Please check out the food forum here for some better choices.

Answer:
We're slowly giving her the Hills and if that doesn't work I'll try the Dick Van P food. After thet I guess I'll have to take her to see a dermatologist.

Answer: